Hack4Split 2020 triumphantly concluded with 14 new solutions for as many as 15 local non-profit organizations.

Originally, the event was scheduled for the end of March; however, due to the newly arisen situation, it was postponed. Nevertheless, the coronavirus (COVID-19) did not prevent the organization of the 3rd edition of Hack4Split, which took place online via MS Teams, from the comfort of participants’ living rooms.

During the pre-meeting, programmers, designers, writers, engineers, and project managers were divided into teams based on their knowledge and skills and then introduced to an association and its problem. Local non-profit associations from the areas of Split, Solin, Kaštela, Žrnovnica, and Trogir were gathered.

Saturday was hacking time. Based on the pre-meeting, volunteers first created a plan to solve the problem, and then they joined a video call to start working on implementing their ideas. Some volunteers started preparations a day earlier to ensure they would have a prototype ready by the end of the hackathon.

Saturday and Sunday quickly passed, and the teams supported each other and worked at full speed. Fully engaged and motivated teams presented their solutions on Sunday. Examples of projects worked on during the hackathon include creating a database for the Association of Physical Disabled Persons Trogir, a database of eye prosthetics for the County Association of the Blind, an interactive game for the SRCE association and Moje dijete Solin to enable beneficiaries to learn in a fun and easy way. Other projects included developing an application to help children with dyslexia learn, creating a website for KMS, rebranding certain associations, developing visuals and interactive maps, and many others, including winning projects for the Naša dica association and the Žrvanj association in the categories of the best multiskill project and the best design.

The Naša Dica association requested an accessible elevator that would allow young people with disabilities to enjoy the pool, i.e., enter and exit the pool. The design, materials, and costs were created at Hack4Split and were also declared the best overall project. The team consisted of Alen Grebo, Matea Perković, and Ante Duilo. Meanwhile, the Žrvanj association needed a new visual identity, and the mother/daughter team impressed the audience, resulting in the award for the best design for the Šegović family.

Watching each of the MS Teams’ work channels, you could see genuine friendship, dedication to work, and the beginning and development of collaboration between our volunteer hackers and participants from the non-profit sector.

The associations that were “hacked” this year include: Klub mladih Split, Udruga osoba sa cerebralnom paralizom „Srce“, Udruga MOST, Udruga roditelja djece s posebnim potrebama “NAŠA DICA”, Udruga tjelesnih invalida TOMS, Udruga za promicanje prirodnih i tehničkih znanosti “Put znanosti”, Hrvatski cheerleading savez, Udruga “RAŠPIN JUTE”, Udruga roditelja djece s poteškoćama u razvoju „Moje dijete Solin“, Udruga DYXY – Županijska udruga za djecu i mlade s teškoćama čitanja, pisanja i učenja, Županijska udruga slijepih Split, Udruga – Šefovi kuhinja mediteranskih i europskih regija, Klub trudnica “BEBA EVA”, Udruga za zaštitu potrošača “Dalmatinski potrošač”, and Udruga Prijatelji kulturne i prirodne baštine Žrnovnice – ŽRVANJ.

In case you are interested in the final solutions, click on this YouTube video or find us on the FB page – Centar za društveno korisno učenje, where short interviews with our valuable volunteers are also available.

The organizers of this year’s Hack4Split are eagerly looking forward to the 4th edition of the humanitarian hackathon and are already inviting you to follow them on social media to avoid missing this unique event in our county.

Hack4Split is organized as part of the project “Centar za društveno korisno učenje” co-financed by the European Union from the European Social Fund and the Office for Associations of the Government of the Republic of Croatia.