Switching to distance and e-learning: Too little, too late
Once again Yarl IT Hub made the news! In a recent article in the Daily FT, Yarl IT Hub is mentioned as successful example and leader in the challenge of Sri Lanck switching to distance and e-learning during the Covid-19 pandemic. Here are higlights from the article: 'In the long run however, it is imperative to increase possibilities for self-e-learning. COVID-19 I [...]
Shout out to CRISP Alumnus Dr Anthony Vipin Das
Hyderabad: TEDxHyderabad is happy to announce the first ever virtual edition of TEDxHyderabad. The theme of the virtual event is ‘Resilience’, exploring ideas and shining the spotlight on leaders that inspire us to remain positive in challenging times. The event will be held virtually on 24th May 2020. “We chose the theme ‘Resilience’ to celebrate the indomitable human spirit, we invite you [...]
How the coding accelerator in the Northern Province has evolved
When we first saw it, the initiative painted a positive picture of hope. One that offered the youth of the Northern Province, a chance to change their lives. Since then, Uki has evolved considerably having produced many graduates. Further, the initiative has expanded its footprint having opened a second branch to accept more students. Yet, as it evolved, the initiative continues to [...]
Social Enterprise in Digital Times
One of the superpowers of digital technology is that of amplification, which simply means that adopting digital can help an enterprise amplify its access to resources, its reach to customers and its voice as a brand. We often talk about how this has led to the surge in start-ups and small enterprises globally; the acceleration of social enterprises, spanning non-profit, for-profit, and [...]
Uki offers an alternate route from the Northern Province into the tech industry
Does Sri Lanka need more university graduates? Sri Lanka has tens of thousands of unemployed graduates. Every now and then the government brings thousands more of them into the Public Service, further bloating an already bloated service. In December 2019 a government minister promised jobs for all 64,000 (his figures) unemployed graduates! More public sector bureaucrats needing more bureaucracy to keep them busy and the [...]
Visualizing How the Demographics of China and India are Diverging
Within popular discourse, especially in the West, the profiles of China and India have become inextricably linked. Aside from their massive populations and geographical proximity in Asia, the two nations also have deep cultural histories and traditions, growing amounts of influence on the world stage, and burgeoning middle classes. China and India combine to be home to one-third of the world’s megacities, and they [...]
Top 10 ideas from Yarl Geek Challenge Season 8
It was that time of the year again. A weekend in the sun-soaked city of Jaffna. The Yarl Geek Challenge was in full swing. Organized annually by the Yarl IT Hub, the iconic hackathon is now in its 8th season. This year, 21 teams took part in the hope of making it to the finals. Kicking things off on a Friday morning, the teams [...]
The Yarl Geek Challenge Season 8 is happening
It’s an annual event on the Sri Lankan tech calendar. The competition is synonymous with entrepreneurship and technology in the Northern Province. Some of its ideas have transformed into actual companies. Now in its 8th season, the Yarl Geek Challenge Senior, organized by the Yarl IT Hub is back. So how will the competition work this year? The Yarl Geek Challenge is [...]
A Garden of Opportunity: Yarl IT Hub
The soil in Sri Lanka is so fertile you can cast a seed on the ground and it will grow. The same can be said of the young minds I found working with the Yarl IT Hub in the Northern Province. Yarl IT Hub has been going for 6 years, having grown organically from an online community to a proactive group expanding [...]
SenzMate, the Internet of Things tech company born in Jaffna
I visited SenzMate a few months ago, and am only now getting around to writing about them. The reason for my hesitation has been although this is a Jaffna born company it is no longer in Jaffna. My objective in these articles is to root for businesses to move North. SenzMate had moved lock stock and barrel South to Colombo. My hope is its [...]
Yarl Geek Challenge and Arima Technologies Bringing Silicon Valley to Jaffna
By Jekhan Aruliah “That which doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”, a much used saying originating from the 19th Century German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. While perhaps over-dramatic and often not true, this does apply to the Yarl Geek Challenge (YGC). YGC is a competition I have observed and in a small way supported over the last few years. A competition in which young people from around [...]
What we saw at the first Yarl IT Hub meetup for 2k17
It is a fresh beginning, and Yarl IT Hub decided to kick off the New Year by inspiring those with dreams. By now, the Yarl IT Hub is no longer a strange name. But in case you’re lost, the Yarl IT Hub is a non-profitable organization. Its mission is to make Jaffna the next Silicon Valley. Founded by a few like-minded IT [...]
