Two young women are getting to step into the world of STEM thanks to the Barbie Dream Gap Project that’s making more dreams possible!

Johannesburg, South Africa (21 October 2024)— In celebration of International Day of the Girl Child, which was observed on 11 October, Barbie teamed up with the TechnoGirl Trust to empower two girls from disadvantaged backgrounds by providing them with a job shadowing, dream-building and skills development opportunity!

Focused on advancing the opportunities of girls around the world, this feat of good news is part of the Barbie Dream Gap Project in South Africa—a project that’s helping close the gender gap earlier on in life.

Since its inception in 2018, the Barbie Dream Gap Project has been dedicated to providing equal opportunities. To do this, more barriers for young girls need to be removed; a process that requires education, confidence-building leadership skills and mentorship opportunities.

The TechnoGirl Trust is a non-profit committed to advancing the educational and career prospects of underprivileged girls in South Africa. They have seen 26,172 girls go through their structured programme, with around 75% of participants, on average, advancing to register careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)!

Why STEM?

It’s no secret that fields like STEM have always been male-dominated. But, in a world that continues to reveal itself to be intertwined with technology, this stigma is one that needs to be shattered so that young women, especially those from underserved areas, are not left behind.

A lot of the hesitation for this kind of career path comes from the industry’s patriarchal reputation. That’s why it’s essential that young girls see themselves represented in these fields and further that they are provided with real-world opportunities and positive role models along the path.

Starting in Grade 9, two young teens will gain hands-on experience from professionals at IMCD offices for one week during each of their school holidays. The programme enables the girls to gain awareness about various careers, find the STEM career that they might like to go into and develop professional and life skills—all set out as part of a dream plan developed by the TechnoGirl Trust and approved by the Department of Education.

“The work readiness part of the programme was the most impactful for me, as I learnt soft skills like how to articulate myself in a work environment,” shares Felicity Dube who has gone through and benefitted from the TechnoGirl Programme herself.

“I think Barbie is committed to giving girls the resources they need, and support to believe that they can be anything. I encourage girls to keep dreaming and, make sure that they chase their dreams, asking for help when they need it,” she concludes.

Sources: Supplied 

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Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

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After creating a unique robot dubbed the Green Guardian, which is a solider in the face of climate change, a team from Gauteng will compete at the World Robot Olympiad finals in Turkey!

Gauteng, South Africa (06 October 2024) — After a hugely successful time for South Africa at the Robotics Olympics thanks to the SpringBots, another South African team are preparing themselves to face the best in tech in Turkey at the upcoming World Robot Olympiad finals!

This year, the World Robot Olympiad is helping foster innovative solutions in the face of Climate Change—something people around the globe are feeling, most notably in record temperatures.

To inspire the next generations of leaders in STEM, the World Robot Olympiad national events followed the theme ‘Earth Allies’. Here, teams tackled the challenge of creating a robotic solution to climate change. South Africa’s winning team from Curro Helderwyk in Gauteng came up with the ‘Green Guardian’, a robotic solution to ensure food security by protecting crops from sudden weather changes.

Their innovative system provides real-time weather monitoring to ensure 24/7 crop protection! It’s also super adaptable, solar-powered and savvy—able to withstand extreme weather conditions and, of course, loadshedding!

It was the Green Guardian that won the Helderwyk team their place at the finals in Turkey—an event the whole squad simply cannot wait for and where they’ll be joined by other South African teams.

“I love Robotics as it enables me to help engage in the world and contribute to society’s ongoing technological development,” says team member Veer Mansingh.

“I expect to have a fun trip to Turkey while being exposed to new experiences, interacting with other people, gaining more knowledge and learning new techniques.”

Khanyisile Magangane adds beautifully:

“I view robotics as a science and an art that allows for the expression of creativity through innovative solutions. It enables me to bring my ideas to life and make a meaningful contribution to the world. Robotics has the power to open doors for many young people, and I aspire to be one of those individuals. With a lot of hard work put into our project, I am confident that we can anticipate a positive outcome in the WRO international competition in Turkey.

Sources: Supplied 

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Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

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Robotics squad SpringBots South Africa is bringing home gold from Greece thanks to their victory at the World Robotics Olympics!

Athens, Greece (01 October 2024) — Local robotics team SpringBots recently showed off their South African STEM chops in Athens, Greece, thanks to their outstanding participation in the World Robotics Olympics (FIRST Global Challenge).

