The second edition of the Somalis in Tech will be held at the end of October with climate change being the theme in the virtual Hackathon.
According to the organisers of the three days event to be staged between October 29-31, the regularity of climate-related shocks in Somali territories is incredibly concerning.
“Climate Change and environmental security is the greatest issue faced by the world today. But research has shown that its most devastating impacts felt by the communities closest to us.”
The Somalis in Tech organization climate change can have a disastrous impact on the livelihoods and security of rural communities in a region where large amounts of the population depend upon pastoralism and agriculture for income and sustenance.
“This year’s climate change theme is in line with the organisation’s focus on tackling relevant and current issues. 2020 saw the world face an unprecedented global pandemic, where around the world communities of colour were disproportionately impacted,” the organizers of the event said in a statement.
In October 2020, the Somalis in Tech hosted its first hackathon which saw participants develop tech-based solutions to support the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.
Somalis in Tech was founded in 2020 with a mission to increase the visibility and representation of Somali talent in the tech industry.
The organisation aims to support the upskilling of the community into tech roles and provide them with space and resources to connect and collaborate. It currently has over 1,100 members around the world
This year’s event is open to everyone from all skill sets and backgrounds.
“The aim of the event is to create something that will benefit the community. It is also about developing participants’ tech skills and helping them along on their career journey,” the Somalis in Tech said in a release to the press.
Participants will be placed in teams and work together throughout the weekend to develop tech-based solutions to climate change issues.
