WordCamp News

WordCamp Bhopal 2025: A Decade of Community, A Weekend That Felt Like Home

Posted by on February 9, 2026 with 1 reply

I’m writing this post with a smile that refuses to leave my face.

Because WordCamp Bhopal 2025 being a feather in our hat as a community wasn’t just another event on the calendar, it was deeply personal.

For the WordPress Bhopal community, and for me, it marked something special: 10 years of showing up, learning together, and building something real.

And what better way to celebrate a decade of community than by hosting a WordCamp that truly felt like home?

A Celebration of Culture — Shared Both Ways

At its heart, WordCamp Bhopal 2025 was about culture — built and shared in two directions.

On one side, it was about bringing the larger WordPress and tech ecosystem to the city. Giving our local audience — students, first-time attendees, and curious minds — a glimpse of where the ecosystem is headed, how far it has grown, and what’s possible for them right here.

On the other, it was about opening Bhopal up to the wider community. Welcoming people from outside and showing them the city of lakes, the warmth of its people, and the potential that quietly exists here — in ideas, in talent, and in shared spaces.

This edition was also about quality & thought.

Not scale. Not noise. But an intentional step forward — our way of upgrading how we learn, connect, and host. Because at the end of the day, human connection is the real network.

Laying the Groundwork

Behind what everyone saw on the event days was months of quiet, consistent effort. 

One of our strongest pillars was a four-month journey called the WP Build Tour — an initiative across colleges in Madhya Pradesh. Through sessions and workshops, 1,700+ students were introduced to WordPress, open source, and community-driven learning.

Read about WP Build Tour

Alongside this, staying true to the ethos of inclusivity and diversity, we hosted EmpowerWP Bhopal 2025 earlier in March — a women-oriented event that brought the community closer to home, quite literally.

Read more about EmpowerWP

To keep the momentum going in other community spaces, including DevFest Bhopal, we ran the now-iconic ‘Nano Banana Challenge’ as a fun way to spark curiosity around WordCamp Bhopal, and the entries were astonishing.

We also consciously expanded our reach beyond the WordPress bubble — welcoming marketers, content creators, influencers, and professionals from across the tech ecosystem. some combinations are just better shaken together.

So when WordCamp Bhopal 2025 finally arrived, it carried all of this into the room.

When the Curtains Finally Rose

Over 400+ attendees came together for a full-scale WordCamp experience which unfolded at Courtyard by Marriott, Bhopal— speaker sessions, hands-on workshops, sponsor booths, community collaboration, and Contributor Day.

Parallel tracks allowed people to learn in the way that suited them best. Topics ranged across design, development, WordPress, AI, SEO, mental health, remote work, education, governance, culture, and careers.

Day 1 began where WordPress always begins: with contribution.
 Contributor’s Day wasn’t a formality on the schedule; it was the foundation. Around 150 people joined to contribute to the WordPress project — joining Test, Support, Polyglots, Photo, and Patterns teams. Hesitation slowly gave way to curiosity, and curiosity to confidence. 

As shared by Makrand on X

For many attendees, this was the first time they truly experienced where the WordPress community comes from. Not just as users, but as contributors. It was a quiet, powerful introduction to the spirit of open source — hosted at the property of our Platinum Sponsor, SFA Technologies, who supported the space wholeheartedly.

An Evening That Broke the Ice (and the Rules?)

One of the most joyful experiments of the weekend was our games and sports evening. No structured networking. No awkward introductions. Just play, teamwork, and laughter. Strangers became teammates. Conversations happened without effort. Team spirit took centre stage.

Hosted at The Umbrella Academy, and lovingly brought together with the help of Vartika, the evening carried a simple idea — conferences don’t have to be boring to be meaningful. They can be fun and purposeful. Our official theme?
“404: Adulting Not Found.”
 And honestly, it worked.

Beginning With the Drill- Day 2

At the entrance stood our “10 Years of WordPress Bhopal” photo wall — a visual journey through meetups, WordCamps, friendships, and moments that shaped this community.

People stopped mid-step. They searched for familiar faces. They smiled, laughed, and reminisced.

Some moments don’t need explanations — this was one of them.

Another experiment that surprised us was the WordPress Showcase. We invited community members to showcase what they had built. We wondered if we’d get enough responses. Instead, we saw four solid showcases, each carrying stories of effort, learning, and pride.

In the series of firsts- we also experimented with custom ID cards for speakers, sponsors, and organisers — a small but thoughtful detail. While extending this to all attendees wasn’t possible this time due to logistical and data-consent challenges, the response was overwhelmingly warm. 

Swag With a Story

This year, swag told a story.

Our Wappu this year carried Bhopal in its soul — a tribute to the city of lakes and the warmth of its people.
It wasn’t just a mascot, it was our way of saying: this WordCamp belongs to Bhopal, and Bhopal belongs to the community.

WAPPUNO, a WordPress-inspired card game featuring Wappus from WordCamps around the world, quietly reminded everyone that while this WordCamp was rooted in Bhopal, it belonged to something much bigger.

And when it was time to part, we had our little surprise.

Just like in 2023, sustainability stayed close to our hearts. Instead of traditional souvenirs, attendees received seed-embedded thank-you cards — something to plant, nurture, and grow. A reminder that communities don’t end with events. They continue with care, patience, and time.

