The German Jordanian University (GJU) in collaboration with JOINOLOG and HELP Logistics has held from 18th to 20th of May, a JOINOLOG Logistics Hackathon in its innovation center.
The successful Hackathon event focused on humanitarian logistics challenges in the region. Participants were about 30 GJU students from various backgrounds, including technology, logistics, and humanitarian sectors.
They gathered to come up with possible solutions to three main challenges in delivering aid efficiently and effectively to camps and beneficiaries:
- Challenge 1: Ensuring the delivery to/of the aid materials to the actual beneficiaries
- Challenge 2: Estimating the quantity of the aid materials per family
- Challenge 3: Alternative collectors
During the event, teams worked hard, brainstorming innovative solutions, and developing prototypes to improve humanitarian logistics operations. They tackled key aspects such as supply chain management, transportation, distribution, and information management systems.
The Hackathon fostered a spirit of collaboration, with participants sharing their expertise and leveraging cutting-edge technologies.
Throughout the event, mentors and sector experts provided guidance and support to the teams, ensuring a robust exchange of ideas and the practical application of solutions (soft skills, financing, business models, prototyping and ideas pitching). Participants had the opportunity to learn from experienced professionals and GJU professors, gaining valuable insights on complex challenges faced in humanitarian logistics.
At the conclusion of the Hackathon, teams presented their solutions to a panel of judges, consisting of industry experts from HELP Logistics, ACTED, a JOINOLOG member and a GJU logistics professor. The presentations showcased innovative approaches, demonstrating the potential for significant positive impact in humanitarian logistics operations.
The event sparked a sense of enthusiasm and commitment among the participants, as they witnessed the transformative power of technology in addressing humanitarian challenges. Collaborative efforts, creative thinking, and the drive to make a difference were at the heart of this successful Hackathon, paving the way for future advancements in humanitarian logistics in Jordan.
