[Update] Innovators With eLearning Solutions, Apply For The Design4Zim Challenge

Impact Hub together with ACT in Africa, Stimulus and TechVillage have announced the 3rd challenge in the Design4Zim competition. The challenge is titled “How might we improve access to education for primary and secondary students in the rural areas during pandemics?“

Prior to the educational challenge, there have been two other challenges;

1. How might we improve the safety & morale of healthcare workers?
2. How might we creatively contribute to efficient and timely access to water for communities living within high-density areas?

Challenge 3

Considering that schools have been closed since the end of March and it’s not yet clear when students will resume learning – thus the need for solutions. Whilst the government has urged learning institutions to adopt eLearning, the conditions are far from ideal. A significant number of kids do not have access to the hardware for eLearning whilst other concerns are to do with the cost of data to access educational content posing potential issues.

This challenge is calling upon innovators who think they have solutions which will help students in rural areas continue accessing education during pandemics.

Rules

1. The challenge is open to Zimbabweans above the age of 16
2. You can submit your idea in the form of a 2 to 3 page word or PDF document, or in no more than 5 PowerPoint slides. Please include names, mobile numbers and emails of the individual/teams, bios of the individual/ team, problem outline, solution description, how it addresses the problem, sketches, screenshots or pictures of a homemade prototype, and resources required.
3. One idea per submission
4. If applicable, please make sure your solution meets the relevant WHO standards.
5. The submission can be uploaded to challenge.design4zim.com on the stipulated deadline on the challenge poster before 23:59.

The winner of the challenge will get support from ACT Africa, Impact Hub, TechVillage and Stimulus to bring their product to market. There will also be a US$50 fee for winners. We’ve asked ACT Africa to explain further what they mean by support and will update this article once they respond.

Update: We texted the ACT in Africa number provided on the competition flyer enquiring what else they would provide as part of the support and all they had to say was that winners would get resources to bring their product to market.

I pushed to know if that meant office space, funding or internet access but unfortunately “detailed information will only be provided to winners”.

To me it seems a bit strange that participants will present their concepts for only a US$50 guaranteed reward. It will only become clear what support is after you have won. If you’re still ok with going into this not knowing what exactly you’ll get for your efforts you can sign up below;

The deadline for this challenge is Thursday 12 May so if you’re interested in participating, apply here.