Twenty-six of the City’s libraries have signed up for a Library Coding Network tournament, in partnership with Nelson Mandela University, that will see the top teams from each facility go head-to-head at City Hall on Mandela Day.
The libraries currently signed up to join the Mandela Day Coding Tournament are: Camps Bay, Mowbray, Observatory, Belhar, Bonteheuwel, Goodwood, Durbanville, Milnerton, Bellville, Parow, Leonsdale, Ocean View, Hanover Park, Manenberg, Central, Pinelands, Pelican Park, Kuyasa, Rocklands, Bishop Lavis, Mfuleni, Mitchells Plain, Grassy Park, Khayelitsha, Adriaanse and Valhalla Park Library.
Participants make use of Tangible Africa’s flagship coding applications, TANKS and RANGERS, that are played offline, using minimal resources.
The award-winning tangible coding movement, an engagement project of the Nelson Mandela University Computing Sciences Department and the Leva Foundation, has for the past two years been gaining momentum across the continent.
This year, Tangible Africa will be hosting its flagship tournament at the Nelson Mandela Legacy Exhibition. To find out more about coding in your region or to participate in the #Coding4Mandela event, contact info@levafoundation.org
Unplugged coding allows libraries to bring coding to communities who do not have access to expensive resources.
By downloading a very small app (7MB), participants can play TANKS or RANGERS offline, using the app and the tokens from the game packs.
‘This form of coding improves the participants’ problem solving, comprehension and collaboration skills. By the end of the game, when they’ve completed all 35 levels, participants will be able to move on to plugged coding in libraries, using applications such as SCRATCH, which is currently available on our SmartCape computers. The tournament planned for Mandela Day is an exciting prospect, and I want to thank the Nelson Mandela University for this exciting collaboration opportunity for our young people. It is my sincere hope that this initiative will take hold and become a regular feature in all of our libraries over time,’ said Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, Councillor Patricia Van der Ross.
‘Since we started in 2017, libraries have been a great implementation partner, assisting us to impact communities. We are very grateful of the Cape Town libraries who have taken ownership of the Tangible Africa coding movement,’ said Professor Jean Greylin, Head of the Department of Computing Sciences at Nelson Mandela University.
One of the shining stars is the Coding Club in Belhar, where community members have rallied to grow the club from just two children in January, to having hundreds of participants each month.
‘It started as a library project at Belhar Library, led by Randall Rousseau, and when he moved to another library, he approached a group of parents with the idea of taking over from him to continue the programme. There is always an amazing energy and atmosphere of excitement whenever we get together as a club from both the parents and youth. It has become a family-friendly activity to participate in over the weekend, where parents can be actively involved in the growth and development of their children,’ said Ricardo Antha, one of the parents and Belhar Coding Club leader.
‘The kids and parents enjoy coding so much that they are constantly inviting new people who they believe can benefit from the programme. Coding has now also been introduced to the schools in the area and has been embraced eagerly by the educators. Children are more focused all-round on their schoolwork. Kids are starting to think differently, as they are constantly being developed as problem-solvers. They are inspired to dream big again. Our kids are hopeful and excited about the future. They are inspiring their peers to do the same,’ added Antha.
