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Thank you Boss for those words, I feel that it's comes from a honest heart, I I'm sure the community got the same feeling. Be sure all of us share the same story with slight difference, for me I was first time invited for 2009 meeting in SA, then we organized
the first IG in Sudan, and we success to reach 30% IPv6 traffic in the REN network.
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AFRINIC means a lot for us, and to our local community, so any type of support you need please just let us know and we will never hide.<br>
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once again thank you for this kind message, and wish you all the best.<br>
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Sami Salih,<br>
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Community Member. <br>
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<div id="divRplyFwdMsg" dir="ltr"><font face="Calibri, sans-serif" style="font-size:11pt" color="#000000"><b>From:</b> Eddy Kayihura <eddy@afrinic.net><br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, February 4, 2020 9:47:20 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> community-discuss@afrinic.net <community-discuss@afrinic.net><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [Community-Discuss] A personal note</font>
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<p class="x_MsoNormal" style=""><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Courier New"; color:black">Dear Colleagues, ( French version below)</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt; color:black"></span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal" style=""><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Courier New"; color:black">One day in April 2006, I was informed by Rwandatel CTO that I would attend an AFRINIC meeting in Nairobi as our company had received a fellowship from them. This
intrigued me because I did not understand why our IP provider was willing to sponsor a trip for a member for no apparent reason.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color:black"></span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal" style=""><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Courier New"; color:black">Not only did I not find any catch but I discovered a community that I had no clue existed. I heard of IPv6 for the first time and later registered for a course
which happened at AFRINIC 9 in Balaclava, Mauritius. This connection together with the AfNog one helped me grow quickly in the networking field.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color:black"></span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal" style=""><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Courier New"; color:black">Back home, many colleagues attended AFRINIC and AfNog events and we started seeing scalable network and systems managed by young Rwandans.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color:black"></span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal" style=""><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Courier New"; color:black">14 years later, Afrinic has evolved in many ways and is still around committed to its mission of supporting Internet technology usage and development in Africa.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color:black"></span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal" style=""><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Courier New"; color:black">I have grown over the years to become AFRINIC’s CEO. The large number of support messages I have received since it happened has been very humbling and demonstrates
the fact that AFRINIC is dear to the hearts of many people all over the world.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color:black"></span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal" style=""><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Courier New"; color:black">AFRINIC has had more than its fair share of ups and downs and challenges over the years. However, there are inspiring stories of its positive contributions and
impact in many countries. It continues to play a fundamentally important role in Internet development across Africa and the Indian Ocean region.</span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal" style=""><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Courier New"; color:black">During my few weeks in office, I have endeavored with the team on analysing and identifying all key focus areas from the feedback we have received from our membership
and community.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color:black"></span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal" style=""><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Courier New"; color:black">The key focus areas include:</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color:black"></span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal" style=""><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Courier New"; color:black">- Restoring the accuracy of the database and enhancing membership experience.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color:black"></span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal" style=""><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Courier New"; color:black">- Delivering on promises of major technical products and projects anticipated by our membership and community.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color:black"></span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal" style=""><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Courier New"; color:black">- Building, developing and maintaining our community through providing capacity building, research and engagement opportunities.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color:black"></span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal" style=""><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Courier New"; color:black">- Restructuring a cohesive and efficient team that will deliver on all the above and more.</span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal" style=""><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Courier New"; color:black">I would like to commend the team’s resilience and dedication over the years and I am a firm believer that our success will not be attainable without the involvement
of each of us. As a member-based organisation and a community-driven organisation, the support of our members and community is also vital to our triumph as a whole.</span><br>
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Courier New"; color:black"></span><span lang="EN-US" style="color:black"></span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal" style=""><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Courier New"; color:black">I will be giving a monthly update on the progress we make on the different areas and we welcome your suggestions, support and constructive feedback as we travel
this journey together.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color:black"></span></p>
<p class="x_MsoNormal" style=""><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Courier New"; color:black">Kind regards,</span><span lang="EN-US" style="color:black"></span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Courier New"; color:black">Eddy</span></p>
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<p><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Courier New"; color:black">*****</span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Courier New"; color:black">Chers Collegues, (votre indulgence pour les accents et potentielles fautes d'ortographes est appreciee)<br>
<br>
Par un jour normal en 2006, le CTO de Rwandatel m'a informé que je participerai à une reunion d'AFRINIC à Nairobi et qu'ils prennait tout en charge. Je fus intrigué car ne comprenant pas pourquoi notre fournisseur d'adresse IP serait si genereuse.<br>
<br>
Je n'ai cependant trouve aucun piège. Bien plus, j'ai plutôt decouvert une communauté dont j'ignorai totalement l'existence. J'ai entendu parler de IPv6 pour la premiere fois et me suis enregistré pour un cours qui a eu lieu lors de AFRINIC 9 a Balaclava en
ile Maurice. Cette connection ainsi qu'avec AfNog m'a aide a progresser rapidement dans le domaine de la connectivite.<br>
<br>
Au pays, plusieurs collegues ont participé aux réunions d'AFRINIC et AfNog et nous avons commencé à voir de jeunes rwandais gerant des reseaux et systèmes bien configuré.<br>
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14 annees plus tard, Afrinic a evolué de plusieurs maniere tout en restant fidele à sa mission de soutenir l'usage et le developpement des technologies de l'Internet.<br>
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J'ai aussi progressé jusqu'à en devenir le Directeur Général. Les inombrables messages de soutien que j'ai recu etaient bien chaleureux et demontrent a quel point Afrinic est cher é plusieurs personnes au travers le globe.<br>
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Afrinic a eu son lot de hauts et bas au travers des années. Cependant, il y a plusieurs histoires inspirantes sur sa contribution dans plusieurs pays. Afrinic continue a jouer un role fondamental pour le developpement de l'Internet sur le continent ainsi que
la region de l'Ocean Indien.<br>
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Pour mes premieres semaines en fonction, je me suis attelé avec l'equipe a analyser et identifier les points les plus saillants des feedbacks recu de nos membres ainsi que la communaute.<br>
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Ces points incluent les elements suivants:<br>
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- Restaurer l'intigrite de la base de donnees et ameliorer l'expenrience de nos membres;<br>
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- Finaliser l'implementation des differents produits et projets promis et souhaite par nos membres ainsi que la communaute en general;<br>
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- Developper notre communaute au travers des diverses activites de formation, recherches et reunions;<br>
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- Restructurer une equipe plus efficace afin de remplir toutes les promesses citees ci-haut et bien plus encore.<br>
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Je souhaite saluer la tenacite et le devouement de l'equipe Afrinic au travers des annees et je suis convaincu que notre succes n'est pas atteignable sans l'implication d'un chacun. Comme une organization "member-based" et orientee vers la communaute, le soutien
de nos membres ainsi que des membres de la communaute est primordial si nous voulons celebrer notre aboutissement comme un block.<br>
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Je vous donnerai une mise a jour mensuelle sur les avancements que nous ferons sur differents fronts et vos suggestions sont le bienvenu tout au long de ce voyage.<br>
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Respectueusement votre,<br>
<br>
Eddy<br>
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