Over the past few months, we have been busy getting our ‘MxHacks: low-code for good’ hackathon up and running. The event will take place on September 23rd to 24th online and in Boston, London, Rotterdam, and Singapore. Teams from around the world will take part in building digital solutions that advance worthy causes using ‘low-code for good’ in the first and biggest hackathon of its kind. So far, we have over 800 registered attendees and counting who are ready to tackle exciting use cases that will be revealed on the day of the launch.
You can join too: Register now for the hackathon on the MxHacks page and be sure to join the Mendix Community Slack.
Today, we are proud to announce the names of the nonprofits who are trusting us and the 250,000 members of our low-code developer community to make the apps that will help them continue to improve the lives of those who need it most.
Watch Jan de Vries, senior community engagement manager, introduce the three nonprofits.
Project Alianza (Americas)
Project Alianza aims to bridge the learning gap for rural school-age children in Central America by leveraging technology and existing community networks. The organization aims to support disenfranchised communities and women and empower them to take control of their education so they can reach their full potential.
“Our primary focus is to improve literacy and health behaviors through an offline and online system that promotes healthy hygiene practices and aids the learning and educational process for everyone,” said Kristin Van Busum, CEO and founder at Project Alianza. “We aim to positively impact others’ lives by providing value-added education: learning opportunities and connectivity to people in rural areas who have limited access to the internet and resources. We believe that tech is critical in leveling the playing field for people living in the most rural parts of Central America. Working with Mendix and its low-code community of developers will help us make education more accessible for children who need it the most.”
New Hope Community Services (APAC)
New Hope Community Services (New Hope CS) is a growing organization committed to meeting the needs of Singapore’s rough sleepers and homeless community. Their core services focus on providing shelter as well as mentoring and employment support for the displaced and disadvantaged. New Hope CS currently runs four shelters across Singapore that serve individuals, families, and male ex-offenders, and recently began managing 50 flats under the new HDB Joint Singles Scheme (Operator Run) Project.
“At New Hope CS, we strongly believe that everyone should have access to four fundamental needs: shelter, food, health, and clothes. As our society in Singapore evolves, it’s more vital than ever that we support the homeless community. We believe this requires a series of programs that not only help people find a place to stay when they need it most, but also find a way to reintegrate into society so they can build a positive future for themselves. We are looking forward to working with Mendix and the low-code community during MxHacks to create new services that will support our mission to restore hope to those we serve,” said Pastor Andrew Khoo, CEO and founder of New Hope CS.
Welcome App (EMEA)
The Welcome App offers a one-stop shop for people who are rebuilding their lives in a new country. By linking newcomers with service providers, companies, municipalities, and local individuals, it facilitates social integration in a scalable way. This app allows newcomers to create a social network, learn the local language, and find work and leisure activities to recreate a life similar to the one they had before. Designed for refugees and asylum seekers, the platform aims to simplify integration into a new society to help people feel at home wherever they are.
Julius Weise, founder and director at Welcome App, said: “In recent years, we have learned a lot about the challenges people face in building a new life and sustainable integration into a new society. So we want to facilitate meaningful connections by offering an accessible overview of organizations, networks, information, online and offline activities, a helpdesk where newcomers can ask questions, and a chat function that encourages 1:1 contact between newcomers and local people. By working with Mendix and the low-code community, we are confident we will be able to improve the quality of our services and extend the range of services we offer to newcomers in the Netherlands and other places in Europe so they can all feel welcome.
How we selected the nonprofits
We chose the three participating nonprofit organizations for MxHacks 2022 based on various criteria:
- vision
- mission
- role that low-code technology plays in supporting the organization’s future growth
- alignment with our core values of empowering a wide range of citizen developers regardless of background to innovate through low-code.
What you can expect from MxHacks
MxHacks will celebrate the creativity and expertise of low-code developers while empowering them to use their skills for good. As such, we will be looking forward to seeing the ways low-code developers will tackle the use cases provided by the nonprofits on the day of MxHacks.
Along with the challenges, attendees to MxHacks will be able to meet individuals across the globe who share interests and grow their networks by joining workshops hosted by experts, attending training sessions, and work with the coaches present at the hackathon. Attendees will also have access to career opportunities at meet-and-greet sessions with companies looking to hire developers and expand their teams.
Admission to MxHacks is free and can include teams of up to four people. Solo developers can participate independently or join a matchmaking session to team up before the event. Hybrid teams are also eligible, with some members going on-site while others call in remotely.
Developers can register for the hackathon on the MxHacks page and join the Mendix Community Slack and watch the #announcements and #mxhacks-general channels.