CREATIVE AND INNOVATIVE Limkokwing University student designs Covid-19 permit App
Limkokwing University provides an environment that nurtures and promotes creative talents through various programmes that are accelerators of creative possibilities. It is the leading creativity and innovation driven university with a strategy to link industry and government to the university as channel for students to work on actual industry or government projects.
As a globally recognized and well respected University, Limkokwing prides itself in contributing towards economic endeavors that shift communities, engages the youth and drives the use of new technologies while answering the call to new markets and working beyond the mark of creativity while pressing towards contributing to the needs of the national development plan.
It is because of this unique Limkokwing DNA, that propelled Oarabile Nchalupi, a 23year old BA (Hons) in Professional Design 3rd year student to start developing a Covid:19 Digital Permit that one can apply for, from the comfort of their home.
Speaking about his invention, Oarabile stated that he was pushed by the rising cases of Covid:19 infections globally and locally to design a digital permit that will respond effectively to the issue of social distancing, time management and strategic monitoring. He stated; ‘With effect from COVID-19, I had realized at that time that our government was still using the traditional method of authorizing permits to citizen’s logistics, with the design skills I acquired from my studies at Limkokwing regarding bank note security features study, I thought of designing a PDF Digital permit which consists of design security features as well as an authorization security code. I also realized that many people do not afford internet bundles at homes and I intended to take advantage of social media especially WhatsApp which is the most affordable and tested this process through WhatsApp and it worked well, meaning that anyone who has subscribed for WhatsApp can have access to the service’’.
Oarabile highlighted that he used Adobe Illustrator CS6 to make the PDF Digital Permit and used more than 10 security features that are of the same standard as a bank note to restrict duplication in case anyone tries to copy it illegally.
He further stated; I made this permit ready for a software and app which can later be developed and be used by administrators who issue out the permits. The app is currently being developed by Frank Manyuwa who is a Software Engineering student at Limkokwing. For now, I have created a second option that instead of the software, other students can volunteer to edit this permit and submit to people via WhatsApp for a limited number of people in a district e.g hundred people daily in each district. The number of Limkokwing Design students nationwide is enough to keep the permits running in each district with minimal should it be adopted. All they need is a daily list of people who need permits and do it on behalf of the district commissioner. Instead of people going to crowd at the district council they can receive this permit in their smartphones via app. The next stage of this invention requires for software engineering experts in the school to help generate the App and Software.
For his part Limkokwing Senior Faculty Manager for Design Innovation Faculty Mr. Otsile Molome applauded the students for their innovative initiative, and appealed to Government to recognize and embrace such talents highlighting that creativity is not about artistry alone but activities that stimulate one’s creativity and critical thinking which then offer prospects of new economic opportunities and rapid responses to such situations. He concluded by saying that as a University they are exploring ways in which they can assist the students to finalize their design and bring it to life for the benefit of the nation at large.
Limkokwing students have in the part used their skills and talents to excel and represent the country at national and international events such as the CIPA Logo Design Competitions, London Fashion Week, Miss Botswana, Presidents Day Competitions and many design related competitions. The University continues to do its part in the fight again Covid:19 by designing and producing public service announcement videos that assists sensitizing the public about the virus amongst its corporate social responsibility activities.
