YoungLives Impact Report 2025

YOUNGLIVES

IMPACT REPORT 2025

TABLE OF CONTENTS

GROWING IN LIFE

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GROWING IN LEADERSHIP

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CELEBRATING 35 YEARS

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GLOBAL GROWTH

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LEADERSHIP

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LETTER FROM THE VICE PRESIDENT

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WHY YOUNGLIVES?

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MISSION, VISION, PURPOSE

7

AROUND THE WORLD

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BY THE NUMBERS

10

GROWING IN FAITH

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LETTER FROM THE VICE PRESIDENT As a result of listening to the needs of local communities and staff, we launched year-round Think Tanks offering connection and resources for mentors and staff serving adolescent fathers.

The Relate Project and our new friend Nicole Lynn Lewis author of Pregnant Girl: A Story of Teen Motherhood, College, and Creating a Better Future for Young Families helped to broaden perspectives and equip us with subject matter expertise that support our efforts in creating spaces of belonging for over 34,000 Gen Z teens and adolescent parents.

KARIL CONNOR YoungLives Vice President

Dear friends of YoungLives, I am truly grateful for the many ways you come alongside of this ministry with compassion, generosity and prayer.

This past year has been marked by intentional learning. We leaned into curiosity—asking important questions, listening deeply to staff and participants, and exploring new ways to strengthen our ministry. Through this process, we sought not only to evaluate our efforts but to also align ourselves in a way that expands our reach and impact with teen parents.

The exponential growth of international ministry shed light on the need for easily accessible and relevant tools for discipleship, mentoring and outreach. Our central guidebook was relaunched in the Spring in a new delivery format to support a growing team of volunteers walking with young parents every day around the world.

The wisdom of Proverbs 19:20–21 encourages us to “listen to counsel” and we are grateful for the counsel that God provided this year.

We trust that as we continue to listen, reflect, and adapt, God will deepen the impact of this ministry and extend its reach. Thank you for being an integral part of this journey!

Sincerely,

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WHY YOUNGLIVES? YoungLives, founded in 1991, exists for expectant and parenting adolescents to grow in faith, grow in life, and grow in leadership.

We believe God is raising up thousands of teen parents who will shape their families and communities with courage, love, and vision. Our role is to walk with them, to know Jesus and to know teen parents, so that together we make him known around the world.

With God’s help we will: Know Jesus. Know Teen Parents. Make Him Known...Together.

YoungLives is present in 33 countries and counting, walking alongside teen parents with a globally adaptable model grounded in three priorities: proactive relationships, practical support, and purposeful hope.

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OUR PURPOSE Teen parents are often navigating some of the biggest questions in life, identity, belonging, faith, and future, all while caring for a child. At YoungLives, we step into that story not with easy answers, but with presence.

As a division of Young Life, YoungLives introduces parenting adolescents to Jesus Christ and helps them grow in their faith. We believe every young person deserves the right to hear the good news of God’s love.

WE DO THIS BY: Going where they are and building personal, trusting relationships

WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT ADOLESCENT PARENTS

Providing fun, adventurous,

• Adolescent pregnancy is closely linked to poverty, lack of education, and systemic inequality.

life-changing experiences Partnering with like-minded adults, volunteers, mentors, donors, and staff to create a community of support

• Only about half of teen parents complete the highest level of secondary education available in their country, whether that’s a high school diploma, vocational certificate, or regional equivalent.

• Adolescent mothers often raise children without long-term support from the child’s father, and in most contexts, few programs exist to engage or empower adolescent fathers.

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33

COUNTRIES IN 13 DIVISIONS

Africa East Africa West Africa South Asia/Pacific Eastern U.S. Europe Latin America/Caribbean Middle EurAsia Midwest U.S. Northwest U.S. Southeast U.S. Southwest U.S. South Central U.S.

BY THE NUMBERS 2025 YOUNGLIVES GLOBAL IMACT

629 MINISTRIES

251 United States 378 International

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49 CAMPS

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LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS

35 YEARS OF MINISTRY

RISE THRIVE ELEVATE DADS THINK TANK DIVISIONAL CONFERENCES MINISTRY ESSENTIALS TOOLKITS

63

MINISTRIES SERVING TEEN DADS

RISE

ALUMNI DISCIPLESHIP GROUPS

32

34,000 TEEN PARENTS

KNOWN BY NAME YoungLives Impact Report

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GROWING IN FAITH I had the joy of being camp speaker this year at Washington Family Ranch Creekside. There was one girl in particular who caught my attention throughout the week. She was the first mom from our Alaska group that disembarked the bus. On the way to camp, the air conditioning on the vehicle stopped working, and as she came down the bus stairs she looked exhausted and defeated. She sped past the welcoming staff all dressed up like funny characters, without engaging, and sat in the shade of a tree near me. I gently asked how she was doing, but after stating that she was hot she would not say another word to me.