Voices on Stage: Diverse, Honest, Impactful

Around 20 resource persons joined us this year, covering a wide range of topics. We were proud to have 6 women speakers, bringing valuable perspectives and diversity to the stage.

Two panel discussions stood out for sparking deep conversations:

  • Education to Employment
  • Artificial Intelligence

Our speakers, panelists and Showcase included:

Abhay Kulkarni, Aditya Vikram Singh, Akshat Gupta, Amit Tiwari, Damini Tripathi, Dr. Tabassum Zafar, Naman Deshmukh, Saakshi Choithani, Sakshi Mehta, Sandesh Jangam, Saurabh Matolia, Sumankant Jain, Priyanka Shah, Richa Khanna, Jinendra Khobare, Aditya Shah, Ashish Kolarkar, Siddharth Mishra, and Talib Ahmed.

Each session added depth, honesty, and perspective — reminding us why community-led learning matters.

Panel | WordCamp Bhopal
Panel | WordCamp Bhopal
Speakers & Team | WordCamp Bhopal

Sponsors Who Believed in the Vision

WordCamp Bhopal 2025 wouldn’t have been possible without sponsors who didn’t just fund the event — but believed in the community.

Platinum Sponsors: Bluehost, Jetpack, Kinsta, Woo, Hosting.com, WordPress.com, SFA Technologies, Vultr, Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board.

Silver Sponsor: Pabbly Connect.

Bronze Sponsor: SEOPress.

Partners: Shommypics (Photography Partner), YouStable (Livestreaming & Swag Bag Partner), House of Raasta (After Party Sponsor).

Thank you for trusting us and standing by us.

Jetpack | WordCamp Bhopal
SFA | WordCamp Bhopal
SFA | WordCamp Bhopal
Vultr | WordCamp Bhopal
Vultr | WordCamp Bhopal

Powered by People

Behind every smooth transition and smiling face was a team that worked relentlessly.

The OC: Kripesh, Atharva, Atishara, Shashank, Shivam, Ishita, Kapil, Amit

Volunteers: Krishika Verma, Pramanya Rajput, Jaya, Sanskriti Malviya, Taufiq, Srijan Prasad, Suhas, Chandra Prakash Ojha, Roshni Rajani, Yash Varma, Prathamesh

Special mention to our local HR for the event: Astha.

Visit our website 

From website to social media marketing to logistics and ideas and so many other things, it was their dedication that could bring all of this together so well.

Spreading the Word

Media Partners: WP Baat, WP Simplified, Aayudh, Hashtag India, Bhopal Ki Baatein

Community Partners: LinkedIn Local, Google Developer Groups SATI Vidisha, Bhopal Development Index, Tech Help 4 U

Thank you for being pillars in amplifying our voice.

Looking Ahead

WordCamp Bhopal 2025 reminded us that WordCamps are not just about WordPress,  they’re about people, stories, shared growth, and the courage to try something new.

From thoughtful sustainability choices to inclusive programming, from powerful panels to joyful moments over games and desserts — every piece mattered.

They’re about people, stories, shared growth, and belonging.

Our larger idea throughout was simple, yet ambitious — to carry tradition forward in a refined, modern setup, filled with thought, celebration, and joy. We thought we were building this mostly for the younger generation. But when we saw middle-aged and senior community members actively participating, it became clear:

This wasn’t about age, roles, or experience levels. It was about belonging. And that’s exactly what we hoped WordCamp Bhopal 2025 would feel like.

To the community that keeps believing and encouraging, thank you for believing in us.

Categories Events, General, News, Speakers, Sponsors, WordCamp Central, WordCamps | Tags , , , , | 1 reply

WordCamp Port Harcourt 2026: A Community-Led WordPress Event in Nigeria

Posted by on February 6, 2026 with No replies yet

WordCamp Port Harcourt 2026 is set to bring together WordPress users, designers, developers, content creators, entrepreneurs, and digital enthusiasts from across Nigeria and beyond for a day of learning, collaboration, and community building.

The event will take place on 21 February 2026 at the Celebr8 Center, 35 Olu Obasanjo Road, Port Harcourt, and is fully volunteer-led, in line with the global WordCamp tradition.

Growing the WordPress Community in the Niger Delta

Port Harcourt has a fast-growing tech and creative ecosystem, and WordCamp Port Harcourt continues to play a key role in nurturing local talent, encouraging open-source contribution, and creating access to digital skills.

Since its inception, the WordCamp Port Harcourt community has focused on:

  • Supporting beginners taking their first steps with WordPress
  • Helping freelancers and agencies improve their workflows and businesses
  • Introducing students and young professionals to open-source culture
  • Connecting local creators to the global WordPress ecosystem

WordCamp Port Harcourt 2026 builds on this foundation by creating a space where people can learn, share experiences, and form meaningful connections.

What to Expect at WordCamp Port Harcourt 2026

Attendees can look forward to a full day of practical and engaging sessions covering topics such as:

  • WordPress for business and entrepreneurship
  • Design, performance, and user experience
  • Content creation and digital publishing
  • Security, hosting, and website management
  • The future of work, skills development, and WordPress

The event will feature talks from a variety of speakers, panel discussions, speed build challenge, and opportunities to interact with sponsors and community partners.

As with all WordCamps, sessions are designed to be accessible to a wide range of experience levels—from complete beginners to seasoned professionals.

