Open Source in My Local Community

Writing this article was a bit of a struggle because, to the best of my knowledge, open source communities are almost non-existent in my local area. I’m a techie based in Enugu, a state in southeastern Nigeria. Over the years, the Enugu tech community has grown and gained recognition among the southern states. While it may not be as established as Lagos, which is widely regarded as Nigeria’s tech hub, Enugu has made steady progress in making a name for itself in the industry. However, when it comes to open source, they are very fare behind.

For this reason, I’ll share my personal experience within the broader tech community in Enugu rather than just open source.

My Experience with the Tech Community

There’s a popular saying in Africa: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” This couldn’t be more true in the tech space.

I truly realized the value of being part of a tech community after volunteering at Genesys Tech Hub in Enugu. That experience introduced me to the Enugu tech community, and my journey since then has been nothing short of amazing. The community is incredibly supportive, hosting annual boot camps, meetups, and training sessions that welcome everyone from beginners to seasoned professionals.

In 2024, I was a beneficiary of a bootcamp, where I spent six months upskilling in product design.

Through this network, I’ve had the opportunity to attend events like DevFest, connect with like-minded people, and grow in ways I wouldn’t have on my own.

While listening to a speaker during an event, she mentioned something about contributing to open source to improve your skills, I was intrigued and decided to inquire more about it after the event.

My First Contribution to Open Source

My first dive into open source was with the CHAOSS community, where I designed some graphics for their social media page. It wasn’t a huge contribution, but it was my first step into the open-source world, and it felt great to be part of something bigger.

Later, I applied for Outreachy, which opened up even more opportunities. Through the program, I contributed to the Wikimedia Foundation and Fedora, learning so much along the way.

One of my biggest takeaways has been understanding how crucial accessibility is in UX design. Here’s a link to my contribution.

Open source exposed me to a much larger community, with people from different backgrounds, this makes views on things more diverse and being part of these communities has reinforced how important it is to create spaces where everyone feels welcome and valued.

Each contribution, big or small, has shaped my growth as a designer and community member, and I’m just getting started 🚀

The Struggles of Thriving Without an Open-Source Community

Even though I’ve contributed to open source before, I haven’t been consistent. Without a community to keep me accountable, push me to grow, and create opportunities for collaboration, it’s easy to lose motivation. A strong local community could help educate one another, introduce more people to open source and make meaningful contributions together.

Interestingly, Enugu has open-source contributors, a notable example being Preshh0, a technical writer, open-source contributor, and DEI advocate. But without a real community, everyone ends up working in isolation or with well-known communities. Imagine what we could achieve if we came together.

How Fedora Can Help

The fedora community can help my local community in the following ways;

Creating Awareness

• Fedora can promote open source in underrepresented areas by organizing virtual workshops and physical events.

• Featuring consistent contributors from local communities (like Enugu) on Fedora platforms would inspire more local involvement.

Community Building Support

• Help kickstart local open source communities by guiding how to set up and sustain one.

• Offer mentorship programs where experienced Fedora contributors can guide and support those trying to build a local community.

Fund Localized Fedora Events

• Provide small grants or sponsorships to help local organizers host meetups, hackathons, or workshops.

• Partner with local tech hubs (like Genesys Tech Hub in Enugu) to host Fedora open source workshops.

Collaboration Opportunities

• Create a welcoming and engaging space where local contributors can connect and collaborate with the rest of the community.

• Encourage experienced Fedora contributors to actively engage with newcomers from regions without established communities.

How can I Help?

I know I can help attract open source communities like Fedora to Enugu by;

• Creating easy-to-read documentation about getting started in open source contributions

• Talk more about open source in workshops, tech events and hackathons, both online and offline.

• Help organize Fedora event in my community

Conclusion

Building an open source community in Enugu won’t happen overnight, but it’s not impossible. With the right awareness, support, and collaboration, we can create an environment where open source contributors don’t have to work in isolation. Fedora has the potential to play a major role in bridging this gap, and I’m excited to contribute to making that happen.