3 Zim students win top hackathon award

THREE Zimbabwe university students yesterday scooped the first prize for the most creative idea during a hackathon at the 10th World Summit on the Information Society

(WSIS) forum in Geneva, Switzerland. The three, Isaac Gadzimbe (University of Zimbabwe), Kudakwashe Godfrey Paradzayi (Harare Institute of Technology) and Charmaine Matsaudza (National University of Science and Technology), who are all computer science students won after they presented a prototype on “hacking solutions for lifelong learning and livelihoods” under the name PeerEd.

They received their award from International Telecommunication Union (ITU) deputy secretary-general Malcom Johnson.

The students’ participation was facilitated by the Ministry of Information Communication Technology and Courier Services and the Postal and Telecommunication Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ).

Information Communication Technology and Courier Services Minister Kazembe Kazembe, who is leading the Zimbabwean delegation to the forum, was naturally ecstatic after the win.

“Congratulations to our young techpreneurs for winning the prestigious award and well done for exhibiting sharp brains,” he said.

Meanwhile, Minister Kazembe is expected to address the international delegates today during the ministerial round table meeting on the role of governments in building an enabling environment for connectivity and will also deliver a policy statement.