Aug 11
10:00 AM
to
Oct 19
12:00 AM
 Online, Online

Safe@Home South Africa Sponsored By Microsoft

Mandatory quarantine orders necessitated by the spread of COVID-19 have given rise to a dramatic increase in gender-based violence across the globe. In honour of South Africa’s Women’s Month, Microsoft is sponsoring a 11-week hackathon, challenging teams of 3-6 people to develop applications to support those experiencing gender-based violence. 

Challenge Considerations

While gender-based violence does not know demographics, the harsh reality in South Africa is that many of its victims do not have access to high-end technology, including smart phones.

In developing your solution, please consider the following:

  • Many victims are using 3rd or 4th generation phones that are obsolete and do not have access to applications like Whatsapp or other one touch SOS tools or applications
  • Data is expensive and not always readily available – especially in emergency situations
  • Regular load shedding means that cell towers are not operational
  • Limited or no airtime to make calls, or send SMSs
  • No access to transport to find a place of safety

Who can participate?

  • All participants must be based in South Africa 
  • Developers; Back, front, or full-stack – you turn concepts into reality using sharp coding skills.
  • Designer; In your skillful hands, dashboards and applications gain clarity and style.
  • Idea Generator; In your experienced hands, dashboards and applications gain clarity and style.
  • Open Registration; You have a unique perspective and valuable insight to share with your team.

Why participate? 

  • Monetary prizes
  • Unique platform for the development of not-for-profit applications 
  • Remote mentoring and support from Microsoft experts via a dedicated platform
  • Interactive onboarding session 
  • Potential investment 

#SafeAtHomeSA