Soweto (Gauteng) March 2019

Geekulcha, whose stated mission is to empower young geeks through ICT skills development, in 2014 created a "free and open programme for six- to 20-year-olds, bringing them to a real or simulated working environment to learn how to code and build tech start-ups".

"The Geekulcha Vacation Work (#gkVacWork) has since extended to five provinces and over a thousand scholars have taken part so far," says COO Tiyani Nghonyama.

With every VacWork edition, a theme is set to help youngsters innovate in line with the fourth industrial revolution (4IR), to help build better societies, he says. This March, the theme is 'building optical tech' and the youngsters will be challenged to build solutions inspired by history, art or space.

VacWork in Gauteng is endorsed by The Innovation Hub and the City of Tshwane, as part of the 'Fab Lab' youth programme that drives innovation and entrepreneurship. It is also supported by mLab South Africa and Ikusasa Technology Solutions.

The upcoming VacWork will take place in Soweto and Tshwane, from 18 to 23 March, from 9am to 4pm each day. It will be held at Ekasi Labs Soweto and Code Tribe SA Academy Tshwane.