DjangoCon Africa 2025

First DjangoCon Africa

It's always a special feeling when it's your first time in a conference. You meet new people, discover how the conference is run and familiarize yourself with the organization and how it is supposed to work.

I know DjangoCon Europe well, I have been an organizer, a volunteer and an attendee. One thing you have to know is DjangoCon events are run by volunteers for free. I really would like to thank the organizers and volunteers behind this conference. I know it's a lot of work behind the scenes, but gathering people in one place and seeing folks connecting and share knowledge it's a priceless joy. If you want to help the community globally, this is a really good way to contribute.

Moreover, I would like to thank all the sponsors that made this conference possible. This is particularly important to me because the community must be represented as a whole across all continents and conference like this one is the best way to show that.

I am proud of this picture, Me and Thibaud Colas, Vice President and President, in front the wall of DjangoCon Africa UbuCon Africa with all sponsors logos. Sponsoring is crucial for the success of such events and if you care about diversity and inclusion in tech, supporting events like DjangoCon Africa is a great way to make a difference.

As a board member, I am glad to have been able to participate in almost all Django events organized around the world so far to be in direct contact with the community.

Arusha, Tanzania

I have never been to South of Africa except the country I have roots, Comoros Islands. Go to DjangoCon Africa was a good way to discover that and learn about Tanzania. I really enjoyed Arusha, it's a lovely city. It was a real change of landscape for me, coming from Paris.

It's also a good opportunity to discover the local culture, food and wildlife. I had the time to do a Safari to Ngorongoro Crater with my lovely friend Tim Schilling, go to the markets and try the local food.

Also, you see the challenge people are facing there and doing their best to overcome them. Despite this, people are welcoming and friendly. Always trying to help.

The conference

Since it's a new conference for me, I tried my best to talk with as many folks as possible. I was amazed by all the folks that came to me to talk, just for chatting or thanks me for my keynote and/or get feedback for their projects. Usually it's the reverse, I will go to folks to talk to them. If you were at DjangoCon Africa and didn't connect with me, you can still do it!

Outside of the local community, this conference gave me the opportunity to met old friends and new friends. Conferences are a great way to see your international friends and meet new folks from everywhere. I know folks from all over the world, that's really cool no? 😁

Something I love is to meet folks from Djangonaut Space in person in addition to the local community. I was able to meet Salim Nuru, Philip Nareth and Tim Schilling in person.

I'm sad Rahmat Akintola wasn't able to come, next time hopefully.

Now I can say I have seen all the founders and co-founders of Djangonaut Space in person 🚀

Tim is one of my very good friends, I was so happy to meet him in person and be able to support him for his keynote. It's unbelievable that was the first time we met in person, after all the time we spent together on Djangonaut Space. Remote relationships are real.

I was glad to finally see folks who I have chatted with online occasionally like Julius Boakye.

Opening Keynote

I was deeply honored to give the opening keynote of DjangoCon Africa: "50 shades of green - One contribution to the Django world". For those who are interested, you have the link of the slides . I will see to add the transcript later.

If my keynote has any impact on you, even years later, please tell me, I would like to hear your story!

Unfortunately, talks were not recorded at this conference. I hope it will be the case next time, some content deserves to be shared beyond Africa.

Each interaction has left a mark on my journey, and I look forward to continuing these conversations in the future. I got some contacts for potential collaborations and projects, and I'm excited to see where these connections and projects will lead.

As I mentioned in my keynote, I would like to encourage folks to contribute to Django and open source in general. There are many ways to contribute, whether it's through code, documentation, internationalization or community support. Every little bit helps! And even if it feels scary to start contributing, remember that everyone was a beginner at some point. Myself included.

So don't be afraid to take that first step and get involved. The Django community is a friendly and welcoming place.

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This trip was especially meaningful for me. Despite navigating some personal challenges, the warmth and generosity of the community helped me set those worries aside. My time at DjangoCon Africa was truly enriching, and I look forward to the possibility of returning in 2027.

See you next time DjangoCon Africa! 💚