Author Archives: Daniel

Building African Digital Innovators in 2018

“What should we be doing going forward?”

Africans can save Africa: Arnold Ekpe at TEDxEuston 

There are millions of potential brother and sister bloggers in Africa, diverse people of color and culture, yearning to tell their stories, developing and waiting to share their Brands and expand their opportunities to collaborate in education, business, commerce, finance and global entrepreneurship.

This writing is a contribution of knowledge to share and hopefully, motivate and inspire Africans desiring to Blog, Microblog, Video blog, Podcast and create dynamic content within their communities.

Their (African) voices and stories are important and should be shared on a global platform of respect and collaboration on dynamic Social Media platforms.

To represent the African diaspora and historical significance of the art of “storytelling.” What better way than to share with the world, to create unique content that is just as diverse as the most culturally rich continent in the world, Africa. I encourage Africans of all ages to write their stories, to use their creativity to share innovative ideas and create content that bridges generations and cultures.

The ability to create unique and transformative content that can unify their continent. Following the literary talents of Chinua Achebe, Ngugi wa Thiong’o, Wole Soyinka, Ben Okri, Buchi Emecheta, Ama Ata Aidoo, Dinaw Mengestu, Africans are historic creators of stories’, poets, and diverse content creators.

African children are learning that through technology and education they can contribute to the world in ways not available decades ago.

Colonialism attempted to silence the voices of Africans, it failed because the voices of Africans can be heard whispered on the flowing waters and in the air currents, stories that travel through the trees, and the paths both dirt and paved across the continent.

Social Media platforms and tools are allowing African boys and girls to share their stories with the global community, bringing attention to their lives right from their mouths and to the eyes and ears globally.

As an educator and parent, I want to encourage African children, teens, youth and young adults to share their stories through the diverse tools that blogging has to offer and enhance their language abilities, “language is the way to memory” Prof. Wm Jackson #MyQuestToTeach

Thoughts to consider, do not allow others to tell your stories as was done during the centuries of slavery, oppression, and colonization. In the spirit of Chinua Achebe share your stories and let the world hear you.

Chinua Achebe the “Father of African Literature” stated many times that the minds of the people were influenced by the colonization of Europeans. African writers need to be activist in their writing, to challenge the thinking of Africans, to encourage intellectualism and activism even in the 21st century.

The thinking and the writing of Africans are challenging the “emperor’s” way of thinking, “because the storyteller has a different agenda” than the emperor, Chinua Achebe 2012.

In many ways, Africans have a responsibility to share their stories and share their voices, what better way to tell truth to life what Europeans have tried to deny for decades. There was a denial of building of thought leaders and intellectuals in Africa during colonial rule.

The independence of Ghana in 1957 and subsequently other African countries allowed for the potential of building new intellectuals that in turn will teach others. Sharing the value of their voices just as Achebe, Soyinka and others have done, storytelling is a powerful tool to build cultural pride and dignity now apply tech to expand the reach.

The 20th and 21st centuries have opened new ways for Africans to soar, to embrace the winds of change that allow for the chains of colonialism to dissipate. Achebe shares that Africans
have the right to share their expressions. No matter the medium, the tools, or the platform.

The encouragement of children is important because as Achebe says that “children can fly,”
and should be encouraged to write.

Achebe stated that he writes because he likes to write, I feel the same passion. To share not just stories, but information to encourage people to think, contemplate, dream, consider the possibilities to grow beyond the limited imaginations of those that do not respect the diversity and the heritage of African nations of the diaspora.

Africans must tell their stories, share their voices and build a new dynamic identity for the 21st century. Africans are more than a people to be colonized and ruled. They are a people that have passions, expectations, and dreams, this should be shared with the world. African voices can influence geopolitical decisions that will take Africa into the 22nd century and beyond.

Africans as a collective can influence the gaps in education, in commerce, in the innovation of technology and the opportunities to achieve more to the benefits of Africa and African people, not just people from other countries. 54 countries united to solve their own problems can achieve great things if they unite and speak united. Africa united as a strong united force to make a positive and transformative change.

