As I reflect on my tech journey, I am reminded of the profound impact that local tech and open source communities have had on my growth. It is a story of transformation, open doors, and a deep commitment to giving back that was instilled in me.

As Helen Keller said, Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much

This quote summarizes the essence of my journey, highlighting the immense power of community in shaping individual paths and fostering collective success.

In this article, I’ll share my personal story of how local tech and open source communities shaped my growth and how Fedora can play a role in supporting them.

Kotlin Benin User Group

My journey began in 2022 when I started learning Android development during my university days(Now a graduate). During this time, I learned about the Kotlin Benin User Group, a community based in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria. This group was instrumental in my growth.

The community is made up of Android developers, technical writers, product designers, and students. Our activities included monthly Twitter Spaces, yearly events, and discussions around KotlinConf(the annual Kotlinconference).

How did this community help me?

When I encountered bugs, members collaboratively helped me debug them while providing invaluable insights into navigating the tech field as a beginner. The community support transcended beyond troubleshooting. They shared industry updates and offered the motivation to persevere through challenges.

Challenges Faced

1. Maintaining Community Engagement

Engagement is the lifeblood of every community. Sustaining active participation was a recurring challenge. As the community grew, ensuring consistent engagement required creative approaches to keep members interested and involved in activities.

2. Funding Events

Financial constraint was a significant hurdle, as events were often self financed without official support from Kotlin leadership. For example:

• The core team self funded the Kotlin event in 2023, which greatly strained personal resources.

• Limited funding restricted the scale and frequency of events, impacting outreach and community growth.

Kotlin event 2023

Key Strategies Adopted

1. Boosting Engagement Through Twitter Spaces and Giveaways

Hosting Twitter Spaces to engage members in real-time discussions on relevant topics. They also offered giveaways as incentives for participation, creating excitement and driving activity within the community.

2. Collaborating with Google Developers Group (GDG) Benin

We partnered with GDG Benin to enhance physical events by using their resources and expertise. This collaboration helped attract more attendees while improving the quality of events through shared knowledge and infrastructure.

Transitioning into Technical Writing

In June/July 2023, I transitioned into technical writing. This shift was prompted by a setback when my laptop broke down. This hindered my ability to continue learning Android development. As a person who dislikes being idle, I stumbled upon a technical writing course on X(Twitter) and learned using my phone.

This course exposed me to documentation, an area I once found intimidating. Indeed, this obstacle led me to an entirely new path I hadn't considered before.

I published my first article using my mobile device, with support from a community member who helped with the code snippet. This experience highlights the power of community collaboration in overcoming technical limitations.

The Technical Writing Mentorship Program (TWMP)

After navigating the hurdles of getting a laptop, my quest for a community with like minds led me to The Technical Writing Mentorship Program (TWMP). This is an open source community located in Rivers State, Nigeria.

TWMP is made up of software engineers, technical writers, documentation engineers, product designers, and content creators.

I made my first open source contribution through the guidance and support of Wisdom Nwokocha, the founder of TWMP. The program's emphasis on collaboration and mentorship was beneficial, as it allowed me to learn from experienced mentors and receive feedback on my work.

See TWMP Youtube channel

How TWMP Supports Writers

TWMP trains aspiring technical writers through cohort-based programs that cater to individuals from all backgrounds and locations. The mentorship program includes expert led sessions, interactive learning, and community support. It also provides opportunities to work on real-world projects, which help participants build portfolios and gain practical experience.

I was fortunate to be part of the third cohort in 2024, where I learned the fundamentals of technical writing. Participants were grouped and assigned mentors for hands on collaboration. This community has laid a strong foundation for me in documentation writing.

Success Stories

A former TWMP mentee, Mrs. Blessing Anyebe, who became a mentor, was selected for the Google Season of Docs (GSOD) in 2024.

As John C. Maxwell aptly said, Growth is the great separator between those who succeed and those who do not.

Mrs. Anyebe's journey reflects this principle, as her commitment to learning and development propelled her from being a mentee to a mentor, showcasing the transformative power of TWMP.

