Open Source Journey

From Hallway Conversations to Core Contributor

My open-source journey began with a single conversation at FOSS4G Tanzania 2018. Those hallway discussions - the informal exchanges between sessions where ideas flow freely - changed everything. They opened doors I didn’t know existed and showed me that contributing to major open-source projects wasn’t reserved for a select few. It was accessible to anyone willing to start small and build trust incrementally.

The Timeline

2018: FOSS4G Tanzania and the Spark

FOSS4G Tanzania was my first international geospatial conference. The technical sessions were valuable, but the real transformation happened in the hallways and workshops. Conversations with GeoServer community members revealed opportunities to contribute, and I learned that the path forward wasn’t about grand gestures - it was about finding small ways to help and doing them consistently.

Not knowing any better, I left before the post-conference code sprint - a decision I still regret. That missed opportunity is one reason why the GeoGuru Fund ensures developers can participate in the full conference experience, including workshops and code sprints.

2019-2020: Starting Small with Documentation

I embraced the Kaizen philosophy: start small, build trust, grow incrementally. My first contributions weren’t code - they were documentation improvements, clarifying setup instructions, and helping others in the community forums (gis.stackexchange.com, and now discourse.osgeo.org). These small acts built relationships and deepened my understanding of GeoServer’s architecture and community dynamics.

2021: Release Manager

As trust grew, so did responsibility. I took on the role of a Release Manager, coordinating the triple release process of GeoTools, GeoWebCache, and GeoServer - the three interconnected projects that must be released simultaneously. This involved managing publications and announcements for the global community, some of which required the delicate balance of disclosing security vulnerabilities and CVEs while giving users time to upgrade safely. The role demanded precision, clear communication, and an understanding of how timing affects the security of thousands of production systems worldwide.

2022-2023: Technical Contributions Deepen

My contributions expanded into technical areas where I could make meaningful impact:

• CITE Certification: Worked on ensuring GeoServer maintains OGC compliance through rigorous CITE testing.
• GS3 Development: Contributed to the next generation of GeoServer architecture.
• Docker Development Environment: Improved contributor onboarding by enhancing Docker-based development setups.

2024: PSC Member

The Project Steering Committee invited me to join as a permanent voting member - recognition that contribution isn’t just about code volume, but about consistent, thoughtful participation that strengthens the community. AfriGIS announced my appointment, highlighting how corporate support enables open-source participation.

2025: AfriGIS’ Core Contributor Recognition

AfriGIS was recognised as a Core Contributor to GeoServer, acknowledging the company’s sustained investment in the project. This recognition validates the business case for open-source contribution: companies that invest in the tools they depend on gain influence, expertise, and ultimately competitive advantage.

Key Contributions

Throughout this journey, my contributions have spanned multiple areas:

• CITE Certification: Ensuring GeoServer regains and maintains OGC standards compliance.
• GS3 Development: Contributing to architectural evolution and modernisation.
• Release Management: Coordinating version releases and community communication.
• Docker Development: Building multi-architectural robust images, and improving contributor onboarding and development workflows.
• Community Support: Helping new contributors find their path into the project.

The Kaizen Philosophy

The lesson from this journey is simple: you don’t need to be an expert to start contributing. You need to:

1. Start Small: Find documentation to improve, questions to answer, or small bugs to fix.
2. Build Trust: Show up consistently, follow through on commitments, communicate clearly.
3. Grow Incrementally: As trust builds, opportunities expand naturally.
4. Stay Curious: Every contribution teaches something new about the technology and the community.

The hallway conversations at FOSS4G conferences accelerate this process. They create connections, reveal opportunities, and remind us that behind every open-source project are people who welcome thoughtful contribution. The workshops teach practical skills through hands-on learning, while code sprints provide a structured environment to contribute alongside the project maintainers - transforming the intimidating prospect of “contributing to open source” into an achievable reality.

Why This Matters for Africa

My journey demonstrates what’s possible when African developers have access to FOSS4G conferences. The knowledge, connections, and opportunities gained from these events create ripple effects that benefit entire communities. This is why GeoGuru.Africa exists - to remove the financial barriers that prevent talented African developers from accessing these transformative experiences.

Every developer we send to FOSS4G has the potential to follow a similar path: from hallway conversations to meaningful contribution, from learning to leading, from consuming open-source software to shaping its future.

This is the impact we want to replicate for other African developers.