How Mittir contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals

In short

Mittir contributes to three UN Sustainable Development Goals: SDG 3 (good health and well-being) by tackling loneliness, SDG 10 (reduced inequalities) by lowering the barrier to belong, and SDG 11 (sustainable cities and communities) through local meetings. Loneliness is a growing health problem: 1 in 6 people worldwide is affected, and in the Netherlands about 1 in 10 feels strongly lonely. By letting people meet for who they are instead of how they look, Mittir wants to do something about it.

What are the Sustainable Development Goals?

The United Nations set seventeen Sustainable Development Goals, the SDGs. They are a shared agenda for a fairer and healthier world by 2030. Goals about poverty, climate, education and equality.

We are a small company and we are not going to fix the world on our own. But the direction of your work matters, even when you are small. Three of those goals touch exactly what Mittir stands for, and that is where we do our part.

SDG	What it is about	How Mittir contributes
3. Good health and well-being	Healthy lives and well-being for all	Making real meetings easier and so reducing loneliness
10. Reduced inequalities	Less inequality within and between countries	Lowering the barrier to belong, also for newcomers
11. Sustainable cities and communities	Safe, inclusive and connected cities	Local meetings and cohesion at the neighbourhood level

SDG 3: Good health and well-being

This is the goal closest to our core. Loneliness is no longer just an unpleasant feeling, it is a health risk. In June 2025 the World Health Organization (WHO) published a major report on social connection, and the figures are striking.

Figure	What it says
1 in 6	people worldwide is affected by loneliness
871,000	deaths a year are linked to loneliness and social isolation
100 per hour	that many people die every hour from causes linked to loneliness
1 in 5	young adults feels lonely, the group most affected

Source: WHO Commission on Social Connection, 2025.

Closer to home the figures are clear too. According to Statistics Netherlands (CBS), in 2024 about 10 percent of everyone aged 15 and over in the Netherlands felt strongly lonely, and among young people aged 15 to 25 it was even a little higher, around 11 percent (CBS, 2025).

It is telling that young people are so often affected, while there are more apps than ever. Mittir exists to do something about that. Not with more scrolling, but by making real meetings easier. You get to know someone for who they are, you do things together, and you build connections that mean something. That is where well-being begins.

SDG 10: Reduced inequalities

Not everyone has the same chance to belong somewhere. People who move to a new city, speak another language or have just relocated often stand alone. International students are a good example: they arrive full of hope, but sometimes stay stuck in their own bubble for months because the barrier to meeting others is so high.

Mittir lowers that barrier. Because your photo stays hidden at first, part of the quick judgment that otherwise shuts people out disappears. You start with a conversation and shared interests, not with how someone looks or where they come from. That gives everyone a fairer beginning.

SDG 11: Sustainable cities and communities

A good city is not only well organised, it is also a place where people know each other. Social cohesion at the neighbourhood level makes a city safer, warmer and more liveable.

Mittir is about local meetings. You find people in your own city and do things together, in real life. There is a reason we started in Maastricht, close to the people we are building it for. Every new connection is a small piece of a stronger community.

Small, but genuine

We do not stick these goals onto our work afterwards to look good. It is the other way around: Mittir grew from the same conviction behind these goals. That people should be able to meet one another for who they are, wherever they come from.

It keeps us sharp. As Mittir grows, so does what we contribute here. And that is exactly the point.

Frequently asked questions

Which Sustainable Development Goals does Mittir contribute to?

Mittir contributes to SDG 3 (good health and well-being), SDG 10 (reduced inequalities) and SDG 11 (sustainable cities and communities). The common thread is always the same: bringing people into real contact with each other.

How does Mittir help against loneliness?

Mittir makes it easier to meet new people and do things together in your own city. You start with a conversation instead of a photo, which makes contact more approachable and more real. That is how the app works on social connection, which the WHO says is as important for your health as eating well or moving enough.

Is Mittir a dating app?

No. You use Mittir to meet new people and friends and to do things together. Whether that grows into friendship or into more is up to you.

What does Mittir cost?

Mittir is free to use. You can download the app here and start right away.

Sources

• United Nations, The 17 Sustainable Development Goals
• WHO, Social connection linked to improved health and reduced risk of early death (30 June 2025)
• WHO, From loneliness to social connection: charting a path to healthier societies (report, 2025)
• UN News, Every hour, 100 people die of loneliness-related causes (30 June 2025)
• CBS, 10 percent of people aged 15 and over strongly lonely in 2024 (2025)