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In November, we tend to spend more time indoors, often staring at screens instead of looking out the window. With Black Friday just around the corner, it’s a timely reminder to stay mindful of online privacy. That’s why this month, support from the #SidnetDonations initiative will go to the Panoptykon Foundation, a long‑standing advocate for protecting our data and digital freedoms.

This November, the open‑source and charitable projects we’re supporting were chosen by Michał, our TypeScript specialist, who regularly applies his expertise to innovative projects for our partner, EDGE NPD. It was only natural that the Zod library—a reliable tool for data validation in TypeScript—became the second beneficiary.

Zod

A modern library for data validation in JavaScript and TypeScript, built with application safety and consistency in mind. It enables the creation of precise data schemas that automatically verify whether the provided information matches the expected shape and type. Highly versatile, it can be used on both the backend and frontend. Thanks to its seamless integration with TypeScript, Zod ensures full alignment between code types and actual runtime data. Lightweight and flexible, it is widely adopted in modern web projects, from simple forms to complex APIs, maintaining consistent types across frontend and backend.

Over the past four years, the library’s popularity and recognition have skyrocketed. From nearly 3,000 stars on GitHub and 600,000 weekly downloads, it has grown to 37,000 stars and over 30 million downloads per week. The current, fourth version has resolved 90% of the key issues reported by the community.

“In all the projects I’ve worked on in recent years, TypeScript has been used extensively, and Zod has proven to be an ideal tool for defining object schemas and validating data. Its latest version, Zod 4, significantly improves performance, introduces a smaller, lightweight version as a separate package, and adds many long‑awaited features, including enhanced support for translating error messages, converting schemas to JSON, and defining recursive types,” explains Michał.

Panoptykon Foundation

An independent NGO that has been defending the right to privacy and freedom in the age of digital surveillance since 2009. Its mission is to raise awareness about how technologies, data, and algorithms shape our lives, and to advocate for greater transparency in how institutions, companies, and governments handle citizens’ information. The organization’s name is inspired by the philosophical concept of a prison designed so that inmates constantly feel observed, without ever seeing those who watch over them.

The foundation conducts research, provides education, and lobbies for legal reforms to curb abuses in digital surveillance. Through initiatives such as Digital Education Kit (Cyfrowa Wyprawka), which offers 22 lesson plans on new technologies, or reports on law enforcement access to data, Panoptykon combines expert knowledge with real‑world social impact. In its publication Artificial Intelligence: Non‑Fiction, the foundation examines how algorithms and AI systems affect society, individual rights, and the functioning of the state. Panoptykon has also addressed issues such as the surveillance of refugees and highlighted that Poland is one of the few countries where authorities have near‑unrestricted access to telecommunications data.

“The internet, which we as an industry help develop, largely relies on advertising, which involves collecting and processing user data. Supporting the Panoptykon Foundation, which works to protect privacy in the digital world, is my way of balancing my own contribution to this phenomenon,” explains Michał, justifying his choice of the foundation.

You too can support Panoptykon with an online donation.

The days may be getting shorter, and leaves may be falling from the trees, but somewhere in the world, opportunities for a brighter future are growing. This is thanks to open‑source and non‑profit organizations that will receive our support this October.

From programming education to support for children in need, these are the initiatives that caught the attention of Bartosz Tkacz, a Software Tester on the THG Ingenuity Cloud Services project. Find out why.

freeCodeCamp

A non‑profit educational organization and a true springboard for beginner programmers. freeCodeCamp offers free courses with certificates, preparing learners to work as Full Stack Developers, as well as developing related skills, such as data science, AI tools, and English. You can find the full list of courses on the project’s website, totaling over 3,000 hours of learning.

But courses are not all they offer—the creators also run a podcast and a 24/7 music stream ideal for coding focus. The music must be effective: in 2022 alone, the platform’s community spent a total of 8,000 years—yes, years—learning! Alumni of the courses now work at companies such as Google, Microsoft, and Sidnet 😉

„Starting a career in IT is one of the most challenging periods. At that stage, knowledge, skills, and a clear path are often lacking. Access to high‑quality, free courses can be a real turning point. It’s also a way to break the bottleneck caused by the high cost of paid training”, explains Bartosz.

Pociecha Foundation

Children from low‑income, vulnerable, or otherwise at‑risk families receive invaluable support from Pociecha Foundation. The name Pociecha in Polish can’t be fully translated—it means both “a child” and “to comfort or console,” reflecting the foundation’s mission. This public‑benefit organization operates through a network of community centers, providing children with a safe and welcoming space.

There, they find not only a warm meal—nearly 8,000 were distributed last year—but also opportunities to explore their interests, make friends, and spend time in a supportive, nurturing environment. Beyond managing the centers, the foundation organizes school supplies and summer trips for young people.

“Not every child is fortunate enough to grow up in a healthy, loving family. Children growing up in difficult environments face a tough start in life. That’s why it’s so important to provide them with support and opportunities to grow,” says Bartosz.

The foundation relies on the generosity of individuals and companies dedicated to children’s wellbeing. You can also support its projects by making a donation through the foundation’s website.