Powerful words from stated that, “No foreigners have ever developed a country, the nationals have developed their own country.” Arnold Ekpe

Resources: Bridging the Diaspora Divide – Teresa H. Clarke at TEDxEuston

Credits: William Jackson, M.Ed. Twitter @wmjackson – #MyQuestToTeach

Creating Content For Your Personal Website

Although WordPress makes it easy to create a personal website, it is often challenging for most website owners to create content for their websites. “What do I put in? What do I leave out?”

I’ll be sharing my experience of creating content for a personal website.

I hope you will learn something and don’t forget to grab your ticket for #WordCampMsa


Speaker: Mercy Rop

This post was created using Gutenberg, A new, modern publishing experience

What Next For Print Media?

With the smartphone adoption increasingly gaining momentum, and the Internet penetration in Kenya over the years coming of age and already becoming an all too essential part of the modern-day Mass Law hierarchy of needs, most of us have inadvertently stopped purchasing newspapers and some of the monthly magazines have all of a sudden gone digital.

We have been unwittingly forced into an all-new approach of how we consume content, the smartphone, internet, coupled with good CMS software like WordPress are instruments that have drastically changed how you and I read & consume content and majorly print content.

In this session, we will gaze into our crystal ball & see the possibility of the future having to print if at all there is?

Don’t forget to book your seats here before they are sold out!
See Y’all at WordCamp Mombasa 2018!

Speaker | Bryan Opiyo

#WooCommerce #WordPress #WordCampMsa

How to Make Money with your WordPress E- Commerce site

E-commerce (electronic commerce ) is the buying and selling of goods and services, or the transmitting of funds or data, over an electronic network, primarily the internet. These business transactions occur either as business-to-business, business-to-consumer, consumer-to-consumer or consumer-to-business. It’s the most widely used transaction method in 21st-century web-based businesses, with increasing use of systems such as Fully-Verified in response to various types of fraud.

Don’t forget to book your seats here before they are sold out!

See Y’all at WordCamp Mombasa 2018!

Speaker | KIPYEGON CALEB
#WooCommerce #WordPress #WordCampMsa
Digital MarKeting

DIGITAL MARKETING TRENDS IN THE 21ST CENTURY.

Digital platforms are the best thing that has happened to the 21st-century era though it’s very unfortunate that we have not harnessed the full potential of these platforms to realize better results.

One of the major reasons why digital marketing conducted by companies like The Marketing Heaven is taking over the traditional marketing channels is because the internet has enabled businesses to interact with targeted audiences
in real time.

Ignoring Digital marketing is like opening a shop and telling no one about it. See Y’all at WordCamp Mombasa 2018!

Book your spot at WordCamp Mombasa 2018

Speaker | Peter Kamore
#Digital marketing #WordPress #WordCampMsa

WordPress – The Easiest way to get into Tech

We live in what is currently termed an information society, which in turn makes almost all of us digital citizens. A digital citizen refers to a person who has the knowledge and skills to effectively use digital technologies to communicate with others, participate in society and create and consume digital content.

WordPress is a tool that allows you to create and consume digital content, and the best part of it is; its’ open source nature. This makes WordPress readily available and open to all who may need to use it either to create and or to consume content.

WordPress offers you three usage options which are very relevant to the world we live in today.

  1. A Blog
  2. A Website
  3. An Application

What to expect and take away from this talk.

  1. How having a WordPress.com site can help to build and engage with a network vital to their personal and business lives.
  2. How owning a self-hosted WordPress website can be leveraged on to make their brand, business or work visible to the world, thereby building credibility.

Grab your Ticket Now For WordCamp Mombasa 2018

 

See Y’all at WordCamp Mombasa 2018!

Speaker | Mary Job
#Technology #WordPress #WordCampMsa

Top 3 Reasons to Attend A WordCamp Near You

According to wpmudev blog: WordCamps are unlike any other web industry event. They have a format and an atmosphere all of their own and thats what makes them very special.

You will find this article to be a little bit long hoping to convince you that if you can attend a WordCamp, you really should. You’ll get more from a WordCamp than you could from years of reading WordPress blogs, buying WordPress books and subscribing to WordPress vlogs.

But first, an introduction to what WordCamps are.

The first WordCamp took place in San Francisco in 2006. Since then, 846 WordCamps have taken place in 72 cities, 65 countries and in 6 continents all over the world.