Later in the week, when I saw her again, I checked in to see if she was okay. She nodded but still didn’t speak. Her leader later informed me that she is from a very remote village and is fairly non-verbal unless she knows you well.

After the all camp activity that included running around and throwing powdered paint on each

BY CASSIE COATS

other, I asked her if she had fun and she smiled (first smile I had seen that from her!) and nodded. Every interaction seemed like a thawing from within, a softening of something that had been hardened.

At the end of the week, anyone who had decided to follow Jesus would be invited to what we call the “New Believers Walk.” She showed up with a few dozen other moms who had made a decision to follow Christ. When I spotted her, she shared with me how good it had been to be at camp and how glad she was that she came. “Good!” “Glad!” What encouraging words! A few hours later, when given the chance to stand up in front of the whole camp to share about her life-changing decision to follow Jesus, she stood up! It was so beautiful to see God move in her life throughout the week and to witness the transformation that happened as she opened her heart to the God who adores her.

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GROWING IN LIFE

BY CATHERINE ODONGO

YoungLives mentors are often present as young moms and dads wrestle with major life trauma and painful moments of growth. These mentors also get the privilege of a front row view to transformative healing and grace the Lord brings in these difficult moments.

In the Eastern part of Africa, a young mother showed up to camp quiet and withdrawn. Her name is Alice and at 17 years old, she navigated parenthood and questions about her purpose in life.

Like many of the thousands of teen parents YoungLives serves in African countries, she dropped out of school after giving birth to her son. Alice felt like she had lost her worth and hope for a future.

That was until Alice met a warm, joyful leader named Fredah who welcomed her with open arms. For the first time, she felt like she wasn't being judged. Fredah prayed for Alice and reminded her that God wasn't done with her story. She pointed her to her true identity in Christ and Alice began to believe it.

Alice decided to pursue her dream to return to school.

With the help from her mentor, she did and succeeded!

She is now one of the Young Life Developing Global Leader students and volunteers at YoungLives events.

She now is inspiring hope in teen parents by sharing her testimony.

Each year, over 770,000 girls under the age of 15 give birth in developing regions around the world. Adolescent parents often face steep barriers, poverty, interrupted education, social stigma, and lack of access to healthcare and support.

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GROWING IN LEADERSHIP

BY APRIL JACKSON I was standing in the middle of camp—somewhere between giving directions and checking in with staff—when a young mom I didn’t yet know walked up to me with striking confidence and boldness in her eyes. Her name was Zharia, and with no hesitation she asked, “How do I become like you?

How do I go from where I am now to being the woman in charge?”

As I walked away, one thought echoed in my heart: This is why I keep inviting people to join my support team.

The question stopped me in my tracks.

Yes, Zharia. This could and should be you.

She wasn’t asking out of flattery, she was asking out of vision. Something in her saw herself in me, and more importantly, saw something God could grow in her too.

I stumbled a little at first. Then, I gathered my thoughts and told her the truth: It’s about being faithful in the small things. It’s about showing up, honoring the little jobs, loving the people right in front of you. That’s how God shaped me. That’s how I grew into this role—as a camp director, as the YoungLives Southeast Divisional Coordinator, as an Associate Regional Director, a leader, a voice in this ministry.

I looked her in the eyes and said, “This could be you."

We talked about RISE, the YoungLives discipleship program for young moms hungry for more. I told her I wanted to see her back at camp next summer—not just as a camper, but as a RISE participant doing a discipleship experience. I told her about Next Gen, a pathway into full-time ministry for women like her who are willing but may need a financial bridge to say yes. And as she listened, I saw hope and purpose beginning to take root.

When Zharia asked how to become like me, what she was really asking was, “Can I grow into the woman God made me to be?” And my answer is still yes.

FROM PARTICIPANT TO LEADER...

BY ANNELIE UWIMANA As a once guarded participant in YoungLives Scotland, Georgia opened up to her mentors, eventually accepting Jesus and ready for the next step in her leadership journey.

In Scotland, as mothers reach the age of 24, they graduate from YoungLives and are eligible to become 'Peer Mentors' or 'Childcare Volunteers.' This opportunity was perfect for Georgia as a part of her discipleship journey, with a commitment to serve and engage in either a discipleship group or local church activities. Georgia became the example of an extraordinary Peer Mentor and thrived in her new role.

Her growth and gratitude shine, "Thank you for helping me find a way to ask God for help for myself, it means a lot - who would have thought!! Hopefully, I see God today, but I am getting to see how He works... Thanks for showing me!"