The SpringBots team includes Mukondi Sinogu, Ponani Keletso Nkuna, Katiso Mallane, Amahle Mkhize and Chaydon Weldschidt, with mentors Jared and Roxanne Reddy.

Held this past September, the competition saw over 190 countries’ teams vie for victory. Competitors consisted of robotics team members between the ages of 14-18, all of whom enjoyed the thrill of modern magic amid the ancient history running through Athens’ veins.

Just to put it into perspective, the Opening Ceremony took place at the Parthenon Olympic Stadium—a striking reminder of what innovation once looked like thousands of years ago. Just imagine the Parthenon’s patrons back in the day bearing witness to teams for robots! Not to mention a Black Eyed Peas performance.

Despite the SpringBots getting off to a rocky start, they showed true, South African-approved grit. The SpringBots’ robot, affectionately named the McKenzie Bot in tribute to Gayton McKenzie, our Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, experienced some damage during its transit. This ultimately complicated the team’s competition, but not for long!

In a familiar slate of South African resilience, the team pushed through the disheartenment to repair the McKenzie Bot together in full unity.

“In the spirit of Ubuntu, we established a coalition called Africa Unite, aimed at supporting fellow African nations facing similar challenges,” Roxanne shares.

“We collaborated with teams from various countries, fostering camaraderie and teamwork throughout the event.”

This commitment aptly promoted unity in robotics and was honoured with recognition when the team received the Dr. Mae Jemison Award for International Unity.

On top of this, the SpringBots also claimed gold at the prestigious competition! With this victory in their arsenal and support for their future endeavours well-earned, the team have shared big plans for the future.

At the top of the list is a plan to establish over 100 robotics teams in underprivileged communities so that robotics and STEM education becomes more accessible to all. Additionally, the team are working hard to bring FIRST Global back home to South Africa.

“As we embark on this important journey, we remain committed to fostering innovation, collaboration, and unity in robotics across Africa,” concludes Roxanne.

Sources: Email Submission 

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Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

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Team South Africa clinched two bronze medals and an honourable mention at the 2024 International Olympiad in Informatics!

Alexandria, Egypt (20 September 2024) — The South African team proved their programming chops at the 36th International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI 2024), bagging two bronze medals and an honourable mention at the most prestigious competition for young computer whizzes.

Held in Alexandria, Egypt, earlier this month, young hotshots from 91 countries vied to make their countries proud. Here, 362 competitors were given a series of complex coding challenges over two intense days of competition to prove both their skills and their ability to crumble or crack the code under pressure.

Team South Africa consisted of four bright minds selected from the top talent pool in the 2023 Programming Olympiad as part of the South African Computer Olympiads and a flagship initiative of the Institute of Information Technology Professionals South Africa (IITPSA).

They are Minkyum and Youkyum Kim of Reddam House in Durbanville, Hugo Bruwer of Paarl Boys’ High and Yian Xu of Redhill High, led by team leader Benjamin Kleyn, a BSc Mathematics student.

Minkyum and Hugo claimed a bronze accolade each, while Youkyum earned the honourable mention!

It was a big moment for the continent, with Kamohelo Motloung, South African Computer Olympiads Manager and IITPSA Education Officer, explaining that participation from Africa was limited.

“A special project is planned to get more countries from Africa to participate in future. The possibility of a continental contest for Africa was also discussed.”

Explaining how the competition works, Benjamin shares:

“There were two contest days, and three tasks each worth 100 points per day. Contestants had 5 hours on each day to score points on the tasks. The top half of contestants received medals. Gold, Silver and Bronze medals were awarded in a 1:2:3 ratio. Honourable mentions were also awarded to those who placed in the top half on one of the days, but not overall.”

But, it wasn’t all work and no play. Team South Africa also got to enjoy other culturally rich activities outside of the Olympiad, such as visions of the breathtaking pyramids and Alexandria’s beaches and a tour of the Grand Egyptian Museum.

Sources: Supplied—Institute of Information Technology Professionals 

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The Museum of Illusions Johannesburg has officially opened its doors, welcoming weirdly wonderful experiences for anyone ready to head down the rabbit hole:

Johannesburg, South Africa (09 July 2024) — Museums of illusions have become a phenomenon around the world, from New York to Shanghai, inviting people to suspend their beliefs and step into an adventure land most would only experience when they enter their dreams. But you don’t need to close your eyes to experience this concept’s magic if you’re in Johannesburg because the Museum of Illusions has officially come to town, and it’s all systems go for the smoke and mirrors extravaganza.