It just so happens that in September, with the start of the school year, we’re supporting open‑source and non‑profit projects that help tackle the challenges faced by school communities. In the age of digital gradebooks and educational platforms, sensitive student data can be protected through integration with tools like KeePassXC. Meanwhile, real‑world integration—building relationships and fully including children with disabilities in school and extracurricular life—is made possible thanks to the Podaruj Uśmiech (“Give a Smile”) Foundation.

Find out why Damian Bełza, a developer implementing help desk systems within our second brand, Centuran, chose to support these projects.

KeePassXC

Password security is crucial not only for IT professionals but for all of us, even if we don’t always realize it. KeePassXC is an open‑source password manager that allows users to securely store logins, passwords, notes, and other confidential information in an encrypted database (AES‑256 or Twofish). Its developers take security very seriously and respond to any situations that could affect users’ trust—even if they don’t directly concern KeePassXC. While the password manager can be synced with the cloud, the safest option remains running the application locally on your own device.

“I use KeePassXC not only for work but also to store my personal data. Working in IT and observing the fast pace of technological development has made me realize how crucial data security is—whether it’s company secrets or family photos,” explains Damian.

Podaruj Uśmiech (“Give a Smile”) Foundation

Living with a disability is especially challenging for children, and their families face many emotional, organizational, and financial obstacles. The Podaruj Uśmiech (“Give a Smile”) Foundation for Children with Disabilities supports children by funding surgeries, rehabilitation, equipment, and therapy, helping make daily life easier and bringing smiles back to their faces. The Foundation is also steadily building a Rehabilitation Center in Gdynia, providing a space for ongoing therapy, diagnostics, and comprehensive treatment at the highest available standards. It also incorporates dog therapy to support both physical and mental rehabilitation.

Beyond direct support for beneficiaries, the Foundation runs the CAZON project, which focuses on the professional activation of people with disabilities, who are still often discriminated against in the workplace.

“I have four children, and I know how challenging it is to raise them and provide everything they need. I can’t even imagine the effort parents of children with disabilities put in. Thanks to the Foundation’s financial support, necessary equipment and medications can reach exactly where they’re most needed, easing daily life and improving the quality of these children’s lives,” explains Damian, describing his choice.

The wide‑ranging activities of the Podaruj Uśmiech Foundation require significant financial resources. You can also contribute by making a donation via PayPal.

#SidnetDonations is our small contribution toward making a big difference. We don’t promise to change the world overnight, but we back those who roll up their sleeves and get things done. After all, that’s exactly how Błażej—Project Manager at Sidnet and Centuran, working remotely from Barcelona—approaches life and work too.

This August, following Błażej’s choice, we are proud to financially support two outstanding projects that wouldn’t exist without the dedication of thousands of volunteers.

Wikimedia Foundation

“Wikipedia is one of the cornerstones of the open internet—it doesn’t just offer free access to knowledge but also champions a culture of sharing. I’ve relied on it countless times, both personally and professionally. Today, it’s also a key training resource for LLMs, so its quality directly impacts how AI performs,” explains Błażej, sharing his reasons for supporting Wikimedia.

Almost everyone online knows Wikipedia—one of the largest open knowledge sources on the web, featuring millions of articles in over 300 languages, freely created and maintained by a global community. It’s an invaluable knowledge base used by people everywhere, as well as powerful AI models that depend on it as a critical training dataset.

The Wikimedia Foundation tirelessly promotes free access to knowledge by supporting its active community. It organizes numerous conferences, awards grants (over $9 million last year alone), and partners with organizations like Google, UNESCO, and the Biodiversity Heritage Library.

Wikimedia also leads the new open-source code repository, Wikifunctions, which enables people worldwide to collaboratively create and share programming functions under an open license. With nearly 3,000 functions and growing, the project embraces diverse programming languages and supports developers from many linguistic backgrounds, making it a truly inclusive initiative—both technically and socially. While primarily developed to support Wikimedia projects, its resources are freely available beyond them.

Szlachetna Paczka (“Noble Gift”)

Since 2001, Szlachetna Paczka (“Noble Gift”) has delivered holiday aid to families in need. The scale of its impact grows every year—last year, over 17,000 families received holiday gift packages valued on average at about 4,257 PLN.

Noble Gift is much more than a network of volunteers providing crucial support. It raises awareness about poverty and educates the public to foster empathy. Their report highlights that if all the people living in poverty in Poland were gathered together, they would form the country’s largest city. What’s more, the number of people in poverty grew by a staggering 47% just in 2023 alone. This powerful image shows just how urgent and necessary support for those struggling really is.

An inspiring 94% of families who received a Noble Gift say it changed their lives.

“The holiday season is a time when no one should feel left out. Noble Gift delivers help exactly where it’s truly needed—to families and individuals facing tough circumstances. I believe everyone deserves the chance to feel part of the community rather than on its margins,” says Błażej.

You can support Noble Gift throughout the year by donating. If you’re interested in helping as a company, you can get in touch with the project organizers to learn more.

Next month, we’ll be supporting more organizations as part of the #SidnetDonations campaign. Stay tuned!