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TELLING THE STORY OF 35 YEARS FROM ONE TO 34,000 TEEN PARENTS FOR MORE THAN THREE DECADES YoungLives has been writing a transformative story—one name, one conversation, one life at a time.

The essence of that first chapter began long before the official name of YoungLives was spoken. Young Life has always been about reaching every kid. In those early years, many people courageously pursued teenagers who had babies, and their efforts would take shape into what we now call YoungLives 35 years ago. Over time, those early individual stories became a powerful movement— woven together by dedicated mentors, volunteers, supporters, and teen parents who took a brave step into community.

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YoungLives has grown because people have chosen to step into the lives of others, not with answers, but with authentic presence. And when presence meets purpose, profound transformation begins.

As we celebrate this historic 35-year milestone in 2026, we don’t just count stories, we cherish them. We remember the faces behind the numbers, the young parents who are experiencing God as they walk with their mentors, the increase in secondary graduation rates, and the movement to create spaces of belonging for the whole family around the world.

EVERY STORY HAS A NAME. EVERY STORY REVEALS GOD’S FAITHFULNESS.

GLOBAL GROWTH AND NEW LEADERSHIP

THE NEXT CHAPTER

CATHERINE ODONGO AFRICA EAST ETHIOPIA KENYA UGANDA

YoungLives in Africa continues to grow as one of the most expansive expressions of the ministry globally.

Since its launch in 2017, we have seen the rise of growth camps, play groups, and sports ministry, all tailored to meet the unique needs of teen mothers across the continent. This incredible expansion is a testament to the commitment of our local leaders.

We’re thrilled to announce the promotion of three new YoungLives Divisional Coordinators. These remarkable women have each played a key role in establishing and expanding YoungLives in their respective divisions, serving faithfully as mentors, coordinators, and spiritual leaders. Their leadership will help to define the next 35 years of the YoungLives story.

MATILDA KAMARA AFRICA WEST

LIBERIA MALI SENEGAL SIERRA LEONE

LINDY GUMBO AFRICA SOUTH DRC MALAWI RWANDA TANZANIA ZIMBABWE

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LEADERSHIP LEADERSHIP

YOUNGLIVES GLOBAL

VICE PRESIDENT’S OFFICE Eastern division

KARIL CONNOR

ERIKA SMITH

BILLI DRAY

YOUNGLIVES VICE PRESIDENT

YOUNGLIVES OPERATIONS MANAGER

YOUNGLIVES DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR

Southeastern division

EXECUTIVE

MEREDITH EMERICK

GREG MOORE

ADMINISTRATOR

YOUNGLIVES CAMP ADMINISTRATOR

YOUNGLIVES DADS CONSULTANT

Africa West

U.S. DIVISIONS

ANNIE BANDOLIK

APRIL JACKSON

AYESHA WILCOX

MIDWESTERN DIVISIONAL COORDINATOR

SOUTHEASTERN DIVISIONAL COORDINATOR

EASTERN DIVISIONAL COORDINATOR

Vice President 20 YoungLives Impact Report

Development Director

Operations Manager

U.S. DIVISIONS

BECCA EBY

CASSIE COATS

LISA MALMIN

SOUTH CENTRAL DIVISIONAL COORDINATOR

NORTHWESTERN DIVISIONAL COORDINATOR

SOUTHWESTERN DIVISIONAL COORDINATOR

INTERNATIONAL DIVISIONS

ANNELIE UWIMANA

CATHERINE ODONGO

KATIE FARMER

SCOTLAND YOUNGLIVES DIRECTOR

AFRICA EAST DIVISIONAL COORDINATOR

ASIA PACIFIC DIVISIONAL COORDINATOR

IRYNA UTKINA

LINNET “LINDY” GUMBO

MATILDA KAMARA

UKRAINE YOUNGLIVES DIRECTOR

AFRICA SOUTH DIVISIONAL COORDINATOR

AFRICA WEST DIVISIONAL COORDINATOR

MICHELLE SUWYN LATIN AMERICA & CARIBBEAN DIVISIONAL COORDINATOR

Camp Admin

YoungLives Dads Consultant YoungLives Impact Report

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GLOBAL ADVISORY BOARD

JOAN EDEN

KATIE TRAVERSE

KARIL CONNOR

BOARD CHAIR

BOARD VICE CHAIR

VICE PRESIDENT

NANCY CASEY

JENNY IOTT

KELLY JACKSON

GISELE KALONZO-DOUGLAS

COLLEEN MCVANEY

AMANDA MILLER

HEIDI RUSH

REBECCA SMITH JUTTON

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