Community, Not Just a Conference

Beyond talks and presentations, WordCamp Port Harcourt 2026 emphasizes the importance of community. Attendees will have opportunities to:

  • Network with fellow WordPress users and professionals
  • Meet contributors and community organizers
  • Learn how to get involved with WordPress meetups and future events
  • Share ideas and experiences in a welcoming, inclusive environment

Meals, drinks, and community freebies are included with tickets, helping to create a relaxed and engaging atmosphere throughout the day.

Organized by Volunteers

WordCamp Port Harcourt 2026 is organized by a dedicated team of local volunteers who contribute their time and skills to make the event possible. The organizing team works closely with the global WordCamp community to ensure the event aligns with WordCamp guidelines and open-source values.

Support from sponsors helps keep ticket prices affordable and ensures the event remains accessible to students, freelancers, and small business owners.

Get Involved

Whether you’re a WordPress user, a business owner, a student, or someone curious about open-source technology, WordCamp Port Harcourt 2026 offers something for you.

To learn more, purchase tickets, or find out how to get involved as a volunteer or sponsor, visit:
https://portharcourt.wordcamp.org/2026/

WordCamp Port Harcourt 2026 looks forward to welcoming the WordPress community to the Garden City for a day of learning, sharing, and celebrating the power of open source.

Categories Events, WordCamp in planning | Tags , | No replies yet

WordPress Udupi Community Empowers 300+ Students Across Coastal Karnataka Through Campus Connect

Posted by on November 10, 2025 with Comments are off for this post

As the lead organiser representing the WordPress Udupi Community, I had the incredible opportunity to bring WordPress Campus Connect to college campuses across Coastal Karnataka.
What began as a small idea soon became a mission – to introduce WordPress, open source, and digital opportunities to the next generation of creators.

Across all our sessions, we interacted with over 300+ students from four institutions:

Each campus had its own energy and challenges. Most students were in their final year, just months away from entering the professional world, yet many still lacked basic digital readiness. Some didn’t have LinkedIn profiles but had multiple Instagram accounts. Others were hesitant to speak on the mic, and a few genuinely didn’t know what to enter in the PIN code field while creating a WordPress.com account. Out of 300+ students, more than 250 had forgotten their Gmail passwords, so each session began with a mini Gmail recovery workshop before we even reached WordPress!

At first, it was challenging. But soon our team switched gears, we weren’t just there as WordPress community members; we became mentors. We realised this wasn’t only about teaching WordPress; it was about building digital literacy. If not us, then who would help them take their first confident step into the web world?

By the end, we witnessed real transformation, shy students asking questions, first-time creators proudly launching their sites, and a spark of curiosity lighting up across classrooms.

We’re grateful to all the colleges, their management, and faculty for the warm welcome, and to every student who showed curiosity and enthusiasm once they got started.

Organising Team

Organisers: Shashikanth Shetty, Keerthi Prabhu & V Gautham Navada
Facilitators: Omkar Udupa, Manjunath M M, Chandana G M
Social Media Designs & Reels: Ranjitha GC

The WP UDUPI TEAM – From left to right – Omkar, Shashikanth, Manjunath, Gautham, Keerthi, and Chandana.

Sponsors

Global Sponsors: Automattic, Bluehost, Hosting.com, Kinsta, WooCommerce
Local Sponsors: SabWeb, ForthFocus, Yuktha Digital, Koti Soft Solutions

A heartfelt thanks to WordPress.com for sponsoring free one-year website plans for students from our last two campuses, an initiative that has already helped many of them start blogging and showcasing their work online.

Student Testimonials

College Testimonial

Media Coverage

We were also featured in several local and regional media outlets that recognized the impact of the initiative. You can read the articles and see coverage highlights below:

For the WordPress Udupi Community, this journey was much more than a series of campus sessions. It was a reminder that true change starts with awareness and sometimes, the first step toward digital empowerment is simply helping someone log in.

To any student or job seeker reading this:
Don’t wait for the syllabus to teach you what the world already expects you to know. Curiosity is your real qualification!

WordPress Campus Connect Udupi 2025 turned out to be more than an event, it became a movement, proving that communities like ours can make a real-world impact, one campus at a time.

Categories Campus Connect, Events, WordCamp Recap | Tags , , , , , | Comments are off for this post

Bhopal Hosts WP Build Tour 2025: Empowering 1700+ Students Across Central India

Posted by on October 24, 2025 with Comments are off for this post

WordPress Bhopal has been at the forefront when it comes to igniting young minds, empowering them with knowledge, generating new ways to achieve optimal and maximum value, and sparking a positive social impact— kind of feels like a motto. 

We love doing all of it!

And as we proudly complete our 10th year of formation (Oct. 2nd), this year in particular, we’ve been targeting ways to amplify our impact. A special highlight was EmpowerWP Bhopal (Women’s Day event), where we hosted women in different stages & walks of their lives and demonstrated how WordPress & the community can support them in achieving/expanding their potential. The response was heartwarming.

Read more about EmpowerWP Bhopal 2025

Post this event’s success, and that of last year’s do_action, where we empowered NGOs by building their websites, it felt only natural that the next chapter in our mission of empowering the social community should focus on the students. 

