[kictanet] [Skunkworks] Listening at the Kenya Red Cross Developer day

[Rad!]

I agree 101%.

It is incumbent upon us as industry to make effort to mentor and guide
those who are new to enable them to learn and grow personally and
professionally.

We are fooling ourselves if all we do is complain that there is a
disconnect between academia and industry and then sit on our hands.

Personally I live by the maxim that I got where I am thanks to the
intervention and guidance of many, and it is only fair for me to do the
same for those behind me.

On Mon, Jun 4, 2012 at 11:33 AM, Brian Munyao Longwe <blongwe at gmail.com>wrote:

> Hi Paul,
>
> Thanks for sharing. Truly there is a lot going on. There is definitely a
> need for mentorship at all levels and the issue is being addressed in
> various way by a multiplicity of actors. I guess and what I keep hearing,
> is that there are not enough experienced individuals willing to
> sacrifice/contribute some of their personal time towards adopting and
> mentoring some of these brilliant young people.
>
> Let us keep in mind that mentorship is not 1 hour talking at/down to a
> group of techies, but is actually a much deeper engagement, on a personal
> level - where the mentor makes themselves available to the mentee(s) for
> guidance, advice, support, counselling etc...
>
> I have 3 such guys with whom I have developed a relationship over the past
> 4 years and I can tell you that there is nothing a fulfilling as seeing
> them grow from strength to strength.
>
> Best regards,
>
> Brian
>
> On Sun, Jun 3, 2012 at 5:26 PM, Paul Kukubo <pkukubo at ict.go.ke> wrote:
>
>> As I write this the Kenya Red Cross is organizing the tech event dubbed
>> Random Hacks of Kindness. Developers from all over Kenya are presenting
>> ideas on using technology in humanitarian situations. Taking place at Keny
>> Red Cross offices.
>>
>> Dr Ndemo opening the judging session emphasized the need for developers
>> to think commercially in order for them to have the incentive to stay the
>> course. Most applications are very socially oriented, perhaps representing
>> our social reality.
>>
>> What's amazing is the fact that these hackathons and developer forums are
>> becoming an increasing aspect of youth culture in universities and
>> colleges. Remember most developers ago are say 19 years old now were 14
>> years old when the undersea cable discussions started.  What is evident is
>> that these developers need a lot of mentoring and this where we can all
>> come in.  The issue of mentoring needs a broad discussion.
>>
>> It was fresh to see a whole new bunch of techies with a different
>> perspective. At this stage the developer community is doing what it can.
>> Many of them worked the weekend to prepare. Once this becomes part of the
>> youth culture, even for a few, opportunity is created.
>>
>> This is kind of techie week in Kenya with Nokia Summit last week, the 4c
>> challenge meeting last Friday, the pivot east and the outsourcing summit
>> this week starting tomorrow.
>>
>> Although the judging is still under way, I must say a Sunday afternoon
>> well spent.
>>
>> Paul Kukubo
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Paul Kukubo
>> Chief Executive Officer, Kenya ICT Board
>> PO Box 27150 - 00100
>> Nairobi, Kenya
>>
>> 12th Floor, Teleposta Towers Koinange Street
>>
>> Tel +254 20 2089061, +254 20 2211960
>> Fax: +254 20 2211962
>> website: www.ict.go.ke
>> local content project: www.tandaa.co.ke, www.facebook.com/tandaakenya
>> twitter:@tandaaKENYA
>> BPO Project: www. doitinkenya.co.ke
>> Digital Villages Project: www.pasha.co.ke
>>
>>
>> personal contacts
>> _______________
>>
>> Cell: + 254 717 180001
>>
>>
>> skype: kukubopaul
>> googletalk: pkukubo
>> personal blog: www.paulkukubo.co.ke
>> personal twitter: @pkukubo
>>
>>
>> ____________________
>> Vision: Kenya becomes a top ten global ICT hub
>>
>> Mission: To champion and actively enable Kenya to adopt and exploit ICT,
>> through promotion of partnerships, investments and infrastructure growth
>> for socio economic enrichment
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Skunkworks mailing list
>> Skunkworks at lists.my.co.ke
>> ------------
>> List info, subscribe/unsubscribe
>> http://orion.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks
>> ------------
>>
>> Skunkworks Rules
>> http://my.co.ke/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=94
>> ------------
>> Other services @ http://my.co.ke
>>
>
>
>
> --
> Brian Munyao Longwe
> e-mail: blongwe at gmail.com
> cell:  +254715964281
> blog : http://zinjlog.blogspot.com
> meta-blog: http://mashilingi.blogspot.com
>
> "Give us clear vision that we may know where to stand and what to stand
> for, because unless we stand for something, we shall fall for anything."
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Skunkworks mailing list
> Skunkworks at lists.my.co.ke
> ------------
> List info, subscribe/unsubscribe
> http://orion.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks
> ------------
>
> Skunkworks Rules
> http://my.co.ke/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=94
> ------------
> Other services @ http://my.co.ke
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/pipermail/kictanet/attachments/20120604/4364fd36/attachment.htm>