With help from Samsung, the University of Limpopo has opened a “Digital Innovation Lab” (DIL). The goal is to improve “the prospects of employment or entrepreneurship in the region” by helping people in the province improve at making software.
Limpopo is South Africa’s northernmost province. The Limpopo River borders the province’s west and north, thus its name. Lebowakgomo houses the provincial legislature, whereas Polokwane is the capital and largest city.
The province includes Lebowa, Gazankulu, and Venda, all part of Transvaal. Limpopo became one of South Africa’s nine provinces after its first democratic election on April 27, 1994. First called “Northern Transvaal”, it became “Northern Province” on June 28, 1995, with two other provinces. The name was changed again in 2002 to Limpopo. Limpopo has three primary ethnic groups: Pedi, Tsonga, and Venda.
Read also: Coding Becomes School Subject in Kenya
Limpopo’s improving
The University’s Chancellor, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, unveiled the lab’s curriculum on coding, programming fundamentals, and “digital social innovation.”
According to an abstract from a Limpopo Capricorn District research with Polokwane and Lepelle-Nkumpi participants:
“In rural Limpopo province, youth unemployment is high. Many young individuals in the country are unskilled or semi-skilled; tertiary-trained people are rare. Thus, many of these youths are not economically active. They depend on the government for fundamental needs.”
Limpopo’s new coding process
The lab will teach a 10-month software development (SWD) course to give participants real-world experience. Candidates will use technology to solve a community problem in the “digital social innovation” section.
“This historic event marks a significant step towards empowering women, youth, and persons with disabilities and encouraging innovation in Limpopo to showcase and inspire similar innovative measures for other young people across the country,” the DTIC said.
Unfortunately, the lab only accepts “25 unemployed youth in the province,” scarcely reducing unemployment. Still, it’s a start, and every little bit helps. If the project succeeds, the DIL may be able to recruit more unemployed youth.
Samsung has previously entered the country’s digital sector. A few years ago, it helped create a similar ‘Innovation Lab’ in the Western Cape to help unemployed youth into the digital sector.