Crystian was our first volunteer based outside Jamaica!

She began working on soliciting grants for our Calico Challenge program. All our Jamaican sponsors are familiar with her work.

In 2020, she submitted our first Google Summer of Code (GSoC) application. We didn’t get selected, but she had faith in our mission and applied again. We were successful! She helped us get selected for the GithHub Externship and Outreachy programs too.

She has been very active in our slack and GitHub communities. She assigns issues, tests out our code and gives advice to our contributors.

Listen to her video to hear even more!

The Palisadoes Foundation announces its acceptance into the Google Summer of Code (GSoC) as a mentoring organization. Palisadoes has been participating since 2021.

Established in 2005, the Google Summer of Code offers developers from around the world stipends to write code for various Open Source software projects. GSoC will run for nine months this year. The aim is to attract new contributors to be regular Open Source contributors

“From Summer to Autumn, many new contributors to our Talawa projects will benefit from this program. GSoC participants this year will include not only students but also industry professionals. This is an exceptional Google sponsored activity,” said Peter Harrison, President of the Palisadoes Foundation. “The program helps us to not only get some great code written, but also to introduce developers into Open Source development and hopefully recruit some new long-term Committers.”

Participants are encouraged to discuss ideas with mentoring organizations and finalize proposals for projects by the April 2 deadline. Palisadoes mentors have proposed numerous ideas for Talawa projects in mobile development, web applications, and practical API concepts. Participants may choose from the Talawa “Ideas Page” or suggest their own project for approval. The Talawa software repositories can be found on our organization’s GitHub page. The GSoC website has a complete timeline that you can review. Participants can learn more about our projects on the Talawa GSoC FAQ page.

“GSoC gives students the chance to work on industry-leading Open Source projects, collaborate with diverse communities, and gain real world experience related to their academic pursuits,” added Harrison. “We are proud to have mentored so many talented students over the years, and furthered our mission of providing software products for the public good. It’s a rewarding experience both for the students and the Talawa community at-large.”

Since 2016, The Palisadoes Foundation has actively participated in furthering the education of software engineering students through its various programs. The Calico Challenge, modeled on GSoC, has mentored over 30 Jamaicans attending local universities. Like GSoC, students received stipends upon achieving predefined goals when contributing to the Foundation’s GitHub projects.

“This second GSoC success would not have happened without the faith our Jamaican corporate sponsors had in our Calico vision. Their support since 2016 in terms of time, people and financing has been invaluable, ” Harrison explained, “The GSoC acceptance is a clear vote of faith from arguably the world’s largest software company. This is a huge global endorsement of Jamaican software development skills”

Details on the Google Summer of Code is available at: https://summerofcode.withgoogle.com/

About the Palisadoes Foundation

The California based Palisadoes Foundation aims to provide new avenues to promote Jamaica’s technology businesses and talent using a series of programs aimed at creating increased awareness of the island’s abilities in the global marketplace.

Eshaan is one of our 2023 Google Summer of Code (GSoC) participants working on our Talawa projects. He started participating earlier this year, and was formally accepted as a GSoC participant in May. He has been collaborating with other participants and mentors on his various GitHub pull requests

Welcome Eshaan!

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Hi! I am Eshaan Aggarwal, the developer-next-door from India. I am in my pre-final year and am pursuing B. Tech. in Computer Science and Engineering from IIT BHU (Varanasi). I have always been passionate about technology, for it is the tool that helps to bridge the gap between imagination and reality! When I’m not nerd-ing out about Vue, you can probably find me vibing to Spotify on my headphones that I never leave behind. I love desserts, blurry pictures, sweatshirts, and smiles!

My father always said that success lies in addressing small, overlooked issues ordinary individuals face. He emphasized that by solving problems so ingrained in people’s lives that they no longer consider them problematic, one can create a product that resonates with the masses. This philosophy has become the guiding principle of my aspirations. The Talawa project aligns perfectly with this virtue, for we aim to solve a simple problem: letting communities manage and organize themselves in an intuitive manner! This project could reform all communities, irrespective of their size or technological know-how!

Also, this bio would certainly be incomplete without mentioning my love for Open Source! Ever since my freshman year, I have been lucky enough to be a member of multiple open-source communities, and the learnings that I have gained from them (both technical and interpersonal) are something that forms the backbone of my personality. The inclusivity and the willingness to help others learn is something that even today feels too good to be true!

Aashima is one of our 2023 Google Summer of Code (GSoC) participants working on our Talawa projects. She started participating earlier this year, and was formally accepted as a GSoC participant in May. She has been collaborating with other participants and mentors on his various GitHub pull requests.

Welcome Aashima!

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Hey, I’m Aashima, and I’ve been accepted as a GSOC 2023 contributor. Speaking about myself, open source has consistently empowered and encouraged me in my tech career. Among all the projects I’ve contributed to in my open source journey, Talawa has been the one where I’ve made the most significant contributions. Professionally, this project has taught me a great deal.

I love how “Talawa is truly by the people and for the people.”

Nitya is one of our 2023 Outreschy participants working on our Talawa projects. She started participating earlier this year, and was formally accepted as an Outreachy participant in May. She has been collaborating with other participants and mentors on his various GitHub pull requests.

Welcome Nitya!

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I am an enthusiastic individual currently pursuing studies at IGDTUW, with a strong inclination towards open-source projects and a passion for collaborating with like-minded individuals. Apart from my academic pursuits, I find joy in basketball, design, and music, which provide me with a well-rounded perspective on life.

In my journey, Talawa has played a transformative role, making a significant difference in my life. It has become a cornerstone for my professional growth, offering a unique space where I can thrive and contribute. More than just a platform, Talawa has given me the chance to engage with a diverse range of perspectives and ideas, further fueling my passion for open-source projects and motivating me to push boundaries. It has empowered me to make a positive impact and inspired me to continue exploring the endless possibilities 🙂