Cape Town - Four learners from Sinenjongo High School in Joe Slovo Park, Milnerton, are celebrating their win in the goIT Challenge, in which more than 455 participants from the Western and Eastern Cape battled out their ideas for an app that could change the communities they come from for the better.
The Tech-savvy challenge, which was hosted by Tata Consultancy Services in partnership with Steam education specialist Sakhikamva Foundation and brought together hundreds of learners from nine high schools across the Western and Eastern Cape, came to a tantalising end on Wednesday when learners from Sinenjongo High and Goodwood College took first, second and third place.
The founder of Sakhikamva Foundation, Fatima Jakoet said the foundation was impressed by all the participants of the competition, but inspired by learners from Cape Town who worked hard to win the tech challenge.
“The challenge saw the learners tasked with coming up with app ideas to solve real-world problems in their communities and, in turn, change the world for the better.
“What we have seen in this year’s South African goIT Challenge is young people expressing their ability to be problem-solvers who can contribute to a better world,” said Jakoet.
The first-placed team members each got a new tablet, and second-place learners from Goodwood College each got a drone. The third-place winners, also from Goodwood College, each won a robotic kit.
The learners won with their app idea called the WO-MEN, that works to promote gender equality and the acceptance of gender diversity which includes a conversation platform to highlight the impacts of gender inequality.
Nikhil Dabhole, the head of HR at TCS South Africa, said: “We congratulate this year’s winners of the goIT Challenge and commend the finalists and all other participants. The goIT Challenge is a way to strengthen communities today, by empowering the digital innovators of tomorrow.”
Geographic information specialist at Astrofica and one of the judges, Athina Kenned, said: “Purely on the presentations the winning team was passionate and confident in their app idea. They were invested in it, and it showed. I was inspired by the team of young ladies who presented a unique and innovative idea that could change the world for the better.”
Sinenjongo High School learner Lilitha Masizana said: “We are so happy and excited to have won, and as a team we stand by what our app was designed to do – to promote gender equality and the acceptance of gender diversity, which includes a conversation platform to highlight the impacts of gender inequality.”