And honestly, why we feel more drawn towards the student community can be traced back to the fact that the genesis of the WP Bhopal community itself was by a second-year college student back in 2015. Ever since, we’ve been taking workshops in colleges of our city, but this year, it was more about formalising it and making it more impactful & grander than ever.

Being the only active chapter in the State of Madhya Pradesh—a state with 55 districts and over 400 cities—there was always a little nudge to take our initiative beyond our home, Bhopal.

I still vividly remember while pitching sponsors for WordCamp Bhopal 2023, the idea kept resurfacing: the student community must benefit from this. The lack of exposure and the gap between theory & practical skills is profusely felt. Aditya often mentions that when he started with WordPress, it was purely out of his own interest, not something taught or exposed to him in his institute. For him, building websites was uncommon among his batchmates. And the truth is, the situation hasn’t changed, and we still need revitalisation to help the youth realise their potential. This became the agenda of this initiative.

Too much foundation-building… now’s the time to reveal what I’ve so heartily been tucking in…

WE ARE SO PROUD & DELIGHTED to share that possibly the largest event of its kind, so far—the WP Build Tour 2025—has been successfully organised, impacting and empowering more than 1700 students across Madhya Pradesh in one go!

What’s in the Name? And Why This Matters.

The name came after much thought. We wanted it to reflect the core idea: Tour to capture the essence of a tour bus going around the State, empowering students (especially first-timers) to Build their very first WordPress websites, apart from expanding their technical confidence.

The mission was rooted in our identity as the only active WP chapter in Madhya Pradesh:

  • Expanding our reach to more students across the State.
  • Spreading WordPress awareness to inspire new local chapters
  • Giving students confidence to bring their ideas online

This plan was a win-win for us personally, for the community, and for the social cause we stand for.

The Planning Phase: How Did We Pull This Off?

The initial plan was to cover colleges in major cities. Ties with GDG (Google Developer Groups) communities and college clubs helped spread the word and support with arrangements that differed from college to college.

Interests were called in from colleges. Once we had a number, like the location, student profiles, number of students, etc, we initiated the process. We designated volunteers from each college to be a bridge, because, of course, they know the best way in there. Each college had around 120-600 students in one sitting.

Thanks to their support, we were able to pull this off smoothly. Special shout-outs to: SIRT Student Body (Bhopal), Advance Studies Club- Medicaps Indore, GDG Indore & E-Cell, SATI Vidisha.

Sessions were designed for all levels, no matter the technical background. We were conscious of common hurdles & from day zero of planning, we decided to remove those barriers at first instance. In this regard, at preliminary registration itself, students were guided to apply for the GitHub Education Pack, so by the event day, they have access to free domains & developer tools. For hosting, we relied on InfinityFree and FreeHosting.com. Sometimes, a challenge was GitHub taking too long to approve the account(s), so the backup was to manage through subdomains from InfinityFree and additional free hosting setups.

The setup also included swags and refreshments to keep up with the momentum. Thought was put into keeping those as relevant as possible. Participants were provided with mini cleaning kits to take home. For refreshments, we relied on the quick & easy- Pizzas & Burgers along with beverages.

Building Website in a Day: The Possibility

Now that’s a given, building your own website (properly) takes time— planning, ideation, resources, so what’s the catch? No catch, really. Here, with a 4–5 hour workshop, we wanted students to experience the spark of: “I can actually do this.” The pressure wasn’t to build the whole of it in one day but to cover all the basics then & there. So the next time they open it, it’s only to further mould it as per their requirements.

From purchasing a domain, to pointing DNS records, to watching DNS propagation happen live—and finally installing WordPress—it was a crash course in turning abstract concepts into real, working websites.

And the output? A portfolio, a blog, a project showcase, even startup ideas. The pride was real. Social media lit up with links saying, “We built this.”

Honestly, we were a little sceptical at times—like when there weren’t many doubts, or when lunch was announced and students walked out. We wondered, “Will they even come back?” Because this wasn’t meant to be just another attendance exercise; we wanted it to be voluntary, something they chose to be part of.

But there was consensus in the team that even if just one kid shows up, we’ll keep going. And guess what? Not only did they come back, but they jumped in with full energy. Doubts, queries, ideas, thoughts—their enthusiasm blew us away. It’s hard to put into words how fascinating it was to see the effort actually paying off.

By the end, every participant had not just knowledge but something concrete: a live website, their website! Photos, reels, and hashtags like #WPBuildTourBPL amplified the energy far beyond the classrooms.

Beyond the Website

Though the primary goal was to help students build their own websites from scratch, the sessions were also designed to introduce them to the WordPress community. They covered career opportunities, ways to get involved, and the benefits the community offers. Students were given an overview of how to contribute, how chapters operate, and how they can become a part of the ecosystem. The aim was to make the experience not just hands-on but also empowering—equipping them to pave their own path, with community connection as a strong starting point. This also supports our broader goal of fostering new chapters across the state.

The Route We Took

We’re very thankful to the college administrations of each institute we took the Tour to for their trust and support throughout. This post would be failing in its agenda without giving them due credit for opening their doors and believing in the vision of the WP Build Tour.

Here’s where the Tour travelled:

  • Sagar Institute of Research & Technology, Bhopal
  • Oriental Institute of Science & Technology, Bhopal
  • Samrat Ashok Technological Institute, Vidisha
  • Acropolis Institute of Technology & Research, Indore
  • Medicaps University, Indore
  • Oriental College of Technology, Bhopal


Each stop added its own flavour and warmth. If we could’ve squeezed in more, we surely would have, but even with the stretch, it was worth it.