The TWMP has graduated over 100 mentees, with the majority doing well for themselves as technical writers. This success is a testament to how TWMP fosters growth and empowers individuals to achieve their goals. I, too, benefited from this growth, making a significant contribution in open source.

I created an API documentation course outline and authored two detailed articles. This improved my skills and enabled me to give back to the community, reinforcing the cycle of growth and collaboration that TWMP embodies.

Additionally, mentees from my cohort and other members of the community created free Markdown and AsciiDoc courses, demonstrating the program's impact on fostering a culture of documentation and open source collaboration. These are just a few of the success stories at TWMP.

Through this community, I have built confidence in communication, helped fellow technical writers, and done peer reviews.

Challenges Faced by TWMP

Despite its successes, TWMP still faces some challenges, which include:

Lack of Contributors

TWMP struggles with a shortage of contributors who are willing to execute ideas and initiatives. While there are numerous creative concepts, finding individuals to implement them is difficult. Most people express interest in paid roles rather than volunteering, which limits the pool of active participants.

Need for a Community Manager

The absence of a dedicated community manager hinders the organization’s ability to coordinate activities, manage members effectively, and maintain consistent engagement. A skilled community manager could help draft structured plans, and drive community growth.

Google Developers Group on Campus (GDGOC)

Formally called Google Developers Student Club

Image: My certification of completion as a core member

Another community that played a significant role in my journey is the Google Developers Group on Campus (GDGOC), based in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria. This is a university based community that supports students in tech related fields such as development, design, and writing.

My Contributions at GDGOC

As a core team member in the 2023/2024 session of GDGOC, here is a highlight of my contribution

• I helped with data collation and event registration management

• Assisted in program planning

• Collaborated with the core team in drafting proposals for event funding

• Coordinating with team members to ensure the smooth execution of events and engaging with attendees to gather feedback and improve future events.

• I led the Android Compose Camp event online and facilitated a physical meetup, the first physical event held during my team leadership.

This is me at the Android Compose Camp Event helping attendees

Additionally, I also had the opportunity to volunteer with GDG Benin, a state community that works closely with GDGOC. My role in GDG Benin involved participating in events like DevFest, a major annual gathering for developers and tech enthusiasts. During DevFest, I contributed by ushering attendees to their seats and helped distribute refreshments.

My DevFest Volunteer Certificate

Success Story: Growing the Community

When my team took over leadership, we inherited a disengaged and inactive community of around 200 members. Through structured rebranding and engagement strategies, we grew the community to over 800 active members.

GDGOC Page

Key Strategies Adopted

Moving Members to a New Group Requiring Completion of a Registration Form

This strategy involved moving members to a new group where they had to fill out a registration form to join. This process helped in several ways:

• Improved Data Collection: I played a significant role here. With the data collected, the team could collect valuable information about the members, such as their interests and backgrounds, which helped tailor future events and discussions.

• Increased Commitment: Registering made members more invested in the community, as they had taken a deliberate step to join.

• Better Organization: It allowed for easy membership management and communication with members.

Enhanced Engagement Through Structured Events and Community Discussions

The team organized regular events and discussions structured to meet the interests and needs of the members. This included:

• Themed events designed around specific topics or themes that resonated with the community, ensuring relevance and interest. We also brought experts from specific fields to share their knowledge and experience, which triggered members to attend events.

• Interactive discussions facilitated to encourage participation, feedback, and sharing of ideas among members.

• Hosting regular online events to keep members engaged.

Adapted to Online Sessions Due to Financial Constraints

Given the financial limitations, the team made a shift from physical events to online sessions. This allowed the community to continue engaging without the high costs associated with in-person events. Online sessions also expanded the reach of the community, as members could participate from anywhere.

Organized Potluck Events for In-Person Networking Opportunities

Potluck event by GDGOC

To foster personal connections and a sense of community, the team organized a potluck event where members could meet in person. These gave community members the opportunity to interact casually while sharing food and experiences. This approach helped build stronger relationships among members and created a welcoming atmosphere.