Watch: A Sneak Peek of the Museum of Illusions

Back in 2015, the concept launched for the first time in Zagreb, Croatia. Since then, over 12 million people have visited the museums and fallen in love with the experiences offered. But what makes them so special?

First up, no two museums are the same. Each facility takes visitors on a unique sensory journey through installations that’ll make you look thrice as you head further down the rabbit hole. Second, it’s one of the few experiences in the world that merges art, sciences, maths and psychology in a carefully curated blend, igniting new senses of curiosity for people across ages. Lastly, it’s an interactive experience which means unlike most museums, you won’t be banned from touching the installations or taking photos. Instead, you’re invited to engage as much as you can—you’re a key part of bringing the installations to life!

Stationed in the Zone @ Rosebank, the Museum of Illusions Johannesburg is open 7 days a week from Monday to Thursday (9am to 9pm), Friday and Saturday (9am to 10pm) and on Sundays and Public Holiday (9am to 8pm) where over 60 mind bending exhibits, optical illusions and immersive experiences that can’t wait to hear you say “that’s trippy!”.

Sources: Supplied

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After months of tireless fundraising, the Cyber Tigers robotics rockstars finally made their way to Houston for the World Robotics competition—a win for them and the Swellendam community all its own. While in Houston, the Tigers pulled out all the stops and ended up becoming world champions!

Houston, Texas (22 April 2024) — From Swellendam to the world! Young robotics rockstars, the Cyber Tigers team made a massive mark on the recent FLL World Robotics competition in Houston, Texas, after they claimed the top spot out of all the participating teams for their Innovation Project!

For the Cyber Tigers team (Jean Mouton, Luka Steenekamp, Christelle Glatz and Lara Pretorius), this achievement was built on the ground of many others—including the big win that helped them get to Houston in the first place.

After winning the national robotics competition that took place in Johannesburg (a massive feat for the rural town kids) the team of bright minds were invited to participate in the big leagues overseas; an incredible opportunity both for them and for South Africa to showcase our STEM skills.

But, getting an invitation to the Worlds Festival was only half of the story. Getting there was another!

This entire year so far saw the team work tirelessly to forge and fundraise their path to Houston. From sharing robotics stories to singing, selling burgers and merchandise and eventually finding the right sponsors, it was a new flavour of challenge for the Tigers to solve. But, with the stakes high and the chance to impress the world just a flight away, it was a dream that could not be slept on.

So, when the team made it to Houston in time for the FLL World Robotics competition, it was a victory in its own right. And one that was so worth is considering their incredible results!

“It takes a village to raise a child and in our case to get a team to Houston,”—the Cyber Tigers.

The squad ended up taking first place in the FLL Innovation Project—making them world champions. Not only this, but as the very proud Pieter Steenekamp tells Good Things Guy, they also were one of five teams to earn more than won trophy after scooping first for ‘Gracious Professionalism’.

Pieter added that the learner’s lives, talent, and problem-solving skills are a gift to the school, town and land and give their larger community so much hope for the future, and we couldn’t agree more. A win for Swellies and for South Africa!

Sources: Cyber Tigers/ Pieter Steenekamp

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Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

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An offline coding app is giving children in rural parts of South Africa a chance to learn the art of programming while teaching them to be conservation heroes amongst many other positives!

South Africa (18 April 2024) — Believe it or not, opening children’s minds to the joy of coding needn’t depend on having computers, high-speed Wi-Fi or teachers with degrees in programming. An “unplugged” coding game developed by Nelson Mandela University (NMU) is making waves precisely because the software works offline and is free – and the main “hardware” required is eager young minds, hungry to have fun while learning.

Because they are accessible and easy to use, these offline coding apps – Tanks, Boats and Rangers, with more to come – are helping education non-profits like Good Work Foundation (GWF) power up their coding and robotics offerings.

GWF’s mission is to get young people in rural Mpumalanga and the Free State ready to take their place in the Fourth Industrial Revolution-driven workplace, armed with life skills, digital knowledge, a creative mindset and the ability to analyse and solve problems.

While GWF’s six digital learning campuses are equipped with computers, tablets and coding robots, as well as Lego kits for building robots out of blocks and coding them to move, they also emphasise the importance of collaborative problem-solving through the use of offline apps Tanks, Boats and Rangers.

Coding You Can Touch

Using only physical game tokens, a mobile app and a smartphone or tablet to introduce young people to coding, this concept is known as “tangible coding” because you can literally touch the code (i.e. the game tokens) with your hands as you plot it out.

