Last weekend, on June 29th, 2024, WordPress Port Harcourt Community hosted the highly anticipated do_action Charity Hackathon at Pyale Workhub . It was a day filled with innovation, collaboration, and a shared commitment to empowering local nonprofits through enhanced digital presence. Here’s a detailed look at the event, from planning to execution.
The Goal of the Hackathon
The main objective of the do_action Charity Hackathon was to bring together members of the local WordPress community to design and build new websites for local nonprofits. The aim was to help these organizations improve their online presence, facilitate volunteer registration, and showcase their programs and past projects effectively.
Participants and Teams
We had an incredible turnout with three dynamic teams: Team Red, Team Green, and Team Blue. The participants were a diverse mix of project managers, designers, graphic artists, content writers, social media managers, developers, and QA testers. Here’s a list of some of the passionate individuals who joined us:
Alexandra-Rita Don-Baadom , Emediong Ime Asuquo, Anyanwu Sorochi Chidindu, Ekene Lionel Ibeneme, Aniekan Edet , Priscillia Bekee , Opuda Sotonwari , Nwiwa Abigail Barilee, Nnamdi Constance Chisom, Tobins David, Goodnews Oguguo , Saviour Ukpong , David N. Udoumoh, Abraham Sylvester Asukwo , Darling Ogbulu Peter, Felix Okeff, Okonkwo Chijioke, Daniel Ekpo , Mustapha Mustapha , Abel Edet Udo, Nicholate Osinachi , Faith Godspower Ogan, Totti Emmanuel Ogbonnaya.
Planning and Organization
The event was organized by a dedicated team including Sylvanus Godbless, Emmanuel Kalu, Emmanuel Eluwa, and Stevecorptech. Planning spanned over 3 to 4 months, during which we reached out to local brands for sponsorship. Although many responded negatively, we were fortunate to receive positive responses from;
WordPress Foundation: The WordPress Foundation is a charitable organization founded by Matt Mullenweg to further the mission of the WordPress open source project: to democratize publishing through Open Source, GPL software https://wordpressfoundation.org/
Leanna: A web hosting and domain company based here in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. They make it easy for developers and businesses to build, deploy, and host websites and applications seamlessly https://leanna.ng/
Brela: A web and software development agency in Port Harcourt https://brela.agency/
Key Challenges
As with any hackathon, we faced a few challenges:
- It rained that morning, causing a slight delay in the start.
- Server issues: Thanks to a representative from Leanna, we were able to resolve these issues promptly.
- Low-quality images: We worked around this by sourcing higher quality images where possible.
- Lack of logos for some nonprofits: This was an unexpected hurdle that we managed to navigate creatively.
- Some team members are still working to finalize the completion of the websites created, ensuring the websites are fully functional.
Standout Projects
Despite the challenges, the teams produced some outstanding projects:
- Ladies With Purpose: A nonprofit focused on empowering women through creating sustainable, inclusive, and empowering solutions to address the most pressing social, economic and environmental challenges facing our communities today.
- Basketball For Everyone Initiative: An organization empowering adolescents in neglected and unreachable areas through the transformative power of basketball. By leveraging the universal appeal and unifying nature of the sport, we aim to foster physical health, mental well-being, and social development. Our program is committed to providing access to safe, inclusive, and engaging basketball activities, coupled with educational initiatives that promote healthy lifestyle choices, resilience, and leadership skills.. The new website will highlight their community impact.
- LightHope Succor Worldwide Initiative: A group dedicated to inspire positive change, promote human rights, and empower communities, remaining true to its origin story and commitment to creating a brighter future for all. Their website will improve volunteer coordination and donation.
Memorable Moments
The hackathon concluded on a high note with presentations and photo breaks, followed by brief networking sessions. Participants from our sister community WP Uyo made it a memorable event, despite needing to travel back promptly.
Impact on Participants and Community
The hackathon’s most significant impact was fostering collaboration. It had been a long while since we held such an event, and it was truly inspiring to see participants discussing, planning, and implementing their ideas and solutions together.
The hackathon provided a platform for learning and skills development. Participants were exposed to new tools and techniques, enhancing their expertise and experience.
Community Support
We were grateful for the support from our sponsors and the local community.
Special thanks to the Global community support at WordPress Isotta Peira, Harmony Romo & many others who mentored and guided us through the planning phase up to the execution
Their contributions played a crucial role in the success of the event.
Closing Thoughts
Looking ahead, we plan to continue supporting local nonprofits annually through similar initiatives. The do_action Charity Hackathon was a testament to the power of community and collaboration. We encourage everyone to support local nonprofits and join us in future hackathons to make a difference together.
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