Local gig technology company, M4Jam has won the highest possible accolade from the WSA Global Congress by becoming a Global Champion for 2021. Out of more than 8 200 solutions from 184 countries, featuring technology that combines smart content with a social cause to solve global problems, M4Jam not only won its category but has become one of just nine WSA Global Champions for the year.

The WSA Global Congress was held virtually in Salzburg, Austria, last week. A panel of international Information and Communications Technology (ICT) experts and 45 social tech entrepreneurs convened to assess three-minute pitches of the creative and innovative tech solutions addressing social problems, such as digital inclusion, education and fighting the Covid-19 pandemic.

Under the theme of Connect4Impact – Digital Solutions for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the entrepreneurs showcased the ways their developed technologies were making a positive impact on society. M4Jam became the Smart Settlements & Urbanization Global Champion for addressing South Africa's socio-economic development challenges, in addition to achieving the UN SDGs.

This award ranks M4Jam alongside Global Champions from around the world for tackling social problems through apps, platforms and systems that focus on digital transformation. M4Jam’s networking platform is open to anyone with a mobile device, both upskilling its jobbers through training modules and pairing them with short-term work opportunities from businesses in their area.

In the initial phases of the WSA awards, 40 solutions from 26 countries were recognised as category winners, drawing together international experts from all regions and technological fields to select the winners. Of these 40 solutions, 24 are female led companies. The final jury phase concluded with an on-site three-day meeting of 43 international high-level experts tasked with finding the most effective and content-rich solutions for 2020.

Professor Peter A. Bruck, chairman of the World Summit Award board of directors, said the nine Global Champions show a small selection of what social innovations can be achieved worldwide with digital, content-based solutions. “The worldwide network of WSA and the Global Champions of 2021 show that action, not fear, leads to avoiding suffering and alleviating need. This results in sustainably positive transformations in our society and a significant advancement towards the UN SDGs.”

The WSA was founded in 2003 as part of the United Nations World Summit on Information Society and brings together United Nations agencies, academia, and the private sector in tackling the world’s social issues using new technology.

M4Jam CEO Georgie Midgley believes this achievement will promote the expansion of technology-based solutions development for social problems in South Africa and beyond. “The challenges we face in our country are unique but share characteristics with the plight of millions of disadvantaged people worldwide. As much as we are thrilled to be recognised with this award and Global Champion status, we hope M4Jam’s growing success will lead to the growth of more tech-based solutions to do social good.”