IntersectMBO · thisisobate · Mar 9, 2026 · Mar 9, 2026 · Mar 9, 2026
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+# Community Engagement Report – Q1 2026
+
+## Cardano Africa Tech Summit (CATS) 2026
+
+Dates: February 11–13, 2026
+Location: Nairobi, Kenya
+Website: https://cats.wada.org
+
+### Overview
+The Cardano Africa Tech Summit (CATS) 2026 brought together developers, builders, and community leaders from across Africa who are actively building within the Cardano ecosystem. The event focused on developer education, ecosystem collaboration, governance awareness, and accelerating blockchain adoption across the continent.
+
+### Role and Participation
+During the summit, I actively engaged with developers, students, and ecosystem contributors throughout the event. My participation centered on three key areas: onboarding, mentorship, and ecosystem awareness.
+
+First, I onboarded new participants into the Cardano ecosystem by introducing them to available developer resources, governance structures, and opportunities to contribute. Many attendees were either new to Cardano or exploring ways to transition from general Web3 development into the Cardano ecosystem. I helped guide these individuals by explaining available tooling, developer pathways, and the role that community participation plays in governance.
+
+Second, I mentored attendees who were interested in building on Cardano or contributing to ecosystem initiatives. These conversations included guidance on development resources, participation in governance processes, and understanding how developers and community contributors can collaborate through initiatives supported by Intersect.
+
+Third, I helped raise awareness around Intersect’s mission and its role in supporting the Cardano ecosystem through open-source collaboration, governance participation, and community-led initiatives. This helped connect developers and builders with the broader ecosystem infrastructure that supports Cardano’s long-term sustainability.
+
+### Impact
+The event provided a strong platform to interact with developers across Africa who are actively building or planning to build within the Cardano ecosystem. Through direct conversations, mentorship, and onboarding support, I was able to help lower barriers to entry for new contributors while strengthening relationships within the regional developer community.
+
+
+## Africa Tech Summit Nairobi 2026
+
+Dates: February 12–13, 2026
+Location: Nairobi, Kenya
+Website: https://www.africatechsummit.com/nairobi/
+
+### Overview
+Africa Tech Summit Nairobi is one of the leading pan-African technology conferences, bringing together startups, investors, developers, and ecosystem builders across sectors such as fintech, blockchain, AI, and digital infrastructure. The event serves as a hub for networking, partnerships, and knowledge sharing across Africa’s rapidly growing technology ecosystem.
+
+### Role and Participation
+While attending the summit, I focused on engaging with the broader Web3 and blockchain community beyond the immediate Cardano ecosystem. This created opportunities to introduce developers, founders, and technology leaders to Cardano’s infrastructure and governance model.
+
+Throughout the event, I participated in discussions with developers and startup founders who were exploring blockchain adoption in areas such as fintech, digital identity, and decentralized infrastructure. In these interactions, I shared insights about Cardano’s technical capabilities, governance model, and the opportunities available for builders within the ecosystem.
+
+I also connected with individuals who were interested in learning more about decentralized governance and open-source collaboration. These conversations provided an opportunity to explain the role of Intersect and how community-driven governance helps support the long-term development of the Cardano ecosystem.
+
+Additionally, I supported informal mentoring discussions with developers who were exploring Web3 development pathways. These interactions helped provide guidance on how developers can engage with the Cardano ecosystem, access learning resources, and potentially contribute to ecosystem initiatives.
+
+### Impact
+Attending Africa Tech Summit expanded outreach beyond the existing Cardano community and allowed me to engage with a broader group of developers, entrepreneurs, and innovators across the African technology ecosystem. These conversations helped introduce new participants to Cardano and Intersect while strengthening awareness of governance participation and open-source collaboration.
+
+## Picture highlights from the event
+![Developer advocates at CATS 2026](./images/da-2026.jpg)
+![Intersect Executive director talk at Africa Tech Summit](./images/jack-intersect-presentation.jpeg)
+![CATS Hackathons](./images/cats-hackathon.jpeg)
+
+## Conclusion
+By attending and actively engaging at both Cardano Africa Tech Summit 2026 and Africa Tech Summit Nairobi 2026, I fulfilled the quarterly milestone of participating in at least two Web3 events. Through onboarding, mentorship, ecosystem outreach, and developer engagement, I contributed to strengthening community participation and advancing Intersect’s mission of supporting open-source collaboration and ecosystem growth.
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+During Q1 2026, I contributed to the onboarding of new developers into the Cardano ecosystem by actively engaging with community members and introducing them to opportunities within Intersect’s developer-focused initiatives.
+
+As part of this effort, I formally onboarded two new developers, Ugochukwu and Ifedili, through dedicated onboarding sessions conducted via Google Meet. During these sessions, I introduced them to the structure and purpose of Intersect, including the roles of the Open Source Office (OSO), the Open Source Committee (OSC), and the Developer Experience (DevEx) working group. I also provided guidance on how developers can participate in technical discussions, contribute to open-source initiatives, and engage with working groups that support the ongoing development of Cardano. You can find the meeting report [here](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1f5g25cjjNIrLzXlAfWj_szMx6kL1C7AzRPm48tyNtzI/edit?usp=sharing)
+
+In addition to these direct onboarding sessions, I expanded outreach through in-person engagement at two major technology events during the quarter: the Cardano Africa Tech Summit (CATS) 2026 and Africa Tech Summit Nairobi 2026. These events created opportunities to connect with developers, founders, and technology enthusiasts who were exploring blockchain development or seeking to deepen their involvement in Web3.
+
+Through conversations and informal mentoring at these events, I introduced several attendees to the Cardano ecosystem, highlighted available developer resources, and encouraged participation in technical working groups and community initiatives supported by Intersect. These interactions served as an important entry point for developers who were either new to Cardano or evaluating different blockchain ecosystems to build on.
+
+By combining direct onboarding meetings with ecosystem outreach at developer-focused events, I was able to meet the quarterly milestone of onboarding at least two new developers while also expanding awareness of Cardano’s development ecosystem among a broader audience.
+
+![CATS Hackathons](./images/cats-hackathon.jpeg)
+![developer onboarding meeting proof](./images/ugo-meeting-invite.png)