Collaborated with Influential University Faculty and Department Leaders

Partnering with school faculty leaders helped us gain credibility and attract more serious and committed members. Their involvement helped draw in more students and professionals, as their endorsement carried weight within academic and professional circles. This collaboration sometimes gave us access to university resources.

Challenges Faced

1. Securing a Space for Events

Finding suitable venues for events was a significant challenge due to limited availability and high costs. Many venues required advanced bookings or came with restrictions that did not align with the community's needs. Additionally, securing spaces that were accessible and conducive for networking or technical activities often required negotiation, which was difficult without strong financial backing.

2. Internet Access Issues During Live Coding Sessions

Reliable Internet access was a recurring problem, particularly during live coding sessions like the Android Compose Camp event. These sessions required stable, high speed internet to ensure smooth demonstrations and participant engagement.

However, technical difficulties, such as inconsistent connectivity or bandwidth limitations, disrupted the flow of sessions and impacted the learning experience for attendees.

3. Funding Constraints

Funding limitations posed a significant obstacle throughout the tenure. For example, the team had planned to host a tech fair to showcase innovations and foster collaborations among students and professionals. Unfortunately, the funding proposal was rejected, and the event could not be realized before the end of the tenure.

Funding constraints also influenced decisions like shifting to online sessions instead of in-person events and limited the ability to enhance event offerings or secure premium venues.

4. Volunteer Recruitment for Physical Events

Recruiting volunteers for physical events was challenging due to several factors:

• The lack of incentives or stipends further reduced interest in volunteering.

• Coordination and training of volunteers for specific roles added another layer of complexity, especially when organizing larger events.

• Many potential volunteers were students with busy schedules, making it hard to commit time.

Ideas for Fedora

Looking at the struggles these communities faced, here are some ideas enriched with insights from personal community experiences:

Funding and Sponsorships

Fedora can help by offering financial backing for community events, sponsoring hackathons where innovation thrives, and creating grants that local groups could tap into. This would lift that heavy financial burden off organizers shoulders and let them focus on what matters: building community.

Mentorship and Expert Guidance

TWMP have great ideas but struggles to find people willing to roll up their sleeves and make them happen. Fedora could connect community members with experienced contributors through mentorship programs. This knowledge transfer would help bridge the gap between beginners and professionals and build confidence in new contributors.

Creating Event Sponsorship Pipelines

One of the biggest challenges for communities like GDGOC was not knowing how to reach potential sponsors. When GDGOC team wanted to host their tech fair, they had ideas but no connections to organizations willing to fund them.

Fedora could create a structured pipeline that directly connects local communities with industry partners and organizations looking to support grassroots tech events. This wouldn't just be a list of contacts, but a comprehensive system that helps both sides find each other.

Community Management Resources

Just like TWMP, which faces the challenge of having a community manager, Fedora could fill this need by offering practical training on running effective communities, from planning engaging events to keeping volunteers motivated. They could provide resources that make organizing events less of a headache, and create volunteer programs where people know exactly what they are signing up for, with meaningful recognition for their efforts.

Open Source Contribution Opportunities

Many community members want to contribute but aren't sure where to start. Fedora could open doors by creating beginner friendly projects, complete with clear guides that walk new folks through their first contributions step by step. Offering internships would give local community members hands on experience while building their skills and confidence.

Partnerships with Local Communities

Collaborating with local communities can provide access to shared resources, expertise, and incentives for volunteers. These partnerships enhance event quality and attract more attendees while reducing logistical burdens.

Global Community Network

These communities work in silos, missing out on learning from others experiences. Fedora could connect these isolated groups through a global network where they share what works, what doesn't, and how they have overcome challenges. Virtual meetups featuring community leaders from different regions would spark new ideas and approaches that benefit everyone.

Conclusion

Local tech and open source communities play crucial roles in developing talent and encouraging collaboration in tech. With Fedora's support, these groups can tackle issues like funding, contributor shortages, and engagement struggles.

This support means more chances for upcoming techies to learn and contribute while building a welcoming global open source community where everyone can participate and share ideas.