Category Archives: Uncategorized

#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.

May is buzzing—both in the apiary and in Michał “Staszek” Staszewski’s busy calendar, which is as packed as a honeycomb. As our Sales Manager, Staszek oversees commercial activities across all our brands: Sidnet, Centuran (help desk systems based on OTRS), and theStore.studio (consumer behavior research in a 3D store simulator).

Despite a tight schedule, Staszek found the time to choose two open‑source and non‑profit initiatives for our #SidnetDonations program. And his picks won’t surprise anyone.

Redmine

Redmine is a free, open‑source web application for project management and issue tracking, built with the Ruby on Rails framework. It supports multiple concurrent projects, project wikis, advanced file and permission management, time tracking, and a notification system. Redmine also integrates with popular version control systems, and is available in 49 languages. At Sidnet, every team member uses Redmine—enhanced with the RedmineUP plugin—in their daily work.

“I use Redmine every day to monitor project progress and stay on top of deadlines. Supporting its development is crucial to me because it helps our distributed team collaborate, stay organized, and continuously improve how we work,” says Staszek.

Ratujmy Pszczoły (“Save the Bees”) Foundation

Bees are vital to both ecosystems and humanity. They pollinate the plants that feed us and maintain biodiversity. Without bees, many fruits, vegetables, and crops would disappear—and with them, the balance of entire ecosystems.

The “Save the Bees” Foundation is committed to protecting these essential pollinators. Their work includes planting nectar‑rich flowers, supporting beekeepers, promoting Polish bee products like honey and propolis, and educating the public about the importance of bees. They also organize training sessions to help beekeepers expand their skills.

“This foundation is especially close to my heart because I’m a beekeeper myself, and I understand the critical role bees play in nature. This year, we faced a late winter and a drawn‑out early spring—both tough for bees. On top of that, some farmers still apply pesticides during flight hours, despite regulations. Supporting the Foundation is one way to protect bees and preserve biodiversity,” says Staszek.

Recruiting specialists in niche or less popular technologies can be a real challenge—so much so that sometimes, the talent pool in Poland or even Europe isn’t enough. This was the case when we were looking for an experienced Perl Developer. Our search led us to Robin, who works remotely from Canada on a project for our long‑term partner. At THG, he develops the backend of an application for purchasing and managing hosting services.

Find out which open‑source and charity projects will receive financial support this month thanks to Robin’s thoughtful choices.

MetaCPAN

The Perl programming language relies on the MetaCPAN project—a vast open-source library containing over 220,000 software modules and documentation for 45,500 distributions. This repository is co‑created by over 14,500 contributors, and the ready‑to‑use, proven solutions it contains make developing software in Perl much easier and faster.

“CPAN (Comprehensive Perl Archive Network) maintenance is a thankless job that is vital to the survival of Perl as a language. Donated funds support the servers, data storage, third‑party system support, and other critical areas. I’m happy to do my part and help develop this key infrastructure,” says Robin.

Stand with Ukraine Foundation

Waging war is never justified, and those who suffer from it need all the help they can get, whether in the form of humanitarian aid or funds for rebuilding programs. The Stand with Ukraine Foundation is an NGO dedicated to supporting immigrants and war victims, helping them integrate into Polish society and rebuild their lives. It also promotes Ukrainian culture and provides reliable information about the ongoing situation—especially valuable amid disinformation.

“In a world that’s growing darker every day, we need to be a light of hope and stand against war, whether it’s in Ukraine or anywhere else. As I work for a Polish company, it’s even more crucial for me to support Poland’s neighbors,” states Robin.

While the Tor Project and the Rak’n’Roll Foundation work in different areas, they share a common mission—empowering people with freedom. The Tor Browser ensures online anonymity and security, while the Rak’n’Roll Foundation helps people struggling with cancer regain the courage to live life on their own terms. Both initiatives fight for independence—one in the digital world, the other in the face of illness.

