The psychosocial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been felt across the world, affecting all populations and segments of society. In the past two years, we have felt the loss of routine and increasing uncertainty about the future. Large sections of our society have experienced distress relating to fears of infection, the effects of social isolation, economic fallout, and disruptions in livelihood. The pandemic has revealed a need to raise mental health awareness as well as to provide more robust mental health support.

With the advent of the Fourth Industrial Revolution – the embedding of digital technologies in everyday life, it is more prevalent for innovation to be at the forefront of solving novel problems. Technology has undoubtedly been a paramount tool in helping the young and old alike cope with the pandemic – how can it also be used to help support mental wellness and to empower mental health?

Fully embracing the spirit of digitalisation, Pei Hwa Hackathon will be fully virtual. Participants will get to immerse themselves in the Hackathon experience remotely. This will be made possible via virtual platforms such as video conferencing tools and online tutorials. Furthermore, all the components needed for participants to start their projects will be mailed to their respective schools to minimize contact. All these measures will not only protect our participants by maintaining social distance, they will also allow us to save time without shortchanging our participants’ learning.