"As a regulatory body for mobile applications and services in South Africa, hosting the event in honour of Code for Change was an obvious choice for us as it focuses on building an ecosystem of coding skills and digital entrepreneurs in secondary schools to help build the new South African economy,” says Noelan Rungasamy, GM at WASPA.
"This not only aligns with WASPA values but speaks to building the future workforce needed as technology continues to shift and shape the world we live in," adds Rungasamy.
According to WASPA South Africa's unemployment rate is among the highest in the world, sitting at 32.9% in the first quarter of 2023. Now more than ever, coding is a vital element for the digital economy as it drives:
- innovation
- job creation
- automation
- efficiency, and
- digital transformation.
WASPA adds that empowering the youth to have problem-solving skills is needed in the modern world.
"We are honoured to be the recipients of the 2023 WASPA fundraising event," says Jonathan Novotny, co-founder of Code for Change. "It is always encouraging to see that our work and impact is being recognised and this money will go towards helping us achieve our goal for CodeJIKA to build student-run coding clubs in secondary schools throughout Africa."
"If we are to truly close the skills gap that we are experiencing, we need to keep up with the evolution of technology to meet demands and upskilling the youth is a critical component to the growing ecosystem," concludes Rungasamy.
For more information, visit
www.codeforchange.org.za. You can also follow Code for Change on Facebook, Twitter or on Instagram.