One the things I do that really gets me going is finding ways to get people enthused and excited about technology – figuring out what they need, how to get it to them, and then stepping back to see what happens.
Last year, my great friend, Lynn Langit asked if I would be interested in helping to start a new user group. Lynn spends her off time doing volunteer work in Zambia (Africa), and had been working with a small group of developers who wanted to start meeting on a regular basis. So, she put me touch with the leader, Mwansa Lumpa to see what I could do to help.
We talked for a bit via Skype, and I helped him get both a Sitefinity and DiscountASP.NET account setup, and I started collecting swag and books and stuff to send to him.
As the way it is, with busy schedules and such, we kind of lost track of what each of us was doing and how we had been. This morning I received this email.
Subject: ZamDev – The Zambia Developer’s Group
Hi All,
I am really excited as I am writing this email. Great things are and will be happening!!!!
We now have this great opportunity to kick start this group on a high. Its been long over due, and if you are as enthusiastic about having a group that is concerned about your profession as I am, you would have been frustrated by the lack of communication from the group that promises so much - and trust me, we will live up to that.
But now we are back, and we are going to make this a lot more different to all the professional groups that are out there.
So what do we have: Anton Delsink and Lynn Langit - Some of you might have heard these guys speak at Microsoft TechEds(www.teched.com) and many other techy events, but now they are here and for free to speak to all of us on some exciting new developments e.t.c. Now thats just the icing on the cake, because the real cake will be the debut of our long awaited group.
When??? on Thursday, the 20th of August 2009. Time: 18:00hrs. Venue: Villa 47. Millenium Village. Long Acres.
We hope to see you there. You will definitely learn a lot and have a great time. Come to the first ever meeting and you will know all about ZamDevs
You are encouraged to invite many many more people to this group! Snacks will be provided, and there will be free give-aways!!!!!!
Mwansa Lumpa
Interim ZamDev Coordinator
PS: You are encouraged to forward this email to your colleagues and workmates.
Way to go Mwansa! Congratulations.
Time to smile,
James