The following gives short summaries of example topic posts and replies you can learn from. Bonus: Pick one of the 30 topics to write on at the end of this post !
EXAMPLE TOPIC POSTS
1. THOUGHT-PROVOKING TOPIC
Title: Do We Really Want to Open Source After We’ve Suffered with Our Solutions?
A tough but necessary question:
Many of us in Sierra Leone have built tools, apps, content — and we’ve struggled through bad infrastructure, limited support, no funding, and being overlooked.Now everyone says: “open source it, share it, make it public.”
But what if others copy, claim credit, or never give back?Is there a smart, community-first way to do open source?
Can we balance recognition, sustainability, and impact?
etc…
I’d love to hear how others are thinking about this.
Tagging @FBC-Coders, @EdTechFounders, @CivicHackers
TECHNICAL
Title: Offline Digital Hubs or SMS Deployments — What Works Best for Field Data in Remote Clinics or Farms?
We’re designing a solution for remote health clinics and agricultural extension workers to:
- Collect data (patient visits, crop reports)
- Share guidance documents (PDFs, images, audio)
- Sync reports weekly via USB or hotspot
So far, we’ve prototyped:
Option 1 – Raspberry Pi Local Server
- Hosts KoboToolbox for form collection
- Static content (maternal health guides, pest control manuals)
- Access via WiFi from phones/tablets
- Runs on 20W solar + 10Ah battery
Option 2 – SMS-Based Workflow
- Farmers and nurses use structured SMS codes to send data
- Stored centrally on server in regional hub
- No WiFi or app needed, but less flexibility
But we’re stuck on some questions:
- Pi-based system gives richer data + offline content, but is more fragile (power cuts, SD card corruption)
- SMS is more reliable in weak-power zones but harder to update or expand
- Users sometimes struggle with smartphone interfaces — is USSD worth exploring?
Have you deployed similar setups in rural health or agriculture programs?
Questions we’d love advice on:
- Pi vs SMS — what scales better for 50+ field locations?
- How do you maintain data integrity when power/internet are unstable?
- Any hybrid approaches? (e.g., SMS for daily ops, Pi for training & updates)
Tagging @AgriHealthTech, @OfflineDeployers, @MifosUsers, and @SolarOffline — let’s pool lessons and designs from the field.
3. FUN + ENGAGING
Title: Create Your DPG Spirit Animal — Let’s Make Digital Public Memes 
Let’s take a break from the serious stuff and have some fun.
If the Digital Public Good you work with or love was an animal… what would it be?
Example:
Kolibri =“Sturdy, portable, doesn’t need internet, and remembers everything.”
Drop your DPG Spirit Animal and a one-line explanation.
We’ll vote on the top 5 and turn them into forum profile badges
4. COMMUNITY CHALLENGE
Title: Can We Translate 1 DPG into 1 Local Language in 1 Month?
Calling all linguists, students, and local content lovers.
Let’s run a sprint: pick one DPG (like Kolibri, KoboToolbox, or Mifos), and translate its core interface into Krio, Mende, or Temne by the end of the month.
Why? Because we want our communities to feel like DPGs belong to them, not just foreign engineers.
Reply if you want to join the Krio team or start your own.
You don’t need to code — just be able to translate and test phrases.
Top contributors will be featured in the DPG newsletter
5. STRATEGY/DISCUSSION
Title: Topic: What Should a “DPG Club in a Box” Look Like for Universities?
Let’s say we wanted every university in Sierra Leone to have a Digital Public Goods Club.
What should be in the box?
- Templates?
- Poster designs?
- Monthly challenges?
- A Raspberry Pi with demo DPGs?
I want to hear from students and lecturers alike.
What would make your uni DPG club vibrant and sustainable?
Tagging @UniDPGActivators and @LecturerVoices
EXAMPLE REPLIES
Supportive Intro Reply
@AbuKoroma — welcome to the community
Love your background in GIS and open mapping. You should check out the OSM Sierra Leone group and the post on “Community Mapping with OpenStreetMap.”
Glad to have you here!
Technical Contribution Reply
On Kolibri power cuts — we’ve had success using a basic UPS battery between solar panels and the Raspberry Pi.
Also: use Read-Only mode on the SD card after setup if content won’t change. Prevents corruption.
Can share a full setup script if needed.
Discussion-Building Reply
Great point @MarySesay. Maybe we should think about a DPG Contributor License that allows for co-ownership but ensures local origin is recognised.
Something like Creative Commons but with a localised clause?
Light/Fun Engagement Reply
My DPG Spirit Animal:
Moodle =– sometimes helpful, sometimes chaotic, always climbing on top of your to-do list
30 POST IDEAS TO INSPIRE YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS
Use these to start a discussion, share a story, or spark debate.
Duya una nr generate content and cam post duya. Let it guide your brainstorming, but nr take altn
STRATEGY & POLICY
- What does it really mean to decolonise open source in Africa?
- Should government services in Sierra Leone only use open-source tech?
- Can open-source be profitable for African startups and innovators?
- What if DPGs were part of school exams or national learning systems?
- What policies or protections should exist for local DPG innovators?
- Do we need a national DPG vetting or certification framework?
TECHNICAL & DEPLOYMENT
- Raspberry Pi vs SMS workflows — what works better in remote field deployments?
- How we powered our offline server with solar in a rural area
- What’s the most resilient stack for syncing data without stable internet?
- Best DPGs for clinics, cooperatives, and councils — not just schools
- How we ran a KoboToolbox-based reporting hub without internet
- Local hosting vs cloud: what should we really invest in long term?
EDUCATION & LEARNING
- Are our lecturers ready for open-source teaching and DPG use?
- From hardcopy to GitHub — what our department is trying
- Tools every student in Sierra Leone should know before graduating
- Kolibri, Moodle, or GitHub Classroom — what worked for us?
- What would a DPG Club-in-a-Box look like for every university?
- How do we ensure more girls are included in DPG projects?
COMMUNITY & REAL STORIES
- How we launched an open-source or DPG club at our university or community
- What DPGs changed the way our NGO or youth group works
- Building a translator team: how we localised a DPG into Krio
- What happened when we tried to run a Pi server in a village
- What tech should chiefs or councillors use to better serve citizens?
- Should local communities co-own DPG infrastructure?
FUN & CREATIVE POSTS
- Meme challenge: explain a DPG in a single image
- If GitHub or Moodle were an animal — what would they be?
- “Dear DPG…” — write a short love or break-up letter to a tool you’ve used
- First time using Git or GitHub — what went wrong?
- Funniest mistake during a deployment (and what you learned)
- Vote: Which DPG should be the national priority for 2026?