WordCamps happen almost every week. At the time of writing there are more than seven coming up in the next month, in different locations of the World.

Here In Kenya (where we are at the moment) we’ve had two WordCamps, all took place in Nairobi. 2016 and the recent WordCamp Nairobi 2017, which was attended by 200 WordPress users and developers from all over Kenya and its neighboring countries; Uganda, Sudan and Rwanda.

WordCamps are aimed at everyone and anyone who uses WordPress. You don’t have to be experienced in order to benefit from a WordCamp – there are sessions for users, too, as well as for designers and people more interested in the business of WordPress.

WordCamps are all run with support from WordCamp Central and are not-for-profit. Organizers don’t take a penny for their work, speakers and volunteers give their time for free. This keeps costs down for everyone attending. So cost definitely is not a barrier.

The fact that speakers are not paid and are able to put their names forward and propose talks instead of just being invited also makes for a diverse and ever changing line-up of speakers at every WordCamp.

Speakers are not all experienced veterans of the speaking circuit, in fact most of them are “ordinary” WordPress users and developers who want to share their knowledge with other people in the community. The call for speakers is still available, you are welcome to come and share in WordCamp Mombasa 2018.

So that’s some background on WordCamps, but what will you get from going to one?

1. You’ll Learn. Lots.

Most WordCamps have more than one track of talks aimed at different audiences or skill levels, so you might find a user track in one room at the same time as a developer track in another. This means that there’s a huge range of topics being covered by the talks and a wide range of levels they’re pitched at.

Image courtesy: WordCamp Nairobi 2017

At a traditional web design conference you might pay a lot for a ticket and attend maybe five hour-long talks each day. The speakers will be experienced veterans of the circuit perhaps but you’ll still only learn about five things.

At a WordCamp however, you’ll pay less for your ticket and you might see ten or more talks in a day, because they tend to be shorter. The speakers might not be experienced at speaking but they’ll have new and interesting ideas they want to share with the community. Things you won’t hear about anywhere else.

At some WordCamps you can also attend one or more workshops: at WordCamp Mombasa we are planning to run workshops at the same time as talks. During these workshops people will be able to learn skills such as how to install WordPress for the first time; how to manage their site; how to attract more customers; and how to create their first theme. Learn from WordPress experts at workshops.

And outside the formal sessions you’ll meet people whom you can learn from too. Speakers at WordCamps are only too happy to chat to people about their topic and to answer questions, and aren’t too proud to learn from the people who attended their talk and have complimentary ideas. And there are plenty of other people you can learn from. During the coffee breaks and social events you’ll get talking to people with a diverse range of experience and knowledge of WordPress: you’ll get ideas from them and learn how to be better at WordPress yourself.

2. You’ll Be Inspired

I think the way in which I have benefited most from a WordCamp I attended (one), is in the inspiration I got from them. In the early days of running my own blogI gained huge inspiration about ways I could take my business forward and explore new opportunities. As I spent more and more time writing using WordPress. I have also been inspired by the personal stories of the people I met and the way they have developed their careers with WordPress.

Image courtesy of WordCamp Nairobi 2017

Aside from all the things you’ll learn at a WordCamp, you’ll hear about new trends in web development and ideas for taking WordPress further. You’ll meet people working with WordPress in as way you haven’t thought of but would love to try. And you’ll learn about career opportunities with WordPress that you might not even have known existed.

You’ll also be inspired to make a contribution to the WordPress community: at many WordCamps there’s a contributor day, where you can learn how to give something back from people who are already making a valuable contribution to WordPress. Unsure how to give your five for the future? After attending a WordCamp you won’t be the same again.

Be inspired by the people you’ll meet and learn from. Because of the fact that WordCamps have a large and varied group of speakers, some of them speaking at their first web event, you’ll find that new and different ideas are explored in a way you don’t always find at more traditional web conferences, where speakers may be talking about a topic they’ve been working on and speaking about for years. Some of these talks will be specific and detailed and open your ideas to new methods of development that you didn’t know about.

3. You’ll Meet Some Amazing People

The best thing about WordCamps, and about WordPress in general, is the people. WordPress has a massive community of users and developers with an ethos that’s quite different from many other sections of the web industry. People from the WordPress community aren’t afraid to share their knowledge, expertise and code, and no-one worries about trade secrets.

