What surprises you most about the community builders program?

I was surprised when I was accepted into the AWS Community Builders program in June 2021 without any authentic professional experience. Plus, I am currently living and working in Cameroon. The program takes diversity seriously from day zero.

What’s your background and your experience with AWS?

I studied Management in the University but quickly switched to tech after I graduated. My tech journey started with certifications in the Networking space (Cisco, Juniper, Microsoft etc) and I eventually picked up a job at an ISP where I started as a NOC engineer, then I was Solutions Architect for about 8 years and finally Service Delivery Manager before I resigned. I got introduced to Cloud Computing by a friend back in 2018. In the course of researching and learning, I fell in love with AWS and decided to start the first user group in Douala, Cameroon in 2020. My initial interest was with AWS Networking technologies due to my professional background but I fell in love with Serverless in 2022 and landed a job with Serverless Guru as Serverless Developer in 2022.

What’s the biggest benefit you see from the program?

Networking and diversity. Living and working in a Country that doesn’t have an AWS region yet with most companies are still taking their first steps provides unique challenges. But thanks to the community, I’ve been exposed to best practices and ideas that I would have never come up with on my own.

What’s the next swag item that you would like to get?

Hoodies💯. It would be great if we could have stickers that show the date of joining or a number of years in the community for existing builders renewing their membership.

What are you eating for dinner today? Share the recipe!

Jollof Rice Kamer (Cameroon) style

• ½ pound meat
• 1 medium onion
• 1 tablespoon Chicken bouillon
• 1 tablespoon garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 2 tablespoon tomato paste
• 18-ounce canned tomatoes
• 3 cups water or stock
• 3 cups rice
• 1 pound of peas and carrots
• Salt and pepper to taste

Is there anything else you would like to say about the community builders program in 2022?

I’m an advocate for diversity and this program is truly diverse. The Community Management Team does a fantastic job at communicating and responding to DMs. I would strongly advise anyone interested in AWS and Cloud to sign up and be part of one of the greatest tech communities in Cloud.