The social media was our backbone—announcements, posts, designs, keeping the buzz alive. Big thanks to Mansi (also our go-to content person), along with Md. Farid, Amit & Riddhima. And yep, that cool Build Tour logo you see up there? Amit designed it.

On the ground, Shashank, Kapil, and Shivam held things together—guiding students through technicalities, taking charge of arrangements, managing logistics, and even stepping in as resource persons when needed. Shashank went the extra mile, balancing all this while also supporting social media.

Aditya, Guneet, and Kripesh led as resource persons, bringing not only their WordPress expertise but also their effortless way of connecting with students. (Classic engineers with their own fanbase, haha!)

Mayur, Anshika, Pooja, Malay, Ninay, Roshini, and Prabal each contributed in various roles, adding strength to the endeavour.

The Sponsors who made this Possible

This tour wouldn’t have been possible the way it happened without our incredible sponsors. Gold Sponsors Jetpack, Bluehost, Woo, Hosting.com, Kinsta, StellarWP, and our Bronze Sponsor, ForthFocus.

Their support helped us take the Tour across campuses in the best way possible, provide refreshments and swags, and equip students with the right resources.

And of course, a big thanks to the global WordPress community for having our back throughout!

Giveaway winner
Swags

Moments beyond: In our Hearts

Some moments will stay with us forever:

  • The warmth of teamwork, swag, and refreshments turns workshops into mini-celebrations
  • The collective gasp when a site went live
  • Proud social media posts
  • Smiles of giveaway winners walking away with specially curated kits.

Because at its heart, the WP Build Tour 2025 was never just about code or content. It was about confidence. About potential realised. About futures being built—one student, one website, one breakthrough at a time.

We were featured in local newspapers

Organising events is one thing, and adding purpose to them takes it to another level. For us in Bhopal, organising events has never been just about the “event.” It’s about going a step further and sparking change, no matter how small. Thankfully, the WordPress community has always been open and kind enough to welcome such ideas and encourage us to push boundaries. And for that, we’re so grateful!

The WP Build Tour 2025 wasn’t the end but rather the beginning of a movement. And as we now look forward to WordCamp Bhopal 2025 this December, we carry with us 1,700 sparks of possibility, ready to light up the future of WordPress and beyond.

Categories Events, WordCamp Recap | Tags , , , , , , | Comments are off for this post

Nurturing New Contributors: WordPress Kolhapur Community’s Online Contribution Series

Posted by on August 19, 2025 with Comments are off for this post

Following the incredible success of WordCamp Kolhapur 2025 (January 11–12), our passionate local WordPress community launched a dedicated nine‑event Online Contribution Series to help new and aspiring contributors explore different ways to contribute to the WordPress project.

As the Lead Organizer of WordCamp Kolhapur 2025, I felt inspired to conceptualize and lead this initiative, supported by my fellow community members. After several thoughtful discussions and planning sessions, the series was finalized and officially kicked off on March 14, 2025. The complete nine‑event series was organized through the WordCamp Kolhapur Meetup group, with Abhay Kulkarni organizing and volunteering for every meetup to ensure smooth coordination. I served as the speaker and mentor for each session, guiding both new and experienced contributors through various areas of the WordPress project.

Why We Started the Contribution Series

I was a mentee in the WordPress Contributor Mentorship: 2024 Q4 Cohort and successfully graduated from the program in November 2024. During this journey, I not only learned how to contribute effectively to WordPress Core, but I was also recognized as an All-Star Mentee and earned a place in the program’s Hall of Fame!

Additionally, I received a Diversity Scholarship to attend WordCamp Asia 2025. These scholarships are designed to support individuals who are passionate about contributing to the WordPress ecosystem but may face financial or logistical challenges.

Inspired by my cohort experience and the opportunities I received, I wanted to give back to the community. What better way than by becoming a mentor myself, guiding and inspiring others to start their own contribution journey?

And that’s the core reason we started the WordPress Contribution Series.

Event Recap

After the planning and preparation, here’s how the contribution series unfolded across different meetup topics:

Kickstart Your WordPress Contribution Journey

Date: March 15, 2025

This opening session focused on getting contributors started with the basics — setting up a WordPress.org profile, joining global Slack channels, and understanding the various Make WordPress teams. The session concluded with a photo contribution activity where participants submitted original images to the WordPress Photo Directory.

  • Total Contributors: 9
  • First-Time Contributors: 3

Core Contributions: Testing & Release Parties

Dates: March 25, April 1, 8, 14, and 15, 2025

These sessions were designed to help participants contribute to WordPress Core by testing the Release Candidate versions of WordPress 6.8. Rather than writing code, the focus was on functional testing, identifying bugs, and joining the community for release celebrations.

  • Total Contributors: 28
  • First-Time Contributors: 23

Pattern Contributions

Date: March 29, 2025

This meetup introduced contributors to the WordPress Pattern Directory. Attendees learned how to design block patterns, follow accessibility guidelines, and submit reusable layout designs to enrich the editor experience for users worldwide.

