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AfriLabs has announced the launch of the Llama 3.1 Impact Pan-African Hackathon. The initiative is funded by Meta and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF). The initiative aims to drive AI innovation across Africa by addressing key social impact challenges, including gender sensitivity, linguistic diversity, economic development, public services, and education. The hackathon holds from October 8-10, 2024 in Kigali, Rwanda,
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The project will be implemented in two phases: the hackathon itself and a post-hackathon phase. The hackathon will bring together developers, tech enthusiasts, students, and professionals from Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, and Rwanda. Teams will collaborate to create AI-powered solutions using Meta’s Llama AI technology. Their major focus will be eliminating gender bias in digital content and promoting linguistic inclusivity.
Top-performing teams will move on to the post-hackathon phase. At this phase , they will receive mentorship and support in product development, market validation, and business refinement. These teams will be prepared to apply for the Llama Impact Grant. Beneficiaries have opportunities to receive up to $100,000 in funding, and potentially $500,000 in seed capital.
Nanko Madu, Director of Programs at AfriLabs, emphasised, “The Llama 3.1 Impact Pan-African Hackathon is a call to action for innovators across Africa to use AI to drive social change. This is an opportunity to build inclusive, equitable, and impactful solutions for the continent.”
Applications are open until September 21, 2024. To apply please visit this link
