BarCamp Accra 2013 - More Than Awesome #BCAccra

By now I know my readers know what BarCamps in Ghana are like and some of you had the opportunity to attend, if you still don't know, this this will help you out.

Thanks to +Google Maps and my Google Map Maker boss +Felix Nartey no problem locating the venue this time. I found myself at The World Bank (Head Office) as directed. 

Hehe! The World Bank doesn't share money oo! Like someone was thinking. I love the place 99.9 % I will use the 0.01% for Lotto :-D.

The theme was "Exercising Ethics to Engineer Excellence" and the panel discussion for BarCamp was all about how we can deal with corruption in the Ghanaian community. 

Can we ever have a corruption FREE Ghanaian community? #bcaccra
— Enock Seth Nyamador (@Enock4seth) December 23, 2013

In the Main room. We are Talking #Corruption. #bcAccra pic.twitter.com/l386Jkyfyj
— BarCamp Takoradi (@BarCampTakoradi) December 23, 2013

As usual there was Speed mentoring session, which is like speed dating but you learnt via +Kuukuwa Manful

During the speed mentoring session, the rest of us in the conference room led by +Mac-Jordan Degadjor witnessed an awesome game known as "Chinese Whispers" you wanna what it is? Next time make it to nearest BarCamp, Ok? But I will tell you. 

Someone whispers something to you and you also whisper to someone till the last person. The last person will let everyone know what was whispered, afterwards the one who commenced will tell us all the right word. It was fun. The word that started was "Photowalk" but +Donald Ward  changed it to ... guess it.. are you correct? #Tonga. lol!  #tonga did not reach the last person. It was fun. :-). The last person's answers were funny. You just can't laugh. The reaction when someone whispers to you..... lol!

Had Waakye for lunch, with +Frank Bruce +Sena “Roiskid” Quashie +Nutakor Eldad +John Jnr. Nyamadi and Seyram. 

Breakout sessions were organised, was in  +Planning Wikimedia Ghana's Content Creation (Wikipedia) session organised by +Enock Seth Nyamador (myself) and +Felix Nartey. You can read about this session soon on PWMGH's blog.

The guys from @pl_WikimediaGH leading a session on contributing to local content from Ghana on #Wikipedia. #BCAccra pic.twitter.com/xwSTKUqvty
— Mac-Jordan (@MacJordaN) December 23, 2013

 I also joined the Creative Writing breakout session led by +Kinna Likimani

Another @kinnareads class in session @ #bcaccra. pic.twitter.com/q3qP864L4N
— Kwabena (@Kwabena) December 23, 2013

BarCamp Ghana: Matching Twitter handles to faces via +Delalorm Semabia. So new and old faces met. I met +Doris Anson-Yevu +Felix Nartey +Sena Quashie +Senam Aseye Bridget +Roger Gaisie +Omane Ossei-Poku +oliver akindes  +nathaniel ALPHA +Akua Akyaa Nkrumah  +Kwabena Akuamoah-Boateng +Edmund Laryea and etc. Hey! wait +Ela Asare  .. just can't complete.

@rogergaisie swears he can't smile. From my right, Seyram & some dude at @barcampaccra #bcaccra pic.twitter.com/V6qgPU48n4
— The ROiSKiD (@RoisKiDGh) December 24, 2013

Madam @greenghana @AkyaaN looking all sweet at #bcAccra pic.twitter.com/ugYDhQSb7P
— SɛY FrƐdDy (@ahiabor) December 23, 2013

BarCamp Accra Accra ended with the Ghana National Anthem, Yen Ara Ase se ne, and Arise Ghana Youth. You can read a full recap of Barcamp Accra by +Mighty African here . Hope to see you at next BarCamp.

Read about our X'mas VIM walk to 37 Military Hospital from The World Bank Head office

Junior Camp Ketasco

­­­­­­­­­­­

Junior Camp Ketasco which was organized by the Keta Senior High Technical School, (Ketasco) SRC in collaboration with Ghana Think Foundation, took place on Wednesday 30^th January, 2013 at the assembly ground of  Keta Senior High Technical School, (Ketasco) in Keta, Volta Region .
The Theme for Junior Camp Ketasco was " Living Tomorrow's Career Today.". During the event students dressed up in attires of their various future careers. The interesting part was when I saw most of the girls dressed up as engineers with their helmet neatly placed on their heads and putting on Wellington boots.

