● Date and Time: Friday, October 10, 2025, from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM
● Location: Université Polytechnique de Gitega, Burundi
● Organized by: Bitdevs Gitega
● Registration link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe-ydPFh3c84TPqczn7aLIwRf3kZPtZI1PgzDcJbThLeKSNnw/viewform
The October 2025 meetup of BitDevs Gitega was an exceptional edition held at Université Polytechnique de Gitega, an institution that has trained many members of our community. This special on-campus session aimed to showcase the community’s open-source projects, inspire university students, and introduce them to the principles of Bitcoin and decentralized systems. The session began with an introduction to Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) and a presentation on Bitcoin as a decentralized, censorship-resistant currency. Students were encouraged to engage with the philosophy of open collaboration and permissionless innovation. Four promising open-source student projects were presented, and the two best projects received awards. The jury panel included faculty members from the university, who expressed deep appreciation for the initiative. The atmosphere was dynamic and inspiring, sparking curiosity among students and encouraging them to join the growing local FOSS developer ecosystem. The event also served as an opportunity to introduce the upcoming BitDevs Bootcamp planned for December 2025, where students will receive intensive mentorship on building Bitcoin-related solutions. The event was also sponsored by Bitnob.
The session was led by Advaxe NDAYISENGA, who delivered a comprehensive introduction to:
● The fundamentals of the Lightning Network,
● How to set up and operate a Lightning node,
● How to access and implement Lightning APIs in their FOSS projects.
This was a crucial turning point for developers to begin exploring off-chain Bitcoin transactions, expanding the scope and use cases of their solutions.
▪ Welcome & Introduction to BitDevs Gitega
▪ Presentation: Understanding FOSS and Bitcoin Decentralization
▪ Showcase of Student Open-Source Projects
▪ Jury Evaluation and Award Ceremony
▪ Announcement of the December Bootcamp
▪ Networking and Community Closing Session
● Total: 73 participants (including students, faculty members, and BitDevs Gitega core team)
● Speakers: 5
● University students demonstrated a strong interest in open-source development and Bitcoin technologies.
● The collaboration between BitDevs Gitega and Université Polytechnique de Gitega marked an important milestone in academic outreach.
● Student project showcases highlighted the local talent and innovation potential within the Gitega tech ecosystem.
● Two top-performing projects were awarded to encourage technical excellence.
● Faculty involvement strengthened the institutional relationship for future joint activities.
● Prepare the BitDevs Bootcamp (December 2025) with selected students from the university.
● Offer continued mentorship to the four student project teams.
● Expand partnerships with other universities in Gitega and Bujumbura.
● Document and publish success stories from university collaborations on social media.