  • Total Contributors: 12
  • First-Time Contributors: 11

Polyglots / Translation Contributions

Date: April 5, 2025

This session focused on language accessibility. Contributors worked on translating WordPress core, plugins, and themes into regional languages. Guidance was provided on using translation tools and maintaining quality across localized strings.

  • Total Contributors: 8
  • First-Time Contributors: 7

WordPress TV: Talks, Videos & Guest Participation

Date: April 12, 2025

In this session, contributors explored how to contribute to WordPress TV through video uploads, captioning, and translating community talks. We also hosted guest speaker Prathamesh Palave, who shared insights on creating impactful presentation content.

Contributors from the Series

We’re proud to recognise all the individuals who actively participated in the series: Rajesh Rathod, Suraj Sutar, Prashant Patil, Shubham Patil, Pritam Sonone, Vaibhav Singh, Ketan Niruke, Digvijay Zite, Rajendra Ghorpade, Prathamesh Bhagat, Shreyas Desai, Sunita Khattar, Nilesh Shiragave, Amit Bhosale, V Gautam Navada, Snehal Kashid, Rupesh Patil, Akshay Dhere, Aditya Bansode, Suhas Sutar, Vaibhav Nawale, Dheeraj Bhosale, Rajendra Patil, Prathamesh Palave, Soham Joshi, Mrunal Kulkarni, Harshada Patil, Abhay Kulkarni & Makarand Mane

Additional Online Meetup: Contributing to the Test Team

Two months later, we hosted an online meetup dedicated to contributing to the WordPress Test Team.

  • Date: June 15, 2025 (update if needed)
  • Guest Speaker: Mrs. Krupa Nanda

Krupa explained how the Test Team helps ensure the quality of WordPress releases by performing functional and regression testing. She also guided attendees on:

  • Reporting and triaging bugs
  • Using testing tools effectively
  • Participating in release testing initiatives on Make WordPress Test

The session provided a clear roadmap for contributors to get started with testing activities.

Recording: Watch Here

Closing Thoughts

The WordPress Kolhapur Contribution Series proved that WordPress thrives when we lift each other up. New contributors gained confidence, mentors found joy in guiding, and our community grew stronger and more inclusive.

The Kolhapur WordPress community continues to host regular contribution‑focused events and welcomes contributors from around the world to join us.

If you feel inspired to begin your own contributor journey—or to help others start theirs—connect with the Make WordPress Community Team.

Together, we can build a better WordPress for everyone.

Categories Events, Online, Workshops | Tags , , , , | Comments are off for this post

First-Ever WordPress Campus Connect in Southeast Asia Kicks Off

Posted by on August 6, 2025 with Comments are off for this post

Last July 25, 2025, WordPress Campus Connect finally made its mark in Southeast Asia by holding its first-ever event in the region in the City of Golden Friendship, Cagayan de Oro (CDO) City, Philippines. 

Pictured: The WordPress CDO and Iloilo teams, speakers, and the PHINMA-COC students who attended the event. 

The event was held at PHINMA-Cagayan de Oro College. Over 100 students and school staff warmly welcomed the Philippines WordPress chapters that organized the event.

The WordPress CDO chapter, with help from its sister organizations in WordPress Iloilo and WordPress Iligan, conceptualized this initiative as a bridge between traditional, controlled classroom learning and real-world practices and insights practiced by full-time WordPress practitioners. The event is also in line with the group’s commitment to upholding WordPress’s original mission of being a platform for “everyone”.

Most of the day’s presentations were centered around possible career paths that the student attendees might consider exploring after graduation. 

After the opening address by Mr. RJ Cainglet, SBO Adviser of College of Information Technology, Mr. John Tañedo, a 15-year web designer and brand strategist, started the presentations with a talk that was simply entitled “Careers in WordPress”. His talk was straight-laced in its assessment of the current realities facing job seekers in the real world, particularly in freelancing and working as a part of a small-business operation.

While Mr. Tañedo was effusive in WordPress’s capabilities of giving just about anyone a leg up in starting careers in the digital space, he emphasized the need for students to be aware of the responsibilities that are actually needed for their careers, particularly if they are aiming to be either developers, designers, or marketers.

Mr. Kim Isaiah Valencia, a full-time WordPress developer and a core member of WordPress Iloilo, continued the afternoon by holding a quick workshop on WordPress installation, themes, plugins, and hosting. 

Mr. Valencia and Mr. Hao guiding the student participants in installing WordPress on their laptops.

In a room packed with students starting on their WordPress journeys, Mr. Valencia took the time to track each row’s progress on installing WordPress on the devices they have with them.

Mr. Kyne Hao, a UI/UX designer and advocate, continued the pace with his talk on Design Thinking. He argued for the need for human-centered design, as design itself is observable in everyday things like appliances and furniture, as opposed to being just applied digitally. 

Mr. Hao laid out how students can practice simple design thinking frameworks by focusing on the tenets of Empathizing, Defining, Ideating, Prototyping, and Testing. Even in settings where a QA Tester is present, he emphasized the need for getting into the mind of the “target user”.

The final talk of the afternoon was on Career Growth, Challenges, and Insights. Mr. Glenn Palacio, a creative with a remarkable 13-year career in Photography, tempered the anxieties of everyone in the room who might be thinking of how new technologies like Generative AI might affect their careers in the near future.

