Understanding the Microsoft MVP Program: Seeking Clear Guidance
Hello everyone, I’d like to start a discussion about the Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) Program. My main concern is understanding the process of becoming an MVP and the specific requirements involved. I know the program recognizes exceptional community leaders and experts who share their knowledge and support others, but the actual path to nomination and selection seems a bit unclear. Could anyone share clear guidance on the eligibility criteria, the nomination process, the types of contributions that are most valued, and practical tips to strengthen an application? Your insights and experiences would be highly valuable, not just to me but also to others in the community who may be interested in pursuing this recognition. Thank you so much for your attention and participation.Thinking of Joining the MVP Program? Hear What Makes It Special!
We’re thrilled to share our brand-new video spotlighting the heart of the MVP Program - our MVPs themselves! In this inspiring video, MVPs from around the world open up about what being part of this global community means to them, and why they love it. Watch the MVP Program video here If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to be an MVP - or if you're considering applying - this is the perfect place to start! But that’s just the beginning. We’ve gathered a set of helpful resources to guide you through the program and how to get involved: New to the MVP Program? Start Here: MVP Communities Website – Find everything you need to know about the MVP Program, including how to apply, who the MVPs are near you, and the impact they’re making in their communities. MVP FAQs - Our updated FAQ page answers key questions about the application process, eligibility, expectations, and more. Live Event Replay - Don’t miss the replay of our recent live session, where MVPs Anastasia Salari and Zaid Zaim share their personal journeys, practical advice, and tips for those thinking about applying. Ready to Take the Next Step? If you’ve been actively contributing to the community over the past 12 months, this might be your moment. Whether through sharing knowledge, helping others, organizing events, or driving conversations - you’re exactly who the MVP Program is looking for. Dive into the resources, get inspired by the stories, and if you meet the criteria, consider applying or connecting with someone who can nominate you. Your journey to becoming an MVP could start today!
The Remarkable Journey of Microsoft Communities in Northern Nigeria
In 2019, a staggering statistic from the World Bank revealed that 87% of Nigeria's impoverished population resided in the North. Motivated by this alarming reality, Hriscare International Foundation, a local NGO in Northern Nigeria, embarked on a mission to combat poverty. Fortuitously, during the Microsoft Certified Trainer West Africa boot camp in Abuja that same year, Tabitha Hris, the founder of Hriscare International Foundation, and Collins Ajonye, CEO of GovirtualAfrica, were introduced to the Microsoft Certified Trainers West Africa Bootcamp which was held in Abuja . This encounter highlighted the absence of an active Microsoft community in Northern Nigeria. Guided by Mr. Seyi Oluwawujumi and Mr. Ayodeji Folarin, Tabitha Hris and Collins Ajonye resolved to establish the Northern Microsoft Community. In 2021, Hriscare International Foundation initiated a program called Techprenuer's Ignite with Microsoft, launching the first project in Jos, Plateau State. This initiative led to the creation of the Jos Microsoft Community, followed by the Abuja Microsoft Community. These communities actively work towards replication in other Northern states. GovirtualAfrica partnered with Hriscare Foundation, providing co-working spaces and halls for training sessions in Jos , Plateau State while Fulcrum iLab in Abuja extended their facilities to support the Abuja Microsoft Community. Over the past year, since the establishment of the Microsoft Communities in Northern Nigeria, facilitated by Hriscare International Foundation, numerous success stories have emerged. Each community comprises Students Communities, Women Communities , and General group (Professionals , Students and others), fostering inclusive participation. Remarkably, the Northern Microsoft Community has already produced the region's first Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (Tabitha Hris) and Five Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors (Panshak Koproda, Joshua Dakim, Paul Umaru, Christiana Hris, and Nyipoji Jibarang), solidifying their pioneering status in Northern Nigeria. Earlier this year, Hriscare International Foundation took a step towards inclusivity by including visually impaired individuals in the Jos Microsoft Community. One standout participant was Kefas Lungu, a visually impaired student at the University of Jos. Within two months of joining the community, Kefas achieved remarkable success. He was the first to complete the Microsoft Student Skills Summit challenge, a task created by Microsoft for the global summit's after-party in March. Additionally, he developed a powerful solution using Power Automate. Inspired to streamline his daily tasks, Kefas Lungu , a visually impaired University of Jos student who created and presented a powerful solution at the just concluded Global Power Platform Bootcamp 2023 in Jos . He joined Jos Microsoft Community two months ago and has been on fire! Kefas automated a tool that checks for operating system updates, installs pending updates, removes unnecessary files, and scans for damaged system files. This tool proved invaluable, saving him significant time and ensuring the optimal performance of his system. Hi, my name is Kefas James Lungu, a 300-level student of history and international studies university of JOS. I’m a visually Impaired person from Adamawa state Nigeria. I’m a python and C developer who in February attended a Microsoft event in Jos, and picked interest and I decided to take the challenge during the Microsoft Student Summit and was able to finish within 2 days, becoming the first person to finish the challenge. After the Event, I was inspired to use power automate to automate one of those tasks I do often. I didn’t want it to be too complex, so I automated a tool that checks for operating system update instead of doing it manually, checks and automatically install all pending updates on the system, removes junks and other unnecessary files from the computer. Then, it will proceed to scan your system for damaged or missing any operating system files, and fix them all. Before now, I had to do these things manually, and depending on your number of apps, it can be very time consuming, given that different apps have separate ways of checking for updates. Plus, you must do these tasks as much as necessary to prevent operating system malfunctioning, and with the rising cyber threats, it is always advisable to keep all your apps up to date. And that is where the tool come in handy. My desktop flow was highly inspired by this tool. Apart from this, I sometimes practice coding with leetcode to enhance my coding skills. One of the major challenges I fazed during my tech journey and still facing is having to deal with inaccessible infrastructures. My next target is to build a bott with the power virtual agent, but I don’t know when that will be. The Northern Microsoft Community in Nigeria is witnessing a substantial shift in the adoption of Microsoft tools, leading to improved employment prospects for its members. Although there is still progress to be made, the community acknowledges the positive strides they have taken. By embracing the latest Microsoft technologies and fostering innovation tailored to their unique needs, they believe it is possible to eradicate poverty in Northern Nigeria.PrivyDoc: Building a Zero-Data-Leak AI with Foundry Local & Microsoft's Agent Framework
Tired of choosing between powerful AI insights and sacrificing your data's privacy? PrivyDoc offers a groundbreaking solution. In this article, Microsoft MVP in AI, Shivam Goyal, introduces his innovative project that brings robust AI document analysis directly to your local machine, ensuring zero data ever leaves your device. Discover how PrivyDoc leverages two cutting-edge Microsoft technologies: Foundry Local: The secret sauce for 100% on-device AI processing, allowing advanced models to run securely without cloud dependency. Microsoft Agent Framework: The intelligent orchestrator that builds a sophisticated multi-agent pipeline, handling everything from text extraction and entity recognition to summarization and sentiment analysis. Learn about PrivyDoc's intuitive web UI, its multi-format support, and crucial features that make it perfect for sensitive industries like legal, healthcare, and finance. Say goodbye to privacy concerns and hello to AI-powered document intelligence without compromise.
