Through a partnership with public libraries and the Novateca program, Orange launches a coding project that will invite 1,500 children and parents to discover a new digital world at #SuperCoders workshops. A continuation of the successful pilot project launched by Orange Moldova in 2016, the workshops are to be held for 3 days in 37 public libraries across the country.
The #SuperCoders principle is extremely simple. Children from all over the country, aged between 10 and 14, are invited to free workshops to learn basic concepts of computer programming. The goal is not to turn small children into IT specialists, but to provide them with a fun, simple and educational perspective on the value of the digital environment. The initiative also involves workshops dedicated to parents, where adults learn the benefits and risks of the virtual world, but also how to ensure children's online security.
"We live in a world of innovation where digital education has become indispensable ever since childhood,” remarked Julien DUCARROZ, General Manager of Orange Moldova. “We support and encourage the Internet to become a platform where children express their creativity, intuition, develop their analytical and logical skills, and also apply their knowledge. Today's children are future IT specialists, those who will create, promote and use digital applications to simplify our daily lives. By running such programs, such as #SuperCoders, we reconfirm our strategic commitment to bringing digital revolution closer to people. "
The #SuperCoders workshops will be organized in 37 public libraries supported by local computer science teachers and librarians. In advance, they will be trained by the students of the Technical University of Moldova and the specialists of the National Center for Personal Data Protection in the Republic of Moldova. The partnership with Novateca, a national project that has facilitated the modernization of over 1000 Moldovan public libraries since 2012, has enabled regional public libraries to serve as a platform for teaching digital skills and a space for exploration and community interaction.
“Over the last 5 years, Moldovan public libraries have made a significant contribution to increasing digital inclusion and participation, providing a great source of fun and education mix for children and their parents,” explained Evan Tracz, Director of the Novateca program. “Through this partnership, we encourage young people to explore programming skills and engage in an interactive adventure in their libraries where they can create, share ideas and bring them to life.”
All children passionate about the IT world are invited to #SuperCoders workshops to learn programming concepts by using the SCRATCH application and explore games by using the drag&drop technique. “In the current information society, a growing volume of personal data is collected and shared by a wide range of public and private organizations on the one hand, and Personal data subjects, contributing to a national and global data flow. Through collaboration with program partners, we want to contribute to the dissemination of information and education in the online environment so that parents can protect their identities and children,” said Eduard Raducan, Director of the National Center for Personal Data Protection:
The program is implemented by Orange Moldova, the Novateca program and the University Information Center.
How do we participate in #SuperCoders
Entries to #SuperCoders workshops are made at municipal / rayon / city public libraries, the hosts of the initiative, and will be run on:
- October 8, in the districts of southern Moldova (Basarabeasca, Cahul, Cantemir, Căuşeni, Cimişlia, Dubăsari, Comrat, Ceadâr-Lunga, Leova, Ştefan-Voda, Taraclia)
- October 15, in the districts of northern Moldavia (Bălţi, Briceni, Donduseni, Drochia, Edinet, Falesti, Floresti, Glodeni, Ocnita, Riscani, Sangerei, Soroca)
- October 22, in the districts of central Moldova (Anenii Noi, Călăraşi, Chişinău, Criuleni, Hânceşti, Ialoveni, Nisporeni, Orhei, Rezina, Străşeni)
More information about program rules, organizational details, and more information on coding can be found at https://www.orange.md/supercoders
About #SuperCoders International
To meet society's expectations and help create a digital world full of opportunities, the Orange Group created the #SuperCoders project in 2014. The program is an international event in the European Week of the Code in 17 countries where the Orange Group is present: Belgium, France, Niger, Botswana, India, Poland, Cameroon, Italy, Romania, Ivory Coast, Mali, Senegal, Morocco, Tunisia, Spain and Moldova. So far, over 4,000 children have attended the #SuperCoders programming workshops.