KCB taps into Oracle’s tech developers base to upgrade 2jiajiri platform

KCB Bank and Oracle Hackathon Challenge has kicked off today in Nairobi hosting over 200 technology developers drawn from across Africa.

As part of the challenge, the developers will be required to create a solution that will help scale up KCB 2Jiajiri, the Ksh 50 billion job creation programme launched earlier this year.

After the one week long Hackathon KCB Bank expects to derive a sustainable business module out of the winning fully fledged prototype that will become a platform application for the 2jiajiri trainees to gain employment.

“The goal of this project is to enhance entrepreneurship competencies to create jobs and reduce poverty. We have therefore envisioned a program along these lines that will facilitate growth of each business and create additional employment opportunities.” Said Mr Joshua Oigara, CEO KCB during the opening ceremony adding.

KCB Bank will also select the best solutions for roll out as it seeks to create a new platform to connect the thousands of 2Jiajiri beneficiaries –who are being trained under the programme—with business and job opportunities.

Speaking at the same event, Oracle Kenya Country Director, Dr. Gilbert Saggia said, “The Developer Day event is a manifestation of Oracle’s commitment to encourage innovation; support local businesses and tech entrepreneurship n Africa, with the aim of empowering them to create Made in Africa solutions to address local challenges on the continent.”

So how will the judges determine the winner of the Hackathon?

The developers will first engage in intensive and comprehensive sessions with experts on Oracle Public Cloud Services, hands-on demo sessions and a hackathon challenge to test knowledge gained.

The contestants will be provided with a problem statement on the evening of 4^th October after which they will be given a day to provide a solution and build a feasible prototype. Following this, a panel of judges consisting of experts from both Oracle and KCB will evaluate the entries.

The developers who will be chosen to proceed into the next stage will be given an extra day to develop their program into a viable product that can be applied into the business. The program will then be submitted to the judges for deliberation.

The winning group’s solution will enter into a non-committal agreement with KCB Bank to develop their solution and launch it into the market.

KCB Bank and Oracle have also signed a deal to develop new solutions that will drive the lender’s digital banking agenda of the future.