Generation Z student Shepherd K Thobejane could be recycling a cliche when he says “as young people, we’re not afraid to challenge the status quo and think outside the box”.
Yet, he and some of his tech-savvy colleagues have shown that this generation is not welded to, nor defined, merely by social media, but their understanding of rapidly changing technology can be harnessed for good.
He says: “We’ve grown up with the internet and social media, so we’re well-equipped to mobilise, raise awareness and push for change.”
At the recent The Biggest Hunger Hack, a challenge hosted by KFC Africa, he and 60 others, divided into teams, came up with practical, tech-driven ideas to tackle child hunger, a major crisis in our country.
Using artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, data visualisation and community-driven platforms, their ideas included an app to track and “rescue” fruit and vegetables that would normally be thrown away on farms so it can be diverted to feeding schemes.
Another WhatsApp chatbot allows KFC customers to track their R2 “Add Hope” donations all the way to one of more than 3 000 schemes that nourish 154 000 kids a day.
With this vision and energy, our future could be brighter than we think.
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