Jennifer(left) and her friends

Eyram and Mary

This was the first kind of Junior Camp (BarCamp) to be organized in a Senior High School since BarCamp started in Ghana in 2008. 

As it used to be for all BarCamps, Junior Camp Ketasco commenced with a speech from the guest speaker Mrs. Eunice Ogbugo C.E.O of Eugo Terrano.

She talked about how she made it to the top. And advised students on how to eliminate the fear for certain subjects. She said as a Science student during her Senior Secondary school days, she used to have problems with certain subjects especially Elective Mathematics, Physics and Biology. She also talked about the need to choose the right program to offer in the university, by saying, no one should force students to pursue courses which is not of their interest.
Even though she had some problems with Mathematics and Physics in her early Secondary School days she was able to make it to Civil Engineering, even when the mother was wondering if she can. But through self-determination she was able to make it.

Speed mentoring and Breakout sessions.

Due to the large number of the students Speed Mentoring was merged into Breakout Sessions where the mentors took a number of students at ago. There were breakout sessions for Fashion, Game and Software Development, Public speaking, Entrepreneurship and others. Some of the mentors present at Junior camp Ketasco were Eyram Tawia of Leti Games, Ato Ulzen Appiah, Nehemiah Attigah, Mr. Joel Degue, Yayra Tay, Donald Wards, Makafui Nyamadi CEO of GCOM Pre-University College, and others.

I was with Eyram Tawia of Leti Games in the Ketasco Computer laboratory for the breakout session on Game and Software Development. Due to large number of students who were willing to join this session, we divided the students in to two groups. Eyram told the students about how started his career. He was born and bred on KNUST, campus as young boy. His determination then was to design super heroes. Long ago before one of his brothers introduced him to how to program. Students also asked interesting questions while they were given the various tips involved in getting started. Eyram introduced students to a word which they must always add to their queries when using search engines especially Google for informations as beginners. That's “Dummies”.
 

Launch.

It was some few minutes past 12 noon, when we had jollof rice for launch. Well not bad.

Breakout Sessions Resume.

After launch, the breakout sessions resumed. But for this time it was solely meant for questions and answers. Some of the previous sessions were merged to form a session due to things they had in common.

For this time I joined Gameli Adjaho for the session on Digital Literacy once again in the computer laboratory.
Gameli answered series of questions from the students and introduced them to websites such as Khanacademy, and some Google search tips: E.g. how compute simple mathematics using Google, this then led to  the display of the embedded calculator that Google has. This is simply done by typing a mathematical expression into Google's search box. E.g. 5+6, he also introduced students to a powerful search engine known as Wolframalpha which I have never heard of. He continued by encouraging students to be abreast with digital literacy.

Closing.

Cross-section of mentors and volunteers at JuniorCamp Ketasco

The second breakout (Q&A) sessions were over and everyone was once gathered at the assembly ground. Students were given the opportunity to share what they have learnt in their various breakout sessions with their friends who joined other sessions as well. All that they shared were very interesting. What I learnt from those who went to the Fashion Breakout session was, make ups are not for students (girls).  I also learnt that actors do apply make ups when the need arises. This makes them look  some how better on stage.

As BarCamps normally end with patriotic songs. Junior Camp Ketasco ended with the School's Anthem (Once to everyman and Nation), God Bless Our Homeland Ghana, and Miadenyigba lonlonla.

BarCamp Accra 2012 (More Than Expected)

I guess most of you might be thinking of the “Bar” well if you are baffled by the word check out this interesting post by Nutakor Eldad about BarCampHo on skouleye.

Bar Camp is actually a free networking program for the youth organized by the Ghana Think Foundation.

Who is a BarCamper?

BarCamper is simply someone who goes for BarCamps. Contribute and get the best out of the BarCamps and makes it a success.

What Happens at BarCamps?

