SDG 3 is all about promoting healthy lives and promoting well-being for all ages. Ensuring people prioritize their well-being is paramount to securing a future that is both equitable and sustainable. Around the globe, youth have been forced to confront various challenges impacting their wellbeing. In 2013, UNICEF estimated there are between 93 million and 150 million youth with disabilities. World Health Organization (WHO) reports that at least 2 billion people are visually impaired or blindness due to ageing community, changing lifestyles and limited access to eyecare for low- and middle-income countries. Many communities lack access to critical health supports – including physical, dental, oral, and eye insurance or providers.

Did you know that changes in the climate can impact our health? When the climate changes, it can make things harder for people, especially in low-income areas. This means they might face more health problems.

But there's good news! The MetLife Foundation helps support projects that align with SDG 3 and focus on keeping us healthy by:

• Encouraging healthy habits.
• Making it easier to access wellness resources.
• Helping people in need build better financial health.
• Creating healthy workplaces.

What is well-being?

There is no single definition of well-being and there are many aspects of holistic well-being such as:

• Physical well-being
• Social well-being
• Emotional well-being
• Financial well-being

Consider how your experiences and events in your community have impacted one aspect of well-being.

Your challenge is to consider innovative ways you can provide a product or service that promotes or improves upon the wellbeing of people in your community.

Not sure how to dig in? Consider some ways these entrepreneurs are bettering the lives of communities around them:

• Sheena Franklin saw that Black people were less likely to be accurately diagnose with Skin Cancer. Those that were properly diagnosed were diagnosed much later than their White counterparts. She founded K’ept Health to reimagine virtual dermatological care, from advising to diagnosis, for patients of color. 
• SaverLife is on a mission to help make saving money easier. To help build financial well-being, they inspire and support their members with financial health education and an innovative app that makes saving accessible to underserved communities
• One in five young people struggle with mental health and lack of access to healthcare services due to stigma, misinformation, and limited number of practitioners. Shanti Das founded Silence the Shame to provide free mental health education promote well being through a trained network of peer supports and community leaders across the United States. 
• More than 2 million children in the U.S. do not have the glasses to see in their classrooms, read a book, or fully participate in school. Vision to Learn developed an innovative model to provide eye exams and glasses at no cost to kids in underserved communities.
• Felicia Jackson knew that understanding how to administer CPR was a live saving opportunity – the faster it’s administered, the more life-saving it can be. Many people don’t know how to administer CRP – CPR Wrap provides easy to follow instructions that are applied over medical equipment to empower anyone to save a life. 

2023 World Series of Innovation MetLife Good Health and Well-Being Challenge Winners:

• React Glove – Revolutionizing Hand Stability (2023): The ReactGlove, developed by a team of innovative students, addresses the challenge of hand tremors experienced by individuals with Parkinson’s disease and other neuromuscular conditions. This smart glove stabilizes hand movements using advanced technology to counteract tremors in real time. The team, inspired by personal experience, aims to improve quality of life and independence for those affected by hand tremors.
• HEALit – Holistic App for Teen Well-Being (2023): HEALit is an innovative mobile app designed to support students and teenagers in managing stress and promoting holistic growth. It provides a range of tools and resources tailored to the unique challenges of adolescence, including mindfulness exercises, relaxation techniques, and skill development resources. The app creates a safe, accessible space for young users to address their mental health needs, leveraging technology to reach them where they are—on their smartphones. HEALit aims to bridge gaps in existing solutions by offering a comprehensive approach that combines practical tools with a supportive community, helping teenagers navigate their challenges and prioritize their well-being.

Here are some other initiatives advancing SDG 3 across the globe:

• Presence of Mind, a mental health initiative by eSports organization Cloud9, attempts to reduce mental health stigma and support the mental health of young gamers by driving community conversations and trainings for eSports players and streamers.
• EyeHarp, a digital instrument gives those with motor disabilities the ability to play and compose music using only their eyes.
• Zipline, a drone-delivery company, offers on-demand healthcare deliveries in Rwandan communities for blood, vaccines, and other medical equipment.