Sumaiya Nalukwago
IT Professional | Community Lead | Tech Content Creator
Kampala, Uganda
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Sumaiya Nalukwago is an experienced IT Professional currently working with Mbarara University of Science and Technology and Tech Community Lead with over six years of proven success in leveraging technology to drive economic development and nurture innovation across Uganda and beyond.
A recognized voice in the continental tech landscape, Sumaiya has been a dedicated volunteer for PyCon Uganda since its inception and has spoken at major international conferences in Asia, Italy, Germany, Kenya, Rwanda among others. This experience underscores her deep commitment to the open-source movement and her ability to engage diverse global audiences.
As a Community Manager for Google Developer Groups Cloud Mbarara and an Ambassador for Google Women Techmakers (with Technovation), Sumaiya actively skills and mentors thousands of youth and women entrepreneurs in digital literacy, business development, and tech-solution design. She specializes in translating complex technological concepts into accessible, actionable skills, enabling grassroots enterprises to thrive in the digital economy and confidently bridge the digital skills gap.
Sumaiya has also been internationally recognized for her work in tech by the US embassy in Uganda, Women Tech Global Network , Pulse Influencer Awards - Tech category among other platforms,
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The Impact of Diversity & Inclusion on the future of technology
The power of diversity and inclusion and its role in shaping the future of technology.This session will explore:
-The current state of diversity and inclusion in tech unveiling the underrepresentation of diverse groups and its consequences for innovation and problem-solving.
-The compelling benefits of diversity and inclusion such as fostering creativity, fueling innovation, leading to more equitable and impactful technologies.
-Real-world examples and case studies in successful tech companies and their positive impact on products, services, and societal challenges.
-Actionable insights for individuals and organizations and best practices to promote diversity & inclusion within your own team, company, or community.
-Interactive discussion and Q&A.
This session is designed for:
-Tech professionals of all levels and backgrounds
-Leaders and decision-makers in tech companies
-Individuals passionate about building a more equitable and innovative tech industry
-Anyone interested in understanding the impact of diversity & inclusion on the future of technology.
Mastering the soft skills for react mastery
The React world is all about building dynamic and engaging user experiences. But are your technical skills enough to truly stand out?
This session intends to explore the power of soft skills, the secret weapon that can elevate you from a good React developer to a great team player and leader.
Here's what you'll learn:
-Discover how to communicate effectively with designers, product managers, and fellow developers, fostering a smooth and productive development workflow.
-Develop the skills to inspire and motivate your team, fostering a positive and collaborative environment where everyone thrives.
-Learn how to approach challenges creatively, advocate for solutions, and navigate complex situations with a calm and collected demeanor.
It is by investing in these essential soft skills that you'll become a more valuable asset to any React project, ready to lead your team to success and make a lasting impact at Rendercon Kenya and beyond.
PyLadiesCon 2025
Mentorship is at the heart of many tech journeys, often being the first place where women feel supported, guided, and encouraged to grow. In this panel, we will hear stories from across Africa, showing how women start as mentees and eventually step into mentorship themselves, carrying forward the support they once received.
As a Panelist, i will share experiences from different types of mentorship, including structured programs, peer-to-peer learning, and informal guidance, and how these relationships help develop technical skills as well as leadership, advocacy, and community-building abilities. The discussion will also highlight how mentorship is a two-way street, with mentees shaping the growth and perspective of their mentors.
Finally, we will explore practical advice for new mentees, strategies for mentors to provide meaningful support, and ideas for expanding mentorship programs to reach and empower even more women in tech.
The Software Architecture Gathering 2025
This session intended to cover how to move beyond basic good intentions to implement effective, measurable strategies for Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) within open source projects and communities. It detailed how to actively lower the barrier to entry for underrepresented contributors, emphasizing practices such as providing excellent documentation and creating clear, small, and well-tagged "beginner issues."
It stressed the importance of adopting and rigorously enforcing a comprehensive Code of Conduct to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for all participants.
DevFest Mbarara 2025 Sessionize Event
PyCon Africa 2025
Mastered Python but still stuck? The hidden power of soft skills in your codebase.
I led a discussion directly addressing the common frustration of developers who have mastered Python syntax and algorithms yet struggle to advance their careers or effectively contribute to large projects. I argued that the true bottleneck is often not technical but rather the lack of crucial soft skills applied directly to the codebase and the development process.
I explained how I leveraged skills like technical communication to write crystal-clear documentation and commit messages, empathy and collaboration to facilitate smoother code reviews and constructive feedback, and strategic planning to better estimate tasks and manage technical debt.
I also offered practical, actionable techniques for transforming these interpersonal abilities into tangible improvements in code quality, team efficiency, and personal career progression, proving that human-centered skills are the hidden superpower of senior-level developers.
Nerdearla 2025 Sessionize Event
WordCamp Masaka 2025
I presented a session on how to move beyond basic good intentions to implement effective, measurable strategies for Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) within open source projects and communities. I detailed how to actively lower the barrier to entry for underrepresented contributors, emphasizing practices such as providing excellent documentation and creating clear, small, and well-tagged "beginner issues." I stressed the importance of adopting and rigorously enforcing a comprehensive Code of Conduct to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for all participants.
