"I really didn't expect it, that over 100 people would register within just two weeks,"

says James Win, the leader of Build Myanmar organization. A look of pleasant surprise still lingers on his face.

The country's first flood relief technology hackathon, which launched on October 1st, attracted more than 70 participants within its first week of announcement, and now has exceeded 100 participants after just two weeks.

Among these hundred-plus participants are young technologists from within Myanmar as well as international competitors. The event has drawn both individual participants and teams. Despite their diverse backgrounds and origins, they all share a single purpose:

To find innovative and effective solutions while addressing a deeply rooted old problem...
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"The impact of the recent floods in Myanmar was tremendously severe. We lost many lives. As young people, we have a responsibility to prevent these things from happening again," said a young participant during the pre-competition ground meeting organized by Build Myanmar.

This competition is unique in that it combines technology with humanitarian efforts. Participants will spend one month searching for technological solutions for flood prevention, rescue operations, and rehabilitation efforts.

"How can we prevent this from happening again? I came to this event as a young person wanting to contribute to nation-building," the young participant continued.

While the competition offers a total prize pool of 10 million kyats (approximately 100 lakhs) for the top five most effective and innovative solutions in disaster management, most participants are more interested in the opportunity to benefit their communities through their technological ideas rather than the prize money.

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The judges and mentors of the hackathon are expecting interesting solutions ranging from rainfall measurement systems to drone-based relief supply delivery programs, and even AI models for flood prediction.

"I look forward to all the innovations from young people. I want them to create solutions that can better protect the public and manage natural disasters through technological support and innovations," says Dr. Lwin Lwin Wai, who serves as a judge in Myanmar's largest flood relief hackathon.

In Dr. Lwin Lwin Wai's view, poor and underdeveloped countries tend to be more vulnerable to climate change impacts, and she believes technology plays a crucial role in preventing natural disasters. Her perspectives are expected to align well with the projects emerging from the hackathon.

"I look forward to young people's innovations. I believe that technology and innovation can provide better disaster management solutions for the public," the doctor continues.

One unique aspect of this flood relief hackathon is that it brings together not just regular programmers and technologists, but also project planners, environmental experts, and local activists. The teams comprise diverse backgrounds, from 18-year-old students to professionals in their 40s. Thus, this hackathon serves as a bridge between generations. The combination of young people's technical expertise and adults' experience is expected to yield fascinating results.

Now, the competition has reached its climax and will conclude in the coming weeks. Weekly online meetings are being held with participants, providing necessary guidance and close supervision.

"I'm really excited."
James Win, Founder of Build Myanmar Foundation.

This hackathon will surely become an important milestone for Myanmar's technology community. It's an event to watch closely as it brings new rays of hope for flood-affected regions.

Are you all ready...?

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