Mr. Palacio laid out that even with the disruption and ethical challenges brought about by Gen-AI, the need for one’s creativity, adaptability, and critical thinking should always be at the forefront. He proceeded to illustrate real-world examples of businesses using AI to enhance their processes and business services. 

Ms. Harcy Joy Dela Cruz, WordPress CDO lead organizer, gifting a WordCamp-branded swag to a lucky student. 

Despite the afternoon heat, the event was lively all throughout, with the students’ enthusiasm rubbing off even on the presenters and organizers. 

With the event ending on a high note, the likelihood is very high that other WordPress Campus Connects will spread to other neighboring cities in the region. 

From L-R: Mr. Ian Malhin, PHINMA-CDO Engagement Associate of the Employer Engagement office; Mr. Kim Isaiah Valencia; Mr. Kyne Hao; Mr. John Tañedo; Mr. Glenn Palacio; and Mr. Riel Jun Estologa Cainglet, SBO Adviser.

From L-R: Mr. Ian Malhin, PHINMA-CDO Engagement Associate of the Employer Engagement office; Mr. Kim Isaiah Valencia; Mr. Kyne Hao; Mr. John Tañedo; Mr. Glenn Palacio; and Mr. Riel Jun Estologa Cainglet, SBO Adviser.

For those who want to be a part of our next events in the Philippines, you can follow us at either of the pages below if you’re near these cities: 

The WordPress Campus Connect in CDO would not have been possible without the support of the following sponsors:

Special thanks to Pooja Derashri and Anand Upadhyay, two incredibly passionate individuals who have been instrumental in bringing WordPress Campus Connect to life.

Pooja, your mentorship kept us grounded, and Anand, thank you for continuously pushing and inspiring us to take this initiative forward. Your support means a lot to our growing community in the Philippines.

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Highlights from WordCamp Masaka 2025

Posted by on July 30, 2025 with Comments are off for this post

WordCamp Masaka 2025, held from July 18–19 at Equator University of Science and Technology, wrapped up with a strong sense of community, innovation, and shared purpose. The second edition of this dynamic gathering brought together 291 attendees under the theme “Connecting Communities, Inspiring Ideas.” While we were just 9 shy of our 300-participant target, the energy and engagement made the event a resounding success.

Participants from across Uganda and beyond including speakers from South Africa, Kenya, and Ghana—engaged in the two days of insightful talks, practical workshops, and meaningful conversations about the future of WordPress and open-source collaboration.

A heartfelt thank you to our amazing sponsors for their incredible support. This event would not have been possible without your generosity.

A Look at the Event

Among the many impactful moments was the panel discussion titled “From Barriers to Belonging: Building Diverse & Inclusive Tech Communities.” This session encouraged meaningful dialogue around representation and inclusion, prompting participants to reflect on how to build more welcoming and equitable environments in tech.

Panel discussion at WordCamp Masaka 2025 featuring moderator Cerinah N Kasirye and panelists Sumaiya Nalukwago, Samuel Osei, and Scovia Akello Emaru discussing building diverse and inclusive tech communities.
From left: Cerinah N Kasirye (Moderator), Sumaiya Nalukwago, Samuel Osei, and Scovia Akello Emaru — panelists of “From Barriers to Belonging: Building Diverse and Inclusive Tech Communities” at WordCamp Masaka 2025.

The event also featured a vibrant Student Engagement Program, which provided high school, vocational, and university students with an opportunity to explore WordPress. Through hands-on workshops, practical presentations, and networking opportunities with industry professionals, students gained valuable exposure and insights. Notably, several high school representatives expressed strong interest in bringing hands-on WordPress workshops and training sessions to their schools. They also proposed mentorship programs to help students develop real-world projects—highlighting a growing enthusiasm for learning and community involvement.

The swag from Jetpack was warmly appreciated by attendees, adding a thoughtful and useful touch that made the event even more memorable.

Thabotswana, a representative from Jetpack, seated at the Jetpack sponsor table during WordCamp Masaka 2025, with a laptop in front of him and branded Jetpack swag displayed beside him for attendees.
Thabo Tswana from Jetpack at WordCamp Masaka 2025 sponsor table.
Swag items from Jetpack displayed at WordCamp Masaka 2025
Jetpack swag items on display at WordCamp Masaka 2025 sponsor table.

Key themes explored during the event included:

  • Community and Career Growth: Sessions offered guidance on personal and professional development within the WordPress ecosystem.
  • Security Focus: Attendees gained essential knowledge to protect websites and mitigate threats.
  • Design and Development: Practical insights covered modern workflows, full site editing, and block editor techniques.
  • Diversity and Inclusion: Sessions highlighted how missing perspectives create an innovation gap that could threaten WordPress’s future, emphasizing the need to build diverse and inclusive communities and empower women in tech.
  • Website Management: Strategies for backup, restoration, and site migration were shared.
  • Marketing and Innovation: Topics included growth strategies like email marketing, AI and VR applications, and WordPress’s role in sustainable development.

Throughout the event, networking breaks and a community photo session provided ample opportunities for attendees to connect, share ideas, and build lasting relationships.

📸 Browse Photo Gallery

Impact and Community Spirit

WordCamp Masaka 2025 was a testament to the thriving WordPress community in Uganda. It served as a powerful platform for knowledge exchange, skill enhancement, and fostering a strong sense of camaraderie. The diverse range of topics, from technical deep-dives to discussions on community building and future technologies, ensured there was something for everyone.