Image courtesy: WordCamp Nairobi 2017

These are the people you’ll meet at a WordCamp. People who are more than happy (eager even) to share their knowledge and experience with you and help you learn about what they do. People who don’t worry that you’ll steal business from them if you know what they know, because that’s not how WordPressers think. People who are very welcoming and don’t treat new WordPress users any differently from how they treat old hands.

I attended my first WordCamp alone and didn’t know a soul there: by the end of the weekend I’d made contact with people who I stayed in touch with and even worked with. I made contact with yet more people, some of whom are now best friends and colleagues. I would never have met these people if I had not been to a WordCamp, and they are my network of WordPress experts, skills, support and friendship.

Don’t be afraid to go to the social events if you’re on your own: people will welcome you and if you’re prepared to talk to them, they’ll happily talk to you. After all, you have got an instant conversation opener if you ask what they do with WordPress. A lot of agencies go to WordCamps with the specific aim of recruiting developers and designers.

Sometimes they’re looking for full-time employees, sometimes freelancers. If you’re a talented WordPress developer there’s a good chance that someone in that room is looking for your skills.

So… You’re Convinced. What Next?

So I’ve convinced you that you should attend a WordCamp, fantastic! The next step is to find one you can attend. here it is!


Summary

WordCamps are great. They’re one of my favourite ways to spend a weekend: having fun and learning loads.

Image courtesy: WordCamp Nairobi 2017

Attending a WordCamp will cost you a lot less than most other web conferences, especially if you don’t have to pay for accommodation or travel too far. And you’ll benefit from the event just as much as you would from something ten times the price, at least in my experience.

Maybe I’ll see you at WordCamp Mombasa in the coming days, please say hi!

Image credits: WordCamp Nairobi 2017

What is a WordCamp And Why You Should Attend One?

 

What strikes your mind first when you hear the term “WordCamp”? Let me guess, definitely you are thinking it’s a writing event or a camp outing , right? No! you got it wrong it’s not.

WordCamp is an all-encompassing term referring to a conference, a community organized and officially sanctioned event to deal with all things WordPress. To you reading this, welcome to WordCamp Mombasa, the third official city WordCamp of its kind in Kenya.

If you are new to the term “WordPress”, it is an online, open-source website creation tool written in PHP. It is probably the easiest and most powerful blogging and website content management system in existence today.

How Much Does it Cost to Attend WordCamp?

WordCamp conferences are extremely economical, not charging more than Ksh 4000 for two days of high quality speakers and networking opportunities or Ksh 2000 for a one-day event or its equivalents.

WordCamp Mombasa 2018 is charging Ksh 500 for full two (2) days event ticket, and Ksh 1500 for a micro-sponsor ticket.

Who Attends WordCamp?

WordCamps should be attended by everyone who uses WordPress, and everyone who should use WordPress. According to wpmudev blog, this includes but not limited to bloggers, designers, developers, authors, marketers, SEOs, Businesses, nonprofits, photographers, realtors, consultants, entrepreneurs, school employees, teachers, project managers, etc.

As an attendee to WordCamp Mombasa 2018, you should be prepared to learn new dimensions of and using WordPress. You will also have fun networking physically with other people who are just as obsessed with WordPress as they are, or just as new to WordPress as you are. There will be an after-party for you to meet new friends, business partners, employees and employers.

What does a WordCamp offer, what type of event is it?

WordCamp(s) can be in any kind of format with a good number of swag (apparel and branded items) given to attendees. They range from a one-day event to a three-day event depending on the local community organizing it. They comprise of but not limited to conference-like sessions, panels, interviews, unconference, kids-camp, short or multi-hour workshops, and lightning talks.

People attend to share ideas, learn about WordPress, talk about opportunities, and meet other WordPress users in person, all of this you will enjoy at WordCamp Mombasa 2018. All WordCamp organizers and speakers are unpaid volunteers; they offer their services as a labour of love.

Who Speaks at WordCamps?

