From an Idea to a Hackathon: Lessons from Organizing Build with AI Makerere

After months of planning, countless emails, sponsor outreach, community workshops, and late nights, we successfully hosted the Build with AI Makerere Hackathon in partnership with Google Build with AI and Major League Hacking (MLH).

The event brought together student developers from universities across Uganda to build AI-powered solutions addressing real-world challenges using Gemini, Google AI Studio, and Google Cloud.

Along the way, I learned invaluable lessons about:

• Building partnerships and securing sponsorships
• Planning and organizing a hackathon from scratch
• Leading a growing developer community
• Navigating unexpected challenges
• 💡 Creating an environment where students could innovate and learn

This experience reminded me that community leadership isn't about having everything figured out—it's about learning, adapting, and bringing people together around a shared vision.

I've written a detailed reflection covering the journey, the challenges, the impact, and the lessons I'll carry into future events.

👉 Read the full story here: build-with-ai-makerere-hackathon

I'd love to hear your thoughts or learn about your own experiences organizing community events!

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