African Data Scientists from Zambia are Predicting Traffic Created by Weather Challenges

Lusaka, Zambia, 15th October, 2024 – Yango Group, a global tech company that creates everyday services, is excited to power the 2024 Lusaka Mobility Prediction Hackathon by Zindi. The event is set to take place on Saturday, October 26, from 10:00 to 18:00 SAST and will challenge participants to develop solutions for traffic prediction and weather-related conditions that influence urban mobility.

This one-day hackathon offers data scientists, students, and tech enthusiasts in Zambia an exciting opportunity to tackle real-world mobility challenges crafted by Yango’s data science team. The company will award financial prizes to the top three teams or individuals with the best-performing solutions. Building on the success of the 2023 edition, which saw over 150 participants at the University of Lusaka, the 2024 hackathon aims to further inspire Zambia’s growing data science community while equipping young data scientists with skills to address real societal challenges.

Commenting on the impact of the Lusaka Mobility Prediction Hackathon, Hon. Felix Mutati, Minister of Technology and Science, Republic of Zambia, said: “This hackathon is a bold step toward Zambia’s tech-driven future. By empowering young minds to solve real challenges, we are advancing Zambian cities and building the skills needed for global leadership. STEM education and competitive challenges of this nature are the engine of our progress, and this event is a catalyst for lasting innovation.”

“We’re thrilled to be bringing together Zambia’s data science talents both online and in person for this exciting event,” said Celina Lee, CEO of Zindi. “With the University of Lusaka and UNICAF hosting physical gatherings, we hope to create an environment where students can learn from one another and take their skills to the next level.”

All tech and data science enthusiasts are encouraged to participate online through Zindi’s platform. To further engage students, special in-person gatherings will be held exclusively for students of the University of Lusaka and UNICAF on the day of the event. These gatherings will provide students with the opportunity to collaborate, ask questions, and deepen their understanding of the mobility challenge at hand.

Kabanda Chewe, Country Manager for Yango in Zambia, emphasised: “This hackathon focuses on creating a lasting community impact, and Yango is proud to support initiatives that empower local talent to develop solutions for urban mobility. Building on last year’s success with traffic prediction, we’re introducing an even broader challenge — participants will also tackle how weather-related conditions affect urban mobility. They will learn to use urban analytics for data-driven decisions that can reshape city planning and transportation systems.”

Traffic prediction and weather-related analytics are key to enhancing urban mobility through Yango’s city super-app. By anticipating traffic patterns, it would become possible to offer optimised routes, reduce congestion, and inform city planners for better infrastructure management. Integrating weather data allows to provide real-time, personalised mobility solutions, improving safety and reliability during adverse conditions. These technologies create more efficient, adaptive urban environments, aligning with Yango’s vision of a digitised city. The Lusaka Mobility Prediction Hackathon enables local talent to innovate solutions that advance this vision further.

This year’s Hackathon follows a series of tech and educational CSR programs put together by Yango. Notable among them is The Yango Education Program which provided hundreds of Zambians with free access to data analytics courses in Pythonу and SQL. This was followed by the Yango Fellowship Program launched in partnership with the STEM Foundation, which will award scholarships to university students in Lusaka.

To register for the hackathon, visit bit.ly/yango-lusaka-2024.

About Yango Group

Yango Group is a tech company headquartered in Dubai, that transforms global technologies into everyday services  tailored for local communities. With an unwavering commitment to innovation, the company reshapes and enhances leading cutting-edge technologies from around the world into seamlessly integrated daily services for diverse regions.

Their mission is to bridge the gap between leading world innovations and local communities, fostering connections and enhancing everyday living experiences.

For more information, kindly contact [email protected]

About Zindi

Zindi is the first data science competition platform in Africa. Zindi hosts an entire data science ecosystem of scientists, engineers, academics, companies, NGOs, governments and institutions focused on solving Africa’s most pressing problems.

With a network of 75 000 data scientists registered on the platform, from more than 180 countries around the world, Zindi helps data practitioners of all levels access real-world challenges, tutorials and mentors to build their practical skills, and virtually participate in data science competitions. They are also able to apply for jobs using their CV on the Zindi platform and connect with a broader community of practice.

Key global clients and partners include Microsoft, Google, Deepmind, Instadeep, and Ernst & Young.  For more information, kindly contact Paul Kennedy [email protected]

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