As a normal routine for BarCamps, there is always a talk from someone(mentor), followed by Speed Mentoring and Breakout sessions.

BarCamp Accra 2012.

BarCamp Accra 2012 took place on Saturday the 22nd day of December, 2012 at the Methodist University College (MDUG), Accra, from 8:00AM to 4:00PM.

The theme for Bar Camp Accra 2012 was “Removing fear of failure as a start of success”

BarCamp Accra 2012 commenced with a talk from Mrs. Ellen M. Hagan Chief Executive of L’AINE SERVICES LIMITED, a leading HR(Human Resource)  Company in Ghana. She also Champions the publishing of the HR Focus Magazine, the first and only Human Resource magazine in Ghana. She has also written two books:  “SOFT SKILLS: What Gives One Jobseeker an Edge over Another” and “ALL ABOUT JOB INTERVIEWS"

HR FOCUS Magazine Cover

Speed Mentoring

As it used to be for all BarCamps organized by The Ghana Think Foundation, Speed Mentoring is the time that most BarCampers I guess can’t wait for. This is the time you have to interact with some mentors of your interest face-a-face. Chat, ask questions and get the right approach to them.

For Bar Camp Accra 2012 some of the mentors present were  Eyra Tawia of Leti Games (IT), Mac-Jordan (Social Media), Ayoko Korsah (Robotics), Farida (Software Engineering), Fred (Fashion), Rodney Quarcoo (Photography)  and others.

I had the chance to talk to three of these mentors; Mac-Jordan, Eyram Tawia and Farida Bedwei.

Eldad with mentor Eyram Tawia during speed mentoring

Success Sessions

Since the theme of Bar Camp Accra 2012 was “Removing the of failure as a start of success”

We had different groups with people who have been able to make it even though they encountered failures on their quest for success. They shared their success stories with us. I was in the Success session for IT which was led Mr. Herman Chinnery-Hesse, Co-founded the SOFTtribe limited, one of the leading software houses in Ghana and West Africa.

We discussed almost everything about the various major programming languages such as C++(C Plus Plus), C#(C Sharp), Python, HTML, PHP, JavaScript, Pearl, and the rest I can’t mention.

We also learned about the relationships that must exist between the Boss and the Workers not only in the IT sector. In fact in his case everyone must know some business even if you are a medical officer, software engineer or whatever.

He also added that since we are Human beings we must network(interact) with others, be honest and above all have the "I can do it" attitude. Our Ghanaian culture doesn’t encourage networking especially in terms of the ladies.

In fact we learned a lot from him and he also learned from us since BarCamp is not always learning from others  but vice versa as well.

And one thing that Mr. Herman Chinnery-Hesse  said and I rated it to five stars is “You can influence the Judge in the law court but you can't bribe the Compiler ”

IT Success session with Mr. Herman of SOFTtribe

Break Out Sessions

After the success sessions we had another Session known as the Break out Session.We had more than five breakout sessions. I was able to join three.But one took most of my time that is the Break out session on Putting Ghanaian and African contents online through wikimedia organized by Planning Wikimedia Ghana. This Break out session educated us on how to put Ghanaian articles about our culture and others for worldwide consumption and to make research easy for others. We were briefed by Sandister Tei and Co.

So when you contribute to Wikimedia then you become a ‘Wikimedian’. Some members of this breakout session were Royal Senam Aseye, Kobe Subramaniam, Dieu-Donné Gamel , Felix Nartey  and others.

Various Breakout Sessions

Chop Time No Friend

You know that the master guy of the human digestive system is food. So for lunch everyone had a nice “Wakyee” from “Auntie Munie” which arrived very early using the back door. And I enjoyed it.

BarCamp Accra 2012 ended with two patriotic songs one sang in more than five languages they were “God Bless Our Home Land Ghana” “Yen Ara asa se ni” “Miadenyigba lonlonla” led  by @gamelmag @Enock4seth @Abocco the rest I can’t tell now and “Arise Ghana Youth for Your  Country”.

Enock and Gameli. Singing Miadenyigba lonlonla

Finally I will to encourage you to be on your guards for the next BarCamp in town don’t miss it.