Calling all developers. We need your help. This weekend there will be a 48-hour hack-a-thon aimed at building a new app centred around safety. The hack-a-thon is arranged by Hamba Safe, who answered a plea made by KFM DJ Ryan O’Conner.
Following the horrific murders of Franziska Blöchliger and Sinoxolo Mafevuka last week and the too common violation of safety so many people experience in public spaces, Ryan appealed to the techies of Cape Town to come up with a solution that could track people using public spaces that they could share with their loved ones.
This triggered Sham Moodliar and Elizabeth Senger from Hamba Safe into action. Determined to make a difference they arranged this weekend’s hack-a-thon not only as concerned citizens but as people with industry know-how on how something like this can be achieved.
PLEASE SIGN-UP for the Hackathon FOR FREE on https://www.quicket.co.za/events/15809-the-48hr-hambsafe-hackathon/
Posted by Hamba Safe on Tuesday, 15 March 2016
While there are similar apps that have been developed, like rapid response apps, Moodliar said that this would be the first time an app of this particular nature will be developed. He said that it is completely possible to build this app, which has already been named Hamba Safe (Go Safe), if people come together and brainstorm. Developers are not the only people who are welcome, the hack-a-thon is open to anyone and everyone who has ideas or could help with the user experience of the yet to be made app.
The hack-a-thon will be taking place at Workshop 17 in the V&A Waterfront from 6 pm on Friday, 18 March to 6 pm on Sunday, 20 March. It is completely free to attend. On Friday at 6 pm, participants will be briefed and then the brainstorming and developing begins. Participants can come and go as they please, but are encouraged to stay as long as they can to help.
If you are interested in helping, you can sign-up for the hack-a-thon for free on Quicket. You can also find more information on the Hamba Safe Facebook Page or email [email protected].
Here is the clip of Hamba Safe discussing the hack-a-thon on the Breakfast show on KFM:
This is such an important social initiative, that could really make a difference. It’s time for us to band together and help make a difference in public safety.
UPDATE
The hack-a-thon was a huge success! People from all over Cape Town came together and built a functioning app. They even worked over the Easter Weekend to improve the app. The app will be available in May. It is currenlty being tested. If you are interested in helping out the testing phase of the app, Hamba Safe are looking for people to help.
For more information on how you can get involved, visit Hamba Safe’s Facebook page