These projects will receive our financial support in February, thanks to Gabriel Spytkowski, an Unreal and C++ developer involved in the development of our product, theStore, a virtual shopping simulator designed for consumer research.

Rak’n’Roll Foundation – Fighting cancer with courage

Cancer is not a death sentence—it’s an obstacle that can often be overcome. The Rak’n’Roll Foundation works to break the cancer taboo, challenge stereotypes, and improve the quality of life for cancer patients by restoring their courage and helping them rediscover the beauty of life. Through initiatives like the well-known “Give Hair!” campaign, the foundation has gained widespread media attention and used bold advertising campaigns to bring the conversation about cancer into the public eye, changing how society views the disease.

Tor Project – True privacy online

For 19 years, the Tor Project has been protecting anonymity and privacy online, developing free, open-source solutions that keep users safe. They created the Tor Browser, which shields against online surveillance and enables access to otherwise restricted content. At the heart of the Tor Project is true freedom of speech online—even in countries where it is limited.

“This project is important to me because freedom of speech and privacy are fundamental rights that the Tor Project defends,” says Gabriel, explaining his choice.

In a month, we’ll be unveiling the next edition of our #SidnetDonations initiative, featuring new projects that will benefit from our support. Stay tuned!

A new year brings a new edition of the #SidnetDonations initiative! Check out which open-source project and non-profit organization will receive our support, as chosen by Gosia Łaszczych, our Office Manager.

The Office in Good Hands

The smooth operational functioning of Sidnet is largely supported by Gosia Łaszczych, who has been serving as Office Manager for over two years. Gosia is committed to managing administration, recruitment, employee-related matters, and organizing notable company events.

Sidnet Joins Forces with WOŚP

Supporting The Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity (WOŚP) is a long-standing tradition for Gosia. She regularly donates through bank transfers and by contributing to donation boxes during the organization’s annual finale. This year, thanks to Gosia, WOŚP will receive additional support by becoming the beneficiary of January’s #SidnetDonations initiative.

The 2025 WOŚP finale focuses on ensuring the safety and health of children, with funds going to pediatric oncology and hematology wards.

Would you like to join Gosia and Sidnet in supporting WOŚP? Here’s how you can help:

• Volunteer with the Peace Patrol
• Donate directly to WOŚP’s bank account
• Drop a donation into one of the many collection boxes across Poland

Thunderbird – An Office Manager’s Essential Tool

Gosia’s laptop is one of Sidnet’s command centers, and email is her most critical tool. It’s no wonder that this month’s #SidnetDonations support went to Thunderbird, a free and open-source email client developed by Mozilla Foundation.

Thunderbird is a must-have for office management, making it easy to organize emails and prioritize issues. Thanks to Gosia and Thunderbird, Sidnet’s operations stay seamless and chaos-free.

We’ve kickstarted another year of supporting impactful initiatives. Stay tuned—over the coming months, we’ll unveil more open-source projects and non-profit organizations set to receive our support!

December and the upcoming holidays are perfect times for the next edition of the #SidnetDonations campaign. This time, Kamil Głuszak, our indispensable Perl Developer and Team Leader, has chosen to support the Kundelek Dog Shelter in Rzeszów and the Open Source Initiative.

Five Years of Collaboration with Kamil

Kamil recently celebrated his fifth work anniversary at Centuran, a subsidiary of Sidnet Solutions. From the start, he distinguished himself as someone who embraces challenges and is always ready to take on even the most demanding tasks. His determination, perseverance, and leadership skills inspire the entire Centuran team.

We’re grateful for these shared years and excited about the milestones yet to come!

The Kundelek Dog Shelter – Helping Animals in Need

Kamil’s first choice is the Kundelek Dog Shelter in Rzeszów, which holds a special place in his heart. He remembers it from his school days when food drives were organized for the shelter. Next year, Kundelek (Mongrel in English) will celebrate 20 years of dedicated work helping animals. The shelter not only facilitates adoptions but also offers virtual adoption options.

