For the past three years, NCB Foundation and the Palisadoes Foundation have collaborated to provide both professional and educational opportunities for Jamaican university students studying software development.

This started with the Calico Challenge, a programme that allows students to work on international open-source software projects under the guidance of a mentor.

The Palisadoes Foundation has now been selected for the 2021 Google Summer of Code (GSoC), which runs from June 7 to August 21. Calico Alumni and Palisadoes volunteers have jumped in feet first to provide mentorship in this globally recognised programme.

For the third consecutive year, NCB Foundation has donated US$5,000, totaling its support to USD$15,000, which continues to assist the Palisadoes Foundation’s initiatives, including this year’s GSoC.

“We applied to Google Summer of Code, as we have done every year, and fortune smiled on us. Our assumptions have been overturned and we are grateful. Our five-year track record of regular updates to our software, website, YouTube channel and more have borne fruit,” stated Peter Harrison, president of the Palisadoes Foundation.

“The Jamaican IT professional community has been extremely supportive. We have 11 formally registered Google Summer of Code mentors from these two sources. We even have a volunteer from India who is working with students there to assist with the 12+ hour time difference.”

Since 2016, the Palisadoes Foundation has been promoting equitable access to life opportunities for STEM education recipients. Its annual internship programs match university students with Information and Communications Technology (ICT) professionals as they collaborate on Open Source software projects. A majority of their participants are enrolled in university or college Computer Science and Computer Engineering programs, with many graduating and moving into IT professions both locally and regionally.

According to Harrison, the Palisadoes Foundation remains committed to 100 per cent free open-source software. This year the foundation is also focusing on its community organisation management mobile app named Talawa.

He also noted that the foundation’s success has been greatly impacted by NCB Foundation’s faith in its vision.

“The NCB Foundation’s support in terms of time, people and financing have been invaluable. It is greatly appreciated,” said Harrison.

“We are proud to continue our support of this initiative which is in line with our aspiration of expanding Jamaica’s talent pool of software developers and other talents critical to our nation’s digital transformation.  Software development is another great avenue for us to demonstrate our creativity, and in the process, transform lives and livelihoods.” noted Nadeen Matthews Blair, CEO of the NCB Foundation.