Build for the Future Hackathon

📍 Nonprofits

Three different nonprofits and their specific needs will be proposed as hackathon challenges, and teams can select one. Each challenge can have up to five teams competing. 

Here are some information about the nonprofits and their current needs that will be addressed by developing OutSystems app that will make a difference:

Nelson Mandela University Center for Community Technology (South Africa 🇿🇦)

Our work is focused on the development of human potential and wellbeing, particularly in disadvantaged, vulnerable, and deep rural communities. Our tool towards achieving this is needs-driven smart technology,” says Professor Darelle van Greunen, Director of the Centre for Community Technologies (CCT) at Nelson Mandela University, describing their work.

The CCT was established by van Greunen in 2014 to focus on information and communications technology (ICT) solutions that can play a catalytic role in solving everyday problems for people living in remote, financially stressed and under-serviced communities. Technology, and more specifically mobile technology, is playing a key and rapidly increasing role in facilitating community-level knowledge, health, connectivity, economic opportunities, access to infrastructure and services, and management of natural resources.

The role of the CCT is to use technology and innovation to contribute to a more prosperous and inclusive society, to accelerate inclusive economic growth, and improve people’s everyday lives. The CCT engages with community members, particularly in South African townships and rural areas, to codesign technology solutions for everyday challenges in these communities so that technology becomes an enabler in their lives. 

The CCT integrates transdisciplinary research and innovation with community engagement through the development and implementation of apps and other smart technologies that enable the advancement of education, health, rural and social development, particularly in low income communities. This is combined with training, networking, and policy analysis and advice. The CCT, which is part of the Faculty of Engineering, the Built Environment and Technology, is the only research unit at a South African university that specifically focuses on ICT solutions for Africa, by Africans, in Africa.

Webpage here

Strength United (Los Angeles, CA, USA 🇺🇸) 

We provide strength-based prevention and client-centered intervention services to survivors of all ages who have experienced child maltreatment, domestic violence, and sexual assault. StrengthUnited, a chartered center of California State University, Northridge (CSUN), has served the San Fernando and Santa Clarita Valleys for over 30 years, supporting the most vulnerable members of our community at critical moments in their lives and providing prevention, intervention, and education in our community to address violence and abuse at the root. We help children, adults, and families live abuse-free lives. 

Consequences of violence and trauma can include physical injury and other medical problems; mental health issues including PTSD, depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts; lost work productivity; loss of housing and financial security; long-term health consequences, and poor educational outcomes.. 

Through a groundbreaking multidisciplinary approach, StrengthUnited serves thousands of children and adults annually, free of charge. We provide 24/7 confidential support and response and help survivors of violence and abuse navigate the often-confusing array of different jurisdictions, departments, and service providers. StrengthUnited brings service partners including law enforcement, medical professionals, counselors, legal aid, and others together in one location, creating an experience that favors the needs of the survivor, rather than leaving them to navigate an often-hostile system alone.

In 2019:

• more than 2,000 children and nearly 2,700 adults received direct services, including 262 families and more than 300 Foster Youth;
• our hotline team responded to 1,100 emergency calls, and;
• our Prevention and Education services team impacted nearly 45,000 individuals. 
  • Prevention and Education efforts include community mobilization throughout the region, youth leadership development, and a wide variety of trainings and workshops, as well as CSUN’s Campus Care Advocates geared toward sexual violence on the university campus. Our specialized programs also address the needs of LGBTQIA+ Survivors and we provide resources in a variety of languages.

Webpage here

Zer0Hunger (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)

Zer0Hunger is a platform created to systematically address hunger in Malaysia. Zer0Hunger is a social enterprise which was created to help try to solve the hunger problem by creating a platform to ride on existing commercial supply chains to fulfil relief operations especially with regards to food. This platform has two verticals (modules), one module to deliver food directly to vulnerable and a second module advocating for urban farming to create more sustainable outcomes for vulnerable. 

Webpage here