Winter is an especially challenging time for shelters. Increased heating costs, shortages of warm blankets and bedding, as well as high-calorie food, pose significant challenges. That’s why Kamil decided to support Kundelek—to help provide animals with decent living conditions during the harshest months of the year.

Open Source Initiative – Supporting Free Software

The second beneficiary is the Open Source Initiative (OSI), an organization dedicated to advancing open-source software and supporting developer communities worldwide.

Kamil has been working primarily with open-source tools for the past decade, making this organization a natural choice for his support.

He especially appreciates OSI’s efforts to shape AI-related regulations, including the Open Source AI Definition, which emphasizes transparency, ethics, and reproducibility (interpreted as consistency in obtaining the same or similar results when using the same dataset and AI algorithm) in AI system development. This is a crucial step toward the responsible advancement of technology that transforms our lives.

We thank Kamil for five years of collaboration and for his thoughtfulness in choosing the organizations supported as part of #SidnetDonations! The new year is just around the corner, and with it, the next chapters of our initiative! Stay tuned!

November has arrived, bringing another opportunity to support those in need as part of the #SidnetDonations campaign. This time, Patryk has chosen the Open Cages Association and the Kolibri educational platform.

Third Anniversary at Sidnet

Patryk recently celebrated the third anniversary of our fruitful collaboration. During this time, he has established himself as a skilled Frontend Developer, with productivity and a work ethic that is second to none. He navigates React, NextJS, and TypeScript with remarkable ease and has an exceptional eye for detail—nothing escapes him, and projects are always polished to perfection.

Kolibri – Time to Say Goodbye to Educational Exclusion

Educational exclusion is a serious problem that hinders children and young people living in remote, poorly connected areas with limited access to educational materials. Kolibri, an open-source educational platform designed and managed by Learning Equality, aims to address this issue. Technology-based yet operating on an offline-first model, Kolibri provides a solution to gaps in educational access and the lack of internet connectivity.

Open Cages Association – A Chance for Animals

Industrial animal farming, while considered by many to be an essential part of the economy, is also an area where abuse and even crimes frequently occur. The Open Cages Association has set itself the goal of driving systemic changes and regulations to curb illegal and unethical practices in farming, ensuring the highest possible standards of animal welfare. At the same time, the association actively promotes a vegetarian lifestyle, educating the public that meat and animal products are not as essential to us as we have become accustomed to believing.

Soon, in December, we’ll have the holiday #SidnetDonations – join us in watching for the first star.

In October, on the occasion of his 15th work anniversary, Krzysztof Pisera decided on where the support from the #SidnetDonations campaign should go. The funds will be donated to the “Little brothers of the Poor” Association and the Python Software Foundation.

The Loyalty

In Sidnet’s 20-year history, there are still employees who have been with us almost from the very beginning and helped shape the first chapter of our company. This month, Krzysztof is celebrating his 15th work anniversary. Over the past decade and a half, he has repeatedly proven himself to be an excellent developer, a dedicated manager, and a responsible leader. For nearly half of that time, he has served as COO, ensuring that every process within Sidnet runs smoothly and without obstacles.

Python Software Foundation – The First Choice for Many

As one of the most popular programming languages in the world, Python is the go-to choice for many developers. It has had a tremendous impact on Krzysztof’s professional life, and even now, after many years, it remains his preferred language. Python is managed as an open-source system by the Python Software Foundation, which not only ensures the continuous development of its infrastructure but also provides a platform for a vast global community of users.

“Little brothers of the Poor” Association – Support for Lonely Seniors

The charitable organization receiving funds in October was part of our initiative many years ago. That support led to a partnership that continues to thrive to this day. Life in one’s later years is not easy, especially when old age is accompanied by loneliness. The “Little brothers of the Poor” Association was founded to support seniors struggling with feelings of abandonment. Regular visits from volunteers, a helpline, group meetings, and the “Gift a Christmas Eve” campaign, which has been running for two decades, help remind elderly people that they are not alone in this world.

In November, we will reveal more organizations that will benefit from the #SidnetDonations campaign – stay tuned!