(ThyBlackMan.com) The growth of WordCamp conferences is phenomenal and empowering on the continent of Africa. Since 2016 there is a rapid growth of these dynamic conferences that are showing the “open source” community as a growing family of innovators, creators, artists, evangelists for technology and content creators that build PLNC – Professional Learning Networks
and Communities in Africa.
Providing digital resources for entrepreneurs and business owners.
As a blogger, speaker, promoter, volunteer, advocate and organizer, the engagement of WordCamp conferences opens doors that are changing the face of technology across this great continent.
Looking at WordCamp Central – https://central.wordcamp.org/ and even engaged in WordCamp / WordPressTV – https://wordpress.tv/category/wordcamptv/ it is clear that Africans are benefiting from the opportunities for networking,
collaboration, building business partnerships, fueling business relationships and taking Professional Learning Development (PLD) to a new level.
The WordPress community values diversity, and the global mission to include everyone is reflected in the Code of Conduct. The strong effort to accommodate everyone with resources that help parents with services like child care, captioning and signing services, accessible conference facilities and a quiet space for people who need downtime. The “Happiness Bar”for people that need some TLC with technology issues or those introvert beginners that need personal attention.
The extroverts are accommodated as well with space to be vocal, engaging, conversational and share their passionate exuberance for their craft. The listing of African WordCamp ranges from North to South and East to West: Johannesburg, South Africa – https://2018.johannesburg.wordcamp.org/
October 2018 #WCJHB
Kigali, Rwanda – https://2018.kigali.wordcamp.org/
October 2018 #WordCampKigali
CapeTown, South Africa – https://2018.capetown.wordcamp.org/
November 2018 #WCCT
Harare, Zimbabwe- https://2018.harare.wordcamp.org/
November 2018 – #WordCampHarare
Nairobi, Kenya – https://2018.nairobi.wordcamp.org/
December 2018 – #WCNAIROBI
Bulawayo, Zimbabwe https://2018.bulawayo.wordcamp.org/
Still in planning stages at the time of this writing Lagos, Nigeria – https://2019.lagos.wordcamp.org/
Still in planning stages at the time of this writing Port Harcourt, Nigeria – https://2019.portharcourt.wordcamp.org/
What better way to engage in collaborative learning that builds thought leadership and incorporates business and commerce on diverse digital levels. Educators are invited to EdCampNigeria, similar to WordCamp, but designed for teachers, administrators and educational advocates.
The start of KidsCamp that is part of the WordCamp experience allows youth and teens to participate. Ranging from 7 years of age to as old as 16, young people are taught business skills, web development, Social Media responsibility, safety and caution on digital platforms.
The future of technology is in the hands of African youth, teens and young adults because they are the future visionaries, they will continue to spark the African educational system and create new business interests and investments.
Posted on the web site for Cape Town they are opening it for students from grades 9 to 12, a youth track guaranteed to empower students in high school so they will be ahead of the curve by the time they get to higher education or vocational education.
I have volunteered, sponsored and organized KidsCamp experiences
locally in Jacksonville (my home town) and internationally in Calgary, Canada, Costa Rica and at other venues, the value of learning will be seen in years to come as the rise of entrepreneurial drive takes hold and young people will not demand change they will create it using technology.
As a KidsCamp Organizer I enjoy teaching the future, the generational developers that will change Africa and build it to new levels of global influence.
Africa must continue to invest in its infrastructure to increase wireless access, build a solid network of computer systems so that multiple systems will communicate with each other no matter where a person travels and open doors of opportunity, investment, employment and educational growth for Africans so they do not have to leave their homes to work or educate themselves.
The African physical continent affects global weather, the influences can be seen even from space. Technology is allowing more and more Africans to be influential in commerce, business, technology, science, literature, education and other areas never imagined before. Like the weather the affects are being felt globally and seen not physically but through the diverse digital networks like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and other platforms.
African imagination, innovation, investigation and invention are affecting global investments that are demanding the world to see Africa in a new light and with respect.
WordCamp conferences are providing unique opportunities to build relationships in the broad spectrum of business and entrepreneurialism.
WordCamp Central
https://central.wordcamp.org/schedule/
WordPress TV
https://wordpress.tv/category/wordcamptv/
Staff Writer; William D. Jackson
Find out more about this talented writer over at; OCS For Education.