The enthusiasm of the speakers, the active participation of attendees, and the invaluable support from sponsors created an unforgettable experience.

During the event, Arthur Kasirye (Community Program Supporter), Ssebuwufu Moses (WordCamp Masaka 2025 Lead Organizer), and Thabo Tswana (Event Supporter) met with Professor Mouhamad Mpezamihigo, Vice Chancellor of Equator University of Science and Technology, to introduce the WordPress Credits Internship Program—an initiative that integrates university students into the WordPress open source community through hands-on contribution projects. Professor Mpezamihigo expressed strong interest in the program and committed to formally submitting the university’s interest form, signaling a promising collaboration to advance student engagement and practical skills development.

The success of this event reinforces the growing potential of WordPress as a tool for digital empowerment and economic development in the region. The connections made and the knowledge shared will undoubtedly contribute to the continued growth and innovation within the Ugandan tech landscape.

Looking Ahead

The community looks forward to building on the momentum generated by WordCamp Masaka 2025 by continuing to collaborate, learn, and contribute to the global WordPress project.

Follow Masaka WordPress Meetup on X and LinkedIn for updates, news, and upcoming events.

For more information about WordCamp Masaka 2025, please visit https://masaka.wordcamp.org/2025/.

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WordCamp Jinja 2025 Recap: An impactful 2 days of learning, diverse speakers, hands-on workshops, contributions, charity website hackathon, and celebration of WordPress on the Nile

Posted by on June 7, 2025 with Comments are off for this post

From May 24th to 25th, 2025, we had the fourth annual WordCamp Jinja at the largest educational institution in the region Jinja Senior Secondary School. This year’s event was our biggest and most impactful yet both in numbers and key demographics, having over 250 attendees and participants that primarily included students as well as developers, designers, bloggers, educators, and entrepreneurs from across Uganda and East Africa.

With the theme “Create, Impact, and Explore with WordPress!”, the event was a celebration of open-source innovation, practical skills, and community spirit, all set against the stunning backdrop of the Nile.

A WordCamp Designed for Student WordPressers, Developers and Creatives Alike

Students were at the heart of WordCamp Jinja 2025, reflecting their role as a key and growing demographic in both the WordPress Jinja community and the wider Ugandan community. This year’s venue Jinja Senior Secondary School—was purposefully chosen to bring the WordPress experience closer to students, ensuring greater accessibility, relevance, and impact.

We welcomed enthusiastic participation from students of Jinja SS, Makerere University, Macedonian Vocational School, Ezone School of Computing, and others. For most, it was their first exposure to open-source tools, and the excitement was palpable. At Jinja SS, the event left a lasting impression—inspiring students to launch their very own ICT Club to continue learning and collaborating long after the event, thus we left a standing souvenir at the school.

As a community, we are intentional about balancing engagement between our student and creative/developer communities. We do this by alternating venues each year to better suit both these key groups and demographics, whether it’s schools, colleges or innovation hubs. We are excited to continue our outreach programs and student-focused initiatives at both Jinja Senior Secondary School and Macedonian Vocational School among other schools, nurturing future WordPress contributors, creators, and tech leaders as well as having creative and developer oriented meetups and next-gen events.

Diverse Speaker Sessions

Attendees enjoyed powerful sessions across two tracks led by speakers from Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, USA, and beyond. Talks covered everything from advanced contributions, development and accessibility to blogging, diversity, SEO, and AI tools for content creators—sparking learning, inspiration, and engagement throughout the event.

Contributor Day sessions and Website Hackathon Track

Teams collaborated in a WordPress Website Hackathon, that we have been holding each year, building websites for NGOs, community initiatives, and personal projects—all powered by WordPress. It was an energetic, purpose-driven space where learning met real-world impact.

Throughout the event during the hackathon track and culminating on May 25th, participants joined the global open-source movement through the Contributor Day and sessions. From learning how to translate and reviewing content to contributing to the WordPress Photos and Polyglots teams, attendees learned how to give back and make an impact in the WordPress ecosystem.

After-Party on the Nile

The event concluded with an unforgettable after-party at the Source of the Nile, where participants networked, shared stories, and reflected on two days of community connection and creative exploration. The boat ride to the source of the Nile closed off such an eventful experience.

Thank You!

We are deeply grateful to:

  • Our over 250+ attendees and participants especially all the students for bringing their energy and enthusiasm for learning
  • Our amazing speakers and workshop facilitators
  • Our sponsors and partners for their generous support
  • Our volunteers who made everything run smoothly

Your commitment and passion made this year’s WordCamp Jinja the biggest and most impactful yet!

What Next

Don’t forget to follow @WordPressJinja for continued updates.

Uganda is one of the places with the highest turnover of WordPress events and a vibrant, supportive, and passionate WordPress community with over 8 WordPress events a year. Including Next Gens and Do Actions. Next inline is the Uganda Websites Projects Competition on 20th June 2025 and WordCamp Masaka on 18th and 19th July 2025 with more to follow in the coming months.

Remember to join our WordPress Jinja Meetup community for timely updates as well. We can’t wait to welcome you to all WordPress Jinja meetups, creative and developer centric next-gen events and WordCamp Jinja 2026 — which shall be even bigger and more impactful, let’s continue to create, impact, and explore together with WordPress!

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