adminNqobile Tshili Business Reporter
A National University of Science and Technology (Nust) student has broken new ground after creating software meant to encourage developers to co-operate. Inspired by the late Apple boss, Steve Jobs, Mandla Ndlovu, 22, a Part Three computer science student together with his friend Henri Vekhnik, designed the software, Ski-Hub, to bring together other software developers so that they could collaborate on different projects.
“The idea of the hub is to give central location for sharing expertise by different technological experts as they all possess different strengths,” said Ndlovu.
He said they were using the hub to motivate other computer technocrats to be innovative and desist from a culture of seeking employment.
“There are a lot of unmotivated students who study computer science and in creating this hub we are also making a challenge to be more innovative. They should develop businesses instead of seeking employment,” he said.
The software, Ndlovu said, also offers an opportunity for skills education as it could be used for learning java and website development programmers. He said a number of projects had been done using Ski-Hub which include Zvazvinhu, an online buy and sell site mainly focusing on gadgets.
Ndlovu who has two siblings, a boy and girl who are still at primary school, says he was inspired to start the project after visiting the United Kingdom where he learnt more about technology.
“I had travelled to the UK prior to starting my own project. I realised that the people in the UK were hard workers who were using technology to solve societal projects,” he said.
He said Ski-Hub was his first major project.
However, he said it needed a substantial financial injection for it to succeed.
“We need about $95,000 in the first three years for the project to be viable. This amount will assist us get a space in town where young people can converge to share ideas. We will also need to procure equipment including the projectors, computers and white boards,” said Ndlovu.
He said in starting his project he faced challenges as some people discouraged him and criticise the idea.
Just like Jobs, Ndlovu says he is unfazed.
“Jobs inspires me a lot and I love the quote that says ‘the people that are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.’ That is what keeps me going,” he said.
He said he has a passion for leadership and has spent most of his time in leadership positions.
Ndlovu, whose mother is Russian, said he was also part of another software development project known as IQ run by computer science students at the university.
“Basically we use it to engage students from other departments so that they provide expertise on their programmes in ways we can improve communities,” he said.
Ndlovu has been in leadership positions most of his life.
“I have been in leadership positions since I was in primary school, high school and even I’m a student representative member at Nust and come August I will be vying for the SRC presidency,” said Ndlovu.
He said he does a lot of graffiti and spends most of his time using Photoshop and on You Tube learning and practising designs.
Vekhnik said they wanted to use the hub to discuss ways in which they can resuscitate Bulawayo’s dwindling industries. He said since its inception the hub has received overwhelming response. The pair said they were looking for investors to assist them get a better structure in the city as they were based in a house in Bradfield suburb, Bulawayo.
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