Port Melbourne girl, 7, finalist in Mastercard Innovation Challenge
A Port Melbourne seven-year-old is a finalist in a nationwide search for young inventors trying to make the world a better place through the use of technology. She has designed an app to help provide food for the homeless. Here’s how it would work.
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A Port Melbourne girl is out to prove some of the world’s brightest minds are also the youngest, coming up with a unique way to use technology to help the homeless.
Isabel, 7, has designed an app which allows people to buy basic items such as groceries, toiletries and clothes, and donate them to people in need.
“The idea is that people can buy some things and supermarkets will put them aside so homeless people can go in and get what they need, like food,” she said.
“Whenever I see homeless people on the street it makes me feel sad and I wanted to do something to help.”
The project is one of three ideas chosen as finalists in the Mastercard Innovation Challenge, a nationwide search for young inventors keen to use technology to make the world a better place.
It comes as a survey by Mastercard revealed 80 per cent of Australian children were worried about the future, but believed technology could be used to change it.
Money, education, not being able to get a job and bushfires were some of the issues the younger generation feared most.
But despite concerns, 90 per cent of young people surveyed said they believed their generation — Gen Z, the first to be born into a fully digital world — would be the one to bring about positive change.
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As a finalist, Isabel will pitch her idea to a panel of experts at Mastercard’s Innovation Hub at the Australian Open on January 30, with the winner announced the same day.
Tennis coach and former professional player Darren Cahill said: “if there’s one thing tennis and technology have in common, it’s the power to completely change the game”.
“It’s been great to come together with Mastercard on their search for young innovators and ideas,” he said.
The winner will be announced the same day and will receive a unique STEM innovation camp for them and their entire school class.
The two runners-up will receive a tennis masterclass with Cahill.