Speakers range from WordPress developers, businesses owners, designers, and users, drawn from the local community. According to WordCamp Central (the organizers of all things WordCamp), the goal is to have 80 percent local speakers and 20 percent out-of-town speakers. WordCamp Mombasa 2018 is set to offer you the best of the best of content and value that will empower you and your business this year 2018.

Who funds WordCamp?

In an effort to mirror the nature of WordPress software (a platform that is both free and powerful), WordCamp, WordPress events tend to be low in cost with funding coming from the people who attend, local sponsors in the community, as well as multi-event sponsors organized by WordCamp central. The call for sponsors is still open for WordCamp Mombasa 2018, your support will be appreciated, micro-sponsors are also welcomed, as well as donations.

How to Find Upcoming WordCamps

According to WordCamp Central, there have been 846 WordCamps (and still counting) organized since the first one in 2006 which was organized by Matt Mullenweg. So far, WordPress WordCamp events have been hosted in 70 cities, 65 countries and 6 continents. All information about past and upcoming WordCamps can be found here.

The Power of Sponsoring WordCamp – Tips from Other WordCamps

No matter what you are doing or where you are heading, it all comes back around to relationships. From the beginning, marketing, sales, and businesses have been founded on the understanding that we need to be invested in creating lasting connections with people.
Although the technology has changed over the years, the basic understandings have remained solid. When you team up with WordCamp Mombasa through sponsorship of the conference, you create an opportunity of growing up a lasting connection that leads to a stronger community, better business, and a broader future.

What Others Say about Sponsorship

WordCamp Harare- WordPress Community

Image Courtesy of WordCamp Harare 2017

We’re a large group, diverse in every way. WordPress users here include:

  • Freelancers
  • Web development companies
  • Advertising and marketing firms
  • News outlets and bloggers
  • Small-business owners
  • Universities and schools
  • Government and non-profits

WordCamp Mombasa is the perfect opportunity to introduce your services and products to as many as 200 people interested in businesses that can meet their needs.

WordCamp Kampala – WordPress Community

It’s an affordable marketing tactic.

As a non-profit event, we understand the need to make every shilling count. Especially for smaller businesses. By being present at the event itself, you’ll be able to qualify leads more easily.

Image Courtesy of WordCamp Kampala 2017

WordCamp Mombasa seeks to build engagement between WordPress users, developers, and business to strengthen the community of Mombasa as well as create a foundation for growing up the WordPress community as a whole.

WordCamp Nairobi – WordPress Community

Get Noticed

Image Courtesy of WordCamp Nairobi 2016

By becoming a sponsor, your company’s name is on the top of everyone’s mind before, during and after the conference.

  1. In the weeks leading up to the event, your business will be featured on the WordCamp website, blog posts, and on social media. (Ask your SEO pro about the benefits of these mentions. You might be surprised.)
  2. Sponsor tables will be prominent and visible by all attendees.
  3. You’ll have a chance to be remembered far into the future with your company’s branded product included in the swag that everyone loves to take back to the office.

WordCamp Mombasa wants to connect with your business or organization and also share your uniqueness with attendees, readers, and other WordCamp communities.

Still not convinced?

Free Logo Services Business Blog has 10 more reasons your business needs to be involved in local conferences and events.

Here is just one.

Community Goodwill

Strengthening your business image is one of the most valuable benefits of event sponsorship. Customers love brands that care about spreading positive messages and helping the community. Linking your business to a worthy cause can draw lasting support and media attention.

Community involvement also sets you apart from larger brands. People have more incentive to support your business if you’re invested in the local community. Find out what matters to customers, and pick causes that align with their values to boost loyalty.

WordCamp Mombasa is one of the newest WordCamps in Kenya. Each year we tend to work to reach out to more in the community and to do more for the community. Your involvement helps make that a reality.

Invest with WordCamp Mombasa 2018 – invest in the WordPress and Mombasa Communities – and begin creating the lasting connections with people that will lead you down the path to your desired goals.

Call for Volunteers

Blurb with information for potential volunteers.







Call for Speakers

Thanks for your interest in speaking and helping us put on an amazing WordCamp Mombasa!

The Call for Speakers is now closed.

Before submitting your speaker proposal, please log in to WordCamp.org using your WordPress.org account*.

If you don’t have an account, please create one.

* This is your account for the official WordPress.org website, rather than your personal WordPress site.