Patricia Ubisi, a coding and robotics coordinator at GWF’s Hazyview Digital Learning Campus, is an enthusiastic proponent of both online and offline coding as ways to unlock curiosity in young minds.

“The children have so much fun while learning coding – and fun is one of our values at GWF,” she says. “We use Tanks and Rangers on our campuses. Rangers, for example, is not just about coding – it also teaches young people about conservation and teamwork.” 

Such conservation awareness is critical, as most of GWF’s campuses border the Kruger National Park and many of its students, armed with the right skills, could end up working in the wildlife economy in the area.

The Rangers app uses physical game tokens laid out on a black cloth to help the “game rangers” outwit the “rhino poachers”, moving through various levels of difficulty. Once the youngsters have plotted out a code to help the rangers protect the endangered rhino, a picture is captured on a tablet or a smartphone and uploaded to the app. They then watch and adapt the code as the ranger moves, navigates the obstacles, and shoots nets in a bid to capture the poachers. It’s challenging, educational fun.

These offline apps are the brainchild of Professor Jean Greyling, who heads up the Department of Computing Sciences at NMU, and Byron Batteson, a former honours student of his.

Teaching Problem-solving and Teamwork

“In 2017, Byron submitted a proposal to teach kids coding without computers. Obviously, I was very excited, because if you are trying to market computer science in schools across the Eastern Cape but there are no computer labs there, you are talking into a vacuum,” says Prof. Greyling. 

“But often students from the townships and rural areas would come into my office, saying we need to go and promote this discipline [computer science] at their former schools because there is no awareness of it there. So we decided to create an app to address the problem.”

The envisaged coding app had to be free, not require a computer, work without internet and electricity, and have a low barrier to entry for learners as well as teachers – because often, teachers with no programming background get tripped up by the complexities of “traditional” coding applications.

And in the seven years since the idea was born, the project has snowballed – and evolved.

“As we became more involved in the educational aspect of it, we realised the bigger impact beyond the ‘coding’ buzzword was teaching young people problem-solving – as well as 21st-century soft skills like computational thinking, communication, strategic thinking, perseverance, communication, collaboration and teamwork,” says Prof. Greyling. 

Today, these apps (managed by the Tangible Africa joint mission between the university and NPO, the Leva Foundation) are used across South Africa and in five other African countries, and are garnering interest from education institutions and non-profits around the world. Prof. Greyling has many heart-warming stories of young people who were exposed to coding via these apps and have since gone on to study computer science – and even become software developers. “It’s helped to raise awareness of tech careers among kids and demystify the world of coding for teachers,” he adds.

In just a few short years, says Prof. Greyling, at least 120,000 young people have benefited from these unplugged coding apps, with a further 16,000 participants in 22 countries using them to participate in the annual Coding 4 Mandela tournaments during 2023.

Ubisi says GWF is already gearing up for this year’s tournament on 18 July – Madiba’s birthday. Its Open Learning Academy learners will be among the envisaged “30,000 learners celebrating 30 years of democracy”, in partnership with the Nelson Mandela Foundation. An inter-campus coding competition will add extra spice to the occasion – last year, GWF had 55 teams competing in the tournament, with 212 staff and students joining in the fun.

Ubisi adds, “It’s part of how we as GWF help equip learners for their future careers, since as we move into the Fourth Industrial Revolution more things will be done digitally – but skills taught by coding, such as problem-solving, will apply to any career.”

Sources: Supplied—Good Work Foundation

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Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

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Six South African scientists have made us so proud thanks to their victories at international science fairs!

Global (03 April 2024) — Six South African young scientists who presented their innovative research projects at international science fairs in Tunisia and Beijing have returned home triumphant, each securing medals in their respective categories!

Keerthana Kishor Nair (Grade 12 at Bryanston High School) and Alexia Hilton Smedmor (Grade 10 at Parktown High School for Girls), competed at the International Festival of Engineering, Science and Technology in Tunisia (I-FEST²) from 22 to 28 March 2024 after award-winning performances in 2023.

Keerthana successfully placed in the top 10 of the best performers, achieving a gold medal, while Alexia achieved silver.

“I did not expect it at all,” Keerthana shared.

“This was an experience unlike any other. I met so many new people from across the globe and learned so much more about their culture and lifestyle. This is knowledge and a feeling I would have never gotten anywhere else. My highlight in Tunisia was definitely the Colosseum – Amphitheatre of El Jem. To be in the presence of so much history, authenticity, and something so massive – it really showed me the beauty of travel and nature. I was humbled in the moment with the breathtaking masterpiece of this ancient architecture. Truly ineffable.” 