In July, the decision on which open‑source and non‑profit projects receive support as part of #SidnetDonations is made by our talented Full Stack Developer—Łukasz Leszczyński. He began his journey by implementing help desk and service desk systems under our Centuran brand and has spent the past few years developing software for our long‑time partner, THG.

The organizations Łukasz selected may operate in different spheres, but they share a common mission: protecting those who cannot protect themselves. The Mozilla Foundation advocates for privacy and freedom on the internet—now with a strong focus on developing ethical and responsible artificial intelligence. At the same time, the Animal Shelter for Homeless Animals in Wroclaw offers safety, medical care, and a chance for a better life to abandoned and vulnerable animals.

The Mozilla Foundation

The Mozilla Foundation has long been dedicated to building an internet that is not only safe but also accessible to all. Its core principles—privacy, inclusivity, and the decentralization of the web—guide its mission. Today, Mozilla places particular emphasis on developing what it calls “trustworthy AI”: artificial intelligence designed to enhance human lives rather than harm them. Beyond proposing concrete frameworks for ethical AI, the foundation also plays an active role in public education—for example, through its IRL podcast, which delves into how technology shapes our daily lives and digital rights. In an era where the internet is increasingly dominated by corporate interests and algorithmic manipulation, Mozilla’s efforts represent a meaningful attempt to put people back at the heart of the digital world.

“I appreciate Mozilla for its consistent work toward an open and safe internet. It’s one of the few organizations that manage to combine technological advancement with privacy protection—as with the Firefox browser—and remain independent from commercial interests,” explains Łukasz.

Animal Shelter for Homeless Animals in Wroclaw

Few things touch the heart quite like the plight of homeless animals. The Wroclaw shelter is passionately dedicated to helping these “street pets” by providing urgent medical care, responding to emergency calls around the clock, and actively promoting adoptions within the local community. These vital efforts come with considerable costs, making every donation truly meaningful and impactful.

“The Animal Shelter for Homeless Animals in Wroclaw cares daily for hundreds of abandoned and vulnerable animals. Their dedication, professionalism, and determination deserve our support—both through donations and by raising awareness about responsible pet adoption and care,” says Łukasz.

Every bit of support counts—including yours. The shelter faces many urgent needs, but one easy and meaningful way to help is by virtually adopting a pet—a simple way to make a difference that’s available no matter where you live.

For Olga, technology is far more than just a tool. As a Product Owner and IT Project Manager, she brings a tireless passion for uncovering the human dimension behind every project. She seamlessly connects the world of digital products with empathy, attentiveness, and a deep understanding of user needs.

That same mindset naturally carries over into the June edition of our #SidnetDonations initiative. Olga chose to support open‑source and non‑profit initiatives that empower communities, amplify unheard voices, and prove that technology can be both effective and compassionate, working in service of people and their rights.

Ushahidi

An open-source platform that has been helping communities turn information into action since 2008. Created in response to post‑election violence in Kenya, its name—“ushahidi”—means “testimony” in Swahili. From the very beginning, its mission has been to give a voice to those who are too often ignored.

As a crowdsourcing and mapping tool, Ushahidi supports people facing democratic crises, humanitarian emergencies, and human rights violations—from increasing voter turnout in Nigeria to coordinating COVID‑19 relief in Spain (and later in 22 other countries) to documenting protests in Iran.

“Those most affected by violence, humanitarian disasters, or systemic injustice—where fundamental rights are trampled and democracy is under threat—are often the least heard. With Ushahidi, a smartphone is all it takes to send a life‑saving alert or unite a community around a common goal,” Olga explains.

To date, Ushahidi has been deployed over 200,000 times, reaching more than 25  million people worldwide. And not every map is crisis‑driven—some have been created by cycling enthusiasts or tech communities as well.

Amnesty International Polska

The Polish branch of the global non‑profit organization that drives research, advocacy, and education to bring about tangible human rights change—freeing individuals imprisoned for their beliefs and pushing to reform unjust laws. This year marks 35 years of Amnesty International Poland’s impactful work.

Their ongoing initiatives include:

• Write for Rights – the world’s largest human rights campaign (launched in Poland!), where people send messages of solidarity to those whose rights are violated, along with appeals to authorities on their behalf.
  
• Amnesty International Poland Award – honoring documentaries at the Millennium Docs Against Gravity festival that raise awareness about universal human rights.
  
• Pióro Nadziei (Pen of Hope) award – awarded for outstanding media contributions promoting human rights.

“Justice is a core value for me—that’s why I regularly sign Amnesty’s petitions, listen to their human rights podcasts, and recently joined the 13,000‑strong community of members of Amnesty International Poland. I was delighted to discover a 35% discount on books from my favorite publisher, Karakter—just one of many small but meaningful benefits of membership. I also connect with Amnesty through the MDAG festival—a long‑time favorite of mine, where the organization has been a partner. And their tech‑focused efforts strike a particular chord with me—Amnesty Tech explores surveillance‑driven business models and the algorithms behind systemic discrimination,” says Olga.

You can become a member of Amnesty International in your country—the membership fee varies depending on where you live, but the amounts are generally modest. Meaningful change often begins with small, intentional steps like this.