IT community from Central Asia: GDG Ashgabat

We introduce you to one of the IT communities from Turkmenistan, and tell you how GDG Ashgabat helps develop the IT sector in the country.

Maral Khudaybergenova, city — Ashgabat, Independent Consultant, Community builder, LinkedIn

About the community

The Google Developer Group and WomenTechmakers Ashgabat communities were founded in December 2019 as part of the global Google ecosystem. Since their inception, we have been uniting enthusiasts passionate about technology and knowledge sharing, fostering a culture of mentoring and volunteering in the country. The growth of the community has been made possible through the joint efforts of many people from Turkmenistan and other countries interested in contributing to the country's development as a whole. One of the key goals was to bring people together around shared interests, so that through the practice of "sharing knowledge and experience," we could create a sustainable and mutually supportive group that would contribute to societal development and become one of the drivers of progress.

The main idea of our communities is to help people learn, build connections, and unite the efforts of developers interested in technologies, Google products, and the spirit of knowledge sharing. We strive to create a dynamic technological community, promote inclusivity, and have a positive impact on society.

The tremendous effort of many people and the belief in the necessity of this movement allowed us to form a stable interest group that consistently supports each other and contributes to the development of society as a whole. Being the first such community in Turkmenistan, GDG & WTM Ashgabat laid the foundation for creating positive examples and inspired the development of an increasing number of new initiatives aimed at the technological and social progress of the country. This has already become a breakthrough for the entire society, as the first example of uniting interested people based on pure enthusiasm.

Our main tasks include:
— creating and supporting an active technological community in Turkmenistan and uniting its members around shared interests
— providing opportunities for learning and knowledge exchange for developers of all levels
— encouraging collaboration and joint problem-solving
— organizing events that promote social progress and help participants create innovative solutions for real-world challenges, as well as contributing to the creation of new startups
— supporting women and underrepresented groups in the technology sector.

Community Members

The target audience of our community includes students, beginner and experienced developers, as well as anyone interested in technology, regardless of their level of knowledge. Both IT professionals and people far from programming but interested in learning and development actively participate in our events. Special attention is paid to open Google technologies, knowledge and experience sharing, as well as the development of new skills and joint projects. GDG groups are open to everyone, and more and more people are joining us, eager not only to learn but also to share their ideas.

At the last DevFest, more than half of the participants were women, reflecting the growing engagement of women in the technology sector. You can become part of the community by subscribing to our official online platform GDG Ashgabat, participating in events and initiatives, and following the news on our social media channels.

Events for Community Members

Over five years, the community has hosted more than 50 events, excluding podcasts and webinars. Among the most significant achievements:

— hackathons. Participants unite around shared interests to solve real-world problems, creating innovative projects, some of which evolve into startups.

— DevFest. The last DevFest in 2024 brought together more than 500 participants and became the largest in the history of the community, organized with the support of local companies.

— creation of new communities. GDG & WTM Ashgabat became the first platform of this format in Turkmenistan, demonstrating how knowledge sharing unites people and stimulates the emergence of new initiatives.

As part of our initiatives, we also held events aimed at training women in the field of technology, launching country-level programs such as Technovation Girls, as well as supporting the creation of new tech communities, such as Flutter and GDSC groups, where anyone can participate — students, professionals, and simply those interested in technology.

We are open to collaboration and new initiatives. Participation in events is available to everyone interested in technology, regardless of their professional field.

How the Community Helps with Development

We help community members develop by providing:

— opportunities to acquire new skills through masterclasses, webinars, and podcasts, both for participants and speakers, providing a platform for honing public speaking skills and communicating with the audience

— venues for applying knowledge in practice, for example, at hackathons, where you can develop solutions for real-world challenges

— a professional network that includes international experts, mentors, and jury members

— support in creating new communities and clubs, giving participants the opportunity to develop leadership qualities and pass on their experience

— personal development occurs through fostering a sense of unity, encouraging inclusivity, and creating a supportive environment, which in turn contributes to mutual support for the benefit of societal development.

Successful Projects

Hosting the first hackathons in the country, such as the Disaster Response Social Innovation Hackathon 2023 and Handmade Online 2021, where teams developed social solutions for society — another bright example of our initiatives that unite people to achieve significant goals. Our community was a pioneer in organizing such events, and we are especially pleased to see that hackathons are now being held not only at universities but also by other communities, further developing the culture of mentoring and volunteering.

Plans

We continue to focus on developing a thriving technological ecosystem in Turkmenistan. The success of the community directly depends on the engagement of participants and local companies that recognize the importance of supporting such initiatives.

Our plans include organizing conferences, masterclasses, and other initiatives, creating conditions for the growth of tech communities, as well as supporting inclusive and social projects. We also intend to expand our activities and strengthen their impact, for which we are actively seeking partners among local organizations.

Since our community is non-profit, we need support to host events. This may include providing venues, organizing coffee breaks, printing materials, and other resources. We welcome sponsors interested in promoting their products, while their logos will be displayed on our social media pages.

Contact Information:

Email: ashgabatgdg@gmail.com
Social Media: https://taplink.cc/gdg_wtm_ashgabat.

To not miss upcoming events, subscribe to the online platform, and to join the community or propose collaboration:

partner form: bit.ly/gdgdevfestpartner
volunteer form: bit.ly/gdgvolunteer.