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

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.

Event Highlights

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!

What is WordCamp Jinja and why you should attend this year – WordPress on the Nile

Happening in the vibrant city of Jinja, Uganda—home to the legendary Source of the Nile—WordCamp Jinja stands as a beacon for WordPress enthusiasts, developers, designers, bloggers, and entrepreneurs from across East Africa and beyond. This annual event is more than just a conference; it’s a celebration of innovation, community, and the transformative power of open-source technology.

What is WordCamp Jinja?

WordCamp Jinja is part of the global WordCamp events, community-organized events that bring together WordPress users of all levels to share ideas, learn, and connect. Since its inception, WordCamp Jinja has grown into a dynamic gathering that reflects the diversity and creativity of the WordPress community in Uganda and the broader region.

Why You Should Attend

  • Learn and Grow: Gain insights from experts and peers through engaging talks and hands-on workshops.
  • Network: Connect with a vibrant community of WordPress users, developers, and enthusiasts.
  • Experience Jinja: Explore the cultural and natural beauty of Jinja, from its bustling markets to the tranquil Nile River.
  • Make an Impact: Participate in initiatives like the charity hackathon and contribute to meaningful projects.
  • Celebrate Diversity: Be part of an inclusive event that values and promotes diverse voices and perspectives.

What Makes WordCamp Jinja Unique?

Celebrating Diversity in Speakers and Sessions

WordCamp Jinja prides itself on showcasing a diverse lineup of speakers from various backgrounds. Sessions cover a wide range of topics—from web development and design to content creation, SEO, and cybersecurity—ensuring there’s something for everyone

Empowering the Youth and local NGOs Through the Annual Charity Hackathon

At the heart of WordCamp Jinja is a commitment to social impact. The annual charity hackathon brings together developers and designers to create websites for local non-profits and community organizations. This initiative not only provides valuable digital tools to those in need but also offers participants a chance to give back and apply their skills for a greater good.

A Scenic Afterparty at the Source of the Nile

One of the highlights of WordCamp Jinja is the unforgettable afterparty held at the Source of the Nile. Attendees unwind with a party near the Nile River, enjoying the serene beauty of the surroundings while networking and sharing experiences. It’s a perfect blend of relaxation and connection in a truly iconic setting.

Join Us at WordCamp Jinja

Whether you’re a seasoned developer, a curious beginner, or someone passionate about technology and community, WordCamp Jinja offers an enriching experience that combines learning, networking, and fun. Don’t miss the opportunity to be part of this unique event that not only enhances your WordPress skills but also allows you to contribute to a larger cause.

Stay tuned for announcements on dates, speakers, and ticket information. We can’t wait to welcome you to Jinja for an unforgettable WordCamp experience!

Call for Sponsors

Are you looking for a way to support the WordPress community and showcase your brand, product, or service to a diverse and enthusiastic audience? Do you want to be part of a unique and impactful event that promotes learning, innovation, and collaboration with WordPress? Do you want to connect with potential customers, partners, and talent in the Jinja area and beyond?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, then we invite you to become a sponsor of WordCamp Jinja 2025! WordCamp Jinja 2025 is a two-day event that will take place on Saturday 24th – Sunday 25th May 2025 at Jinja Senior Secondary School. Our theme for this year is: ‘Create, Impact and Empower with WordPress!

We expect to attract over 200 attendees, including students, teachers, developers, designers, bloggers, entrepreneurs, and WordPress enthusiasts from Jinja and surrounding areas. We also have a parallel Contributor Day on 25th May 2025 at Jinja Senior Secondary School, where we will engage with the local WordPress community and contribute to the WordPress project. WordCamp Jinja 2025 is organized by volunteers from the Jinja WordPress Meetup group, with the support of the WordPress Foundation. WordCamp Jinja 2025 is a non-profit event that relies on the generosity of sponsors like you to make it happen.

We have different levels of sponsorship available for WordCamp Jinja 2025:

Gold Sponsor Package – $1500 and above.

  • Four Tickets to WordCamp Jinja
  • Thank you blog post about your organization w/option for video message to attendees Booth space in the sponsor section.
  • Largest logo size on website/ slides between speakers.
  • Acknowledgement by name in opening and closing remarks
  • Link to digital swag (Can include coupons, sign up links for free guides, ebooks, links to register for raffles and giveaways, etc.) included in pre-camp and post camp email to all attendees, and listed on Sponsors webpage.

Silver Sponsor Package – $800

  • Three Tickets to WordCamp Jinja
  • Thank you blog post about your organization.
  • Dedicated Table in the sponsor section.
  • Second largest logo size on website / slides between speakers.
  • Link to digital swag (Can include coupons, sign up links for free guides, ebooks, links to register for raffles and giveaways, etc.) included in pre-camp and post camp email to all attendees, and listed on Sponsor webpage.
  • Social media shout outs. Follow us @WordPressJinja #WordCampJinja

Bronze Sponsor Package – PRICE: $500

  • Two Tickets to WordCamp Jinja
  • Inclusion in thank you blog post covering all Bronze sponsors
  • Opportunity to leave swag/information on shared swag table.
  • Third largest logo size on website/ slides between speakers.
  • Link to digital swag (Can include coupons, sign up links for free guides, ebooks, links to register for raffles and giveaways, etc.) included in pre-camp and post camp email to all attendees, and listed on Sponsor webpage.
  • Social media shout outs. Follow us @WordPressJinja #WordCampJinja

INDIVIDUAL MICROSPONSOR TICKET – PRICE: $50

•   WordCamps like to keep their prices low to provide access to as many people as possible. Thanks to our generous sponsors, we are able to do that. The actual cost of a ticket for two days is $50. If you would like to be a MicroSponsor to cover the full cost of your ticket, we would be happy to honor you as such on our website and your attendee badge. If you would like to become a MicroSponsor, please buy a MicroSponsor ticket.

We also welcome in-kind sponsorship for provision of workshop items / services like swag, videography, photography, publicity etc.

We also welcome in-kind sponsorship for provision of workshop items / services like swag, videography, photography, publicity etc. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor of WordCamp Jinja 2025, please fill out this sponsor application form below. If you have any questions or concerns about sponsoring WordCamp Jinja 2025, please contact us at jinja@wordcamp.org. We look forward to hearing from you!

Is this your first time being a sponsor at a WordPress event?

Call for Speakers

If you are interested in becoming a speaker at WordCamp Jinja 2025. Kindly fill out the form below please contact / WhatsApp the organizers directly on +256706622114 or +256783123557 or email us at jinja@wordcamp.org. Deadline for speaker submissions is  19th April 2025. If you’d like to propose multiple topics, please submit the form multiple times, once for each topic

Before submitting your speaker proposal, please log in to WordCamp.org using your WordPress.org account*.

If you don’t have an account, please create one.

* This is your account for the official WordPress.org website, rather than your personal WordPress site.

Is this your first time being a speaker at a WordPress event?

 

Call for Volunteers

To volunteer please fill out the form below or if you prefer, please contact / WhatsApp the organizers directly on +256706622114 or +256783123557 or email jinja@wordcamp.org

Is this the first time you have volunteered at a WordPress event?