Youth skills development organisation Geekulcha, in collaboration with the University of South Africa (Unisa), will host the 2017 edition of Random Hacks of Kindness (RHOK) Pretoria at the Muckleneuk Campus in Pretoria this weekend.
According to Geekulcha, RHOK Pretoria is an annual hackathon that seeks to address existing social challenges using technology. Led by the Unisa School of Computing, the hackathon embraces the power of open source to assist participants to develop viable software applications that can help residents seek solutions to problems.
The idea was originally started as a global initiative in 2009 by a number of big science and technology organisations in the US.
The challenge hopes to bring together around 100 IT students, creative designers, fintech entrepreneurs, innovators, NGOs and local communities that will design and develop practical open source software solutions that address social and humanitarian challenges.
The Unisa School of Computing explains: "RHOK Pretoria is part of a global community of technologists and change makers who are 'hacking for good'.
"Twice a year, we run hackathons that bring together volunteer developers and tech-savvy do-gooders to work with charities, community groups and social enterprises.
"Solutions should be centred on various categories including environmental, crime alerts/awareness, education, water access and management, township economy and others."
As part of the hackathon, an open data challenge will also be set up, where participants will be required to use open data to build solutions that increase access to education and accelerate academic excellence.
Tiyani Nghonyama, COO of Geekulcha, says many innovative solutions are born out of hackathons.
"Hackathons are about helping people to be innovative, while seeking solutions to serious societal challenges. SA is facing tough times, from the escalating unemployment rate to the rising crime levels. During the tough times, there is a need to come together and address the problems facing our communities, and technology has placed itself as a key tool in providing socially-relevant solutions," he explains.
The top three teams will stand a chance of winning technology vouchers from various outlets.
RHOK Pretoria 2017 is supported by the Shuttleworth Foundation and Hyperion Development. Applications are open until the end of today. Interested individuals should apply here.
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