Raspberry Pi to merge with a coding foundation

PanARMENIAN.Net - Raspberry Pi's credit card-sized computers have helped kickstart a coding revolution. Thanks to their low cost, major companies like Google and VMW have distributed thousands of the DIY boards to children all over the world in the hope that it'll inspire the next generation of computer scientists.

The Raspberry Pi Foundation routinely works with educational partners to get its computers in the right hands, and its latest announcement is set to boost that outreach even more. On May 26, the foundation confirmed that it is to merge with CoderDojo to form what it believes will be the biggest code-promoting organization on the planet, Engadget said.

CoderDojo is a Dublin-based organization that focuses on getting young people coding. It facilitates the creation of volunteer-run programming clubs for youngsters aged between 7 to 17. The organization says that there are more than 1,250 CoderDojos in 69 countries, which serve more than 35,000 children and teenagers.

While the Raspberry Pi Foundation is best known for its cheap computing boards, it also has a vocal and passionate community. It offers resources to help support educators who want to teach coding and also runs its Code Club network of programming clubs for children aged between 9 and 13 (which are attended by over 150,000 kids a week). Code Club wasn't its own creation, though -- the Foundation merged with the eponymous organization back in 2015.

Looking at numbers alone, it's easy to see why Raspberry Pi and CoderDojo are a good fit. Plus, it's something the hardware maker has done successfully in the past, Engadget said. While their programming clubs may slightly differ, both organizations agree there is "a need and room for both."

Raspberry Pi Foundation CEO Eben Upton recently said that the organization would move away from major product launches and focus more on software, as well as "doubling down" on its charitable work. The announcement suggests that dream is becoming a reality.

"Raspberry Pi will work closely with CoderDojo to advance our shared goals, pooling our resources and expertise to get more adult volunteers and young people involved in the movement," said the Raspberry Pi Foundation a statement. "Our combined scale will allow us to invest more in the infrastructure and systems that underpin our work, and to offer a wider range of products and services to our communities."