Furthermore, I explored techniques for establishing intentional mentorship programs that pair new contributors from marginalized groups with established maintainers, and discussed how to promote and amplify diverse leadership within maintainer teams and project governance to build a truly sustainable and inclusive open source ecosystem.
WordCamp Jinja 2025
I presented a critical session on how to move beyond basic good intentions to implement effective, measurable strategies for Diversity and Inclusion (DEI) within open source projects and communities.
I detailed how to actively lower the barrier to entry for underrepresented contributors, emphasizing practices such as providing excellent documentation and creating clear, small, and well-tagged "beginner issues." I stressed the importance of adopting and rigorously enforcing a comprehensive Code of Conduct to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for all participants.
Furthermore, I explored techniques for establishing intentional mentorship programs that pair new contributors from marginalized groups with established maintainers, and discussed how to promote and amplify diverse leadership within maintainer teams and project governance to build a truly sustainable and inclusive open source ecosystem.
International Girls in ICT Day 2025 Webinar
I presented on the fundamental components and actionable strategies required to build and sustain truly diverse and inclusive environments, emphasizing that DEI is not merely an HR initiative, but a core business strategy driven by leadership commitment. Key to this is addressing unconscious bias through mandatory training and using blind screening practices in hiring and performance reviews to mitigate bias in decision-making.
I also stressed the need for pay equity audits and transparent promotion pathways to ensure equitable opportunities, especially for underrepresented groups, alongside implementing inclusive policies like flexible work arrangements that support all employees' varied needs.
Finally, I highlighted the importance of fostering a sense of belonging by supporting Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and creating open communication channels for feedback, ensuring every individual's voice is not only heard but actively valued as a source of innovation and cultural enrichment.
Building Sustainable Tech Communities - Tek Juice
I discussed the essential long-term framework for developing tech communities that are not only vibrant but also built to last, focusing on the shift from event-centric activities to value-driven, continuous engagement.
I detailed the importance of cultivating local leadership and creating robust, documented processes that reduce reliance on any single individual, ensuring resilience against turnover.
I emphasized strategies for diversifying funding sources beyond corporate sponsorship and implementing effective knowledge transfer mechanisms to empower new members to step into leadership roles. Furthermore, I highlighted the necessity of defining a clear, shared community mission that provides a compelling reason for members to contribute regularly, thereby foster
Commemoration of the Common Wealth 2025
I led a compelling discussion focused on how young leaders are not just adapting to, but actively driving the future of AI for equitable growth. I highlighted the critical role of youth from diverse backgrounds in ensuring that AI technologies are developed and deployed to create genuine inclusive prosperity moving beyond technological advancement to real-world societal benefit.
I explored practical examples of how youth-led initiatives are leveraging AI to address major global challenges, such as:
-Bridging educational gaps.
-Enhancing economic opportunity in underserved regions.
-Promoting environmental sustainability.
I emphasized the necessity of building ethical and accessible AI tools, ensuring that the next generation of innovators is empowered with the skills, resources, and ethical frameworks needed to shape an AI-powered world where everyone thrives.
Empowering underserved communities to lead in STEM and AI with a gender sensitive approach
In this session on breaking down systemic barriers to STEM and AI participation. I explored practical strategies for empowering individuals from underserved communities with a specific focus on using a gender-sensitive approach to become the next generation of leaders, innovators, and creators in technology.
DevFest Kampala 2024 Sessionize Event
Droidcon Uganda 2024 Sessionize Event
DevFest Kisumu 2024 Sessionize Event
RenderCon Kenya 2024 Sessionize Event
DroidKaigi 2024 Sessionize Event
PyCon Uganda 2023
Community Keynote
Azure Back to School 2024 Sessionize Event
CommunityOverCode Asia 2024 Sessionize Event
M365 Community Days Chicago 2024 Sessionize Event
Data Toboggan - Cool Runnings 2024 Sessionize Event
I/O Extended Mbarara 2024 Sessionize Event
GDG DevFest Pisa 2024 Sessionize Event
BSides Buffalo 2024 Sessionize Event
Denver Dev Day | May 2024 Sessionize Event
Write The Docs Kenya Summit Sessionize Event
Android Worldwide April 2024 Sessionize Event
WTM Arusha International Women’s Day Sessionize Event
AWS Community Day - Kenya Sessionize Event
WTM Bamenda International Women's Day, IWD2024 Sessionize Event
IWD Asaba 24 Sessionize Event
IWD Conference Ogbomoso Sessionize Event
International Women's Day 2024 Sessionize Event
International Women's Day Mt. Kenya Region 2023 Sessionize Event
DevFest Mbarara 2022 Sessionize Event
Sumaiya Nalukwago
IT Professional | Community Lead | Tech Content Creator
Kampala, Uganda
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