Further east, Nyakallo Nonjabulo Mbongo (Grade 11 at Welkom-Gimnasium); Kiyara Tami Swartbooi (Grade 12 at Port Rex Technical High School in East London); along with Steffan Thielen and Rohan van Loggerenberg (Grade 12 from Paul Roos Gymnasium in Stellenbosch) competed at the Beijing Youth Science Creation Competition (BYSCC) in China from 28 March to 1 April.

There, Steffan and Rohan were awarded gold medals, while Nyakallo and Kiyara were awarded silver wins. Nyakallo was also awarded the second prize for the Yanqi Innovation Competition, and received a cash prize of RMB2,000 (approximately R5,200 at the time)!

Nyakallo reflects:

“I am deeply honoured and grateful for the awards I have received. Simply being chosen by Eskom Expo to represent my country was a significant achievement for me, but to receive an award further added to my joy. Witnessing the scale and competitiveness of the BYSCC was truly eye-opening, especially seeing the remarkable projects presented by other participants. This experience reinforced the belief that hard work indeed yields results, and emphasised the importance of pursuing our passions wholeheartedly.”

Upcoming international tours include the Indonesia International Science, Technology and Engineering Competition (ISTEC) in Bali, the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in the USA, and the Buca International Music, Science, Engineering Energy Fair (IMSEF) in Türkiye. Announcements regarding participants have yet to be revealed.

Sources: JeVanne Gibbs 

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Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

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Swellendam’s Cyber Tigers have been super hard at work in attempts to raise funds for their chance to represent South Africa’s robotics skills on the global stage. And they have exciting news to share with South Africa!

Swellendam, South Africa (27 February 2024) — South Africa’s Cyber Tigers— the robotics team who won the recent First Lego League’s national robotics competition in Johannesburg—have more exciting news to share with the country.

After their big win where they beat out 46 competitor teams, the Cyber Tigers began focusing on a new kind of puzzle that needed solving: raising the funds to grab their golden ticket to the World Festival in Houston, Texas.

The chance of a lifetime for the high school students Jean Mouton, Luka Steenekamp, Lara Pretorious and Christelle Glatz, who call the rural of Swellendam home; this robotics team were ready to put in the work to make their dream come true.

They have sang, shared their robotics stories, sold burgers, worked with sponsors, sold merch and are holding a raffle. The result? They are 70% of the way to their fundraising goal!

Why does getting a local team to an international competition matter, you ask?

Well, beyond it being another opportunity for South Africa to succeed with the world as our audience, the Cyber Tigers journey could mean much more than a win.

South Africa’s presence in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) still lags behind many other countries because of limited educational opportunities. While many schools are working hard to integrate courses related to coding and robotics—an ever-growing sector of the present and future—we need as much representation as possible in this field to inspire more young people to get into STEM, especially young women.

There are ample ways to support the Cyber Tigers through their last push. You can enter the raffle, make a donation or get in touch with the adults helping the students achieve their dreams on lovetouchgrow@gmail.com.

Sources: Website Submission

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Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

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From a big dream in Joburg to expanding across the continent, GirlCode’s mission continues to empower African women in tech and it’s only getting greater:

Africa (18 February 2024) — GirlCode—an organisation on a mission to empower women and girls through tech, has come a wonderfully long way since the dream to reduce our unemployment rates through future-focused opportunities began in Johannesburg.

As GirlCode gears up for its 10th Annual Hackathon, the team reflect on just how much impact has been possible, and just how much more impact is possible! This reflection that has inspired GirlCode team’s decision to expand the Hackathon reach across the continent to 10 African cities!

Fittingly, the theme for this year’s Hackathon is ‘Empowering Change Across Africa’. For GirlCode, using opportunities that exist in tech spaces cleverly not only addresses the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) but also encourages female participation in a male-dominated field.

Past participants of the Hackathon have gone on to do incredible things, including attending Global Women in Tech conferences and securing job opportunities.

Says Zandile Mkwanazi, CEO of GirlCode, “We believe that technology has the power to shape a better future, and through the GirlCode Hackathon, we are inviting companies to join us in making a meaningful impact on the tech industry and contributing to positive change across the African continent. Together, let’s empower change across Africa and build a more inclusive and sustainable future.” 

The 2024 HackaThon is taking place from 31 August to 1 September, and you can find out more about the powerhouse organisation here, or about getting involved with sponsorships via sponsor@girlcode.co.za.

Sources: Supplied; GirlCode 

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