Green Wavers, a student initiative that encourages the public to plant trees, has been named the winner of this year’s Game of Learners competition by the Microsoft Africa Development Centre (ADC).
Green Wavers, comprised Purity Jangaya of the University of Nairobi, Ian Kariuki of Kenyatta University, Humphrey Kimathi of Kirinyaga University, as well as Jessie Umuhire and Françoise Mukantwari of the African Leadership University.
The team was coached by ADC software engineer Claire Limo and Loki Mutua, the centre’s product manager.
Based on the theme of “Climate Change & Sustainability”, the team created a website to encourage tree planting in line with the season’s challenge, which sought to propose a solution that reduces or reverses gas emissions and footprints.
Once a user has planted a tree and photographs it, the website allows the user to register and upload the image. The object in the image is then validated to confirm if it is a tree before the database is updated with the user’s name, location, and tree image URL.
If the user uploads another image and it is validated, the user’s tree count in the database grows whereas if the validation fails, the user is prompted to upload a new image.
After a month, the user with the most trees planted receives an award. The website also includes an education page where users can learn about the importance of planting trees, the consequences of cutting down trees, and how to plant a tree.
“The challenge is how we can make people plant more trees than those which are being destroyed. As team Wavers, we have found a solution and have developed a website that makes people plant trees,” Jangaya, the Green Wavers team captain, said.
Microsoft ADC has been hosting the Game of Learners Competition for the past three years with the aim of improving digital and coding abilities among African undergraduate students.
The winning team gets an opportunity to have their winning solution adopted by an organisation to develop it further.
“The focus of GOL is in fostering and encouraging continuous learning. It’s not about winning a prize but rather learning hands-on as much as possible in 5 weeks. Prizes and incentives are based on items that promote and assist learning including smartphones, Azure Credits, LinkedIn Learning Vouchers and MS Certification Vouchers,” Game of Learners founder, Ruth Ferland, said.
As this year’s winners, the Green Wavers will work with the Green Belt Movement to develop their winning solution further.
