Seeking a stronger effort to combat global challenges, IBM in partnership with Call for Code founder David Clark Cause brought together hundreds of thousands of developers to address the impact of natural disasters through the use applications powered by open source technology. From the dozens of global entrants to this year’s Call for Code Challenge, the top five finalists were recently announced, offering innovative solutions that mitigate disasters and support local community efforts to prepare and then better assist survivors.
More and more Americans are viewing natural disasters as an effect of climate change based on the growing number of regions around the world experiencing wildfires, landslides, and fierce hurricanes. These disasters threatened the very survival of people, prompting the establishment of this annual challenge in 2018. More than 180,000 independent and enterprise developers, activists, students, and data scientists took part this year, culminating in the selection of the top five.
Finalists include a platform that would prioritize emergency calls based on level of response need, a mobile mental health application that provides care for traumatized survivors, and an AI platform that helps survivors connect with care providers around the globe to obtain medical and psychological care. The winner of the Call for Code Prize will be announced on October 12th at the United Nations, receiving a prize of $200,000 and support from IBM and other groups going forward.
“While climate change and natural hazards place a greater burden on low and middle-income countries, this problem is not just confined to the developing world. We must all find opportunities to transform our communities and societies,” said Mami Mizutori, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General (SRSG), who served as a judge for this year’s Challenge. “I want to commend the participants in this year’s Call for Code Global Challenge for their ingenuity and commitment to using tech for good. I believe these ideas hold immense potential for empowering local communities around the world to build resilience in the face of disaster risk.”
