Code for Africa Climate Change Project/Blog

Bridging The Gap:
Using Wikipedia To Fight Climate Denialism

Home

Programme

Participation

Articles

Blog

Friendly Space Policy

Feedback

Blog Posts curated by Wikipedian in Residence Fellows during their Code for Africa Climate Change Program.

Ayokanmi Oyeyemi - Nigeria

I began my journey as a Wikimedian in Residence (WiR) on 17 August 2022 in response to a public call for applications by Code for Africa (CfA). In September, my focus was on raising awareness and onboarding Nigerian contributors, while in October, the main task was making thorough contributions to Wikipedia. After onboarding the 12 contributors, I organised a virtual "Onboarding Meetup" where I shared the project overview and why they should contribute. I highlighted our focus on climate change in Nigeria, using the Wikipedia landing page as a reference. During the meeting, I created a list of articles related to climate denialism that the contributors could choose to work on. We covered topics such as the Nigerian floods in 2022 and 2012. The session also delved into various climate-related topics in different Nigerian states. Collaborating with the contributors, our WiR journey covered influential figures passionate about climate change and those who have played vital roles in addressing climate change issues in Nigeria. By the end of October, after two edit-a-thons, our contributors had created over 60 new articles focusing on Adenike Oladosu, the 2008 Ijegun pipeline explosion, Lekki Conservation Centre, Olusosun landfill, and many more. From the feedback, the contributors shared that the sessions were enriching and helped expand their knowledge of climate change and enhance their capacity as Wikipedians. Participating in this project has taught me that there are many ways to bridge climate topics as the knowledge gap exists in Africa. I am glad to be part of the solution by building on Wikipedia information about climate change. I look forward to the remaining part of the project.

Caroline Mwaura - Kenya

Climate change is a pressing issue that requires accurate and up-to-date information for the public. As a Wikipedia editor, I have been working on improving articles related to climate change, focusing on Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons, and Swahili translations.

Over the past two months, I have been focusing on improving the accuracy and accessibility of climate change information on Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons, and Swahili Wikipedia. My goal was to ensure that the information was easily accessible, accurate, and up-to-date for a wider audience.

To carry out this work, I conducted extensive research using various wiki search sources like category listing , gap-finder and list building tool. I also used various techniques, such as keyword searches, to uncover information about the topics that needed improvement.

Through my research, I discovered that there was a lack of accurate and up-to-date climate change information in Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons, and Swahili Wikipedia. Therefore, I focused on updating and expanding existing articles to ensure that they were accurate and up-to-date, and also translated articles into Swahili to reach a wider audience.Uploading of fresh Wiki Commons images that represent the current climate situation was also a big step in improving Wikipedia.

Over the two-month project period, I learned a great deal about the importance of accurate and accessible climate change information. I also learned about the various tools and resources available to improve Wikipedia articles, including Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons. Moving forward, I intend to use this knowledge to continue my efforts to improve Wikipedia articles related to climate change and to help raise public awareness about this critical issue.

In conclusion, my work over the past two months has been rewarding and fulfilling. I believe that the improvements made to Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons, and Swahili Wikipedia will help to increase public awareness and understanding of climate change. However, there is still much work to be done, and I am committed to continuing my efforts to improve Wikipedia articles related to climate change. Through these efforts, I hope to help create a better, more informed world.

Reda Benkhadra - South-Africa

In today's world, knowledge is power. With over 350 languages, Wikipedia has become a valuable resource for millions of people around the globe, providing access to information on a vast array of topics. To effectively engage with the online community and ensure accurate representation on Wikipedia, the Wikipedian-in-Residence (WiR) role is designed to bridge the gap between knowledge-holding institutions and the Wikipedia community, facilitating communication, knowledge-sharing, and collaboration. Code for Africa's WiR programme helps us address the content gap on climate change, which is a critical issue that leads to developing accurate and reliable information to various audiences. This blog post highlights the actions undertaken to achieve these objectives:

Content improvement and review of articles

The content review process to improve Wikipedia regarding climate change has involved checking the banners at the top of articles for any indicated shortcomings, such as insufficient sources, unverified statements, or non-neutrality. Additionally, tags across paragraphs alerting to necessary updates or clarifications were also reviewed. Based on these assessments, we made modifications to address any issues.

Identification of vandalistic and content-distorting contributions

Reviewing each article's history page makes it possible to track any changes made to distort or mislead the information. This can come from either anonymous users or those with accounts. Tracking these contributors helps minimise the risk and may lead to their ban. However, we experienced a challenge trying to identify vandalistic information on Wikipedia as there is not much guidance or tools available for such.

Support for contributors and volunteers

In the WiR programme, we have also focused on building and strengthening the skills of current and new Wikipedia contributors. This includes guidance and training sessions that provide editing techniques and opportunities for team members to learn and collaborate regarding Wikipedia contributions and the subject of climate change. One tool presented about is the Wikipedia translation platform, which helps streamline the process of creating articles from other languages.

In conclusion, the role of a Wikipedian-in-Residence is a valuable addition to any organisation or institution looking to engage with the Wikipedia community. By bridging the gap between the host institution and the Wikimedia movement as a WiR, I am delighted I have played a crucial role in promoting the sharing of knowledge and increasing access to information.

Marie Gaye -Senegal

The CfA's climate change project aim to curb the widespread misinformation in Africa, with a particular focus on the critical topic of climate change. As one of the fellows priviledged to be selected to coordinate this project in Senegal, I had undertaken several tasks and in this blog, I aim to share them with you. Additionally, I will discuss my personal experiences and the challenges encountered throughout this transformative journey.

Exploring Climate Change on Wikipedia:

One of the initial steps I took was to investigate the existing content related to climate change on Wikipedia. This involved gathering relevant documentation on the subject and capturing photographs that complemented the theme. Subsequently, I compiled a comprehensive report outlining the project's various stages and a specific timeline.

Projects Completed / Tasks Executed:

The different achievements and tasks accomplished so far include:

1. Uploading Images to Wikimedia Commons:I and controbutors in Senegal actively contributed by uploading relevant images to Wikimedia Commons, enriching the visual content available for climate related articles on Wikipedia.
2. Article Modifications:Despite not all our contributors were advanced Wikipedia editors, we managed to add new articles through series of trainings and one-on-one support.
3. Successful Execution of Edit-a-thon 1: During our first Edit-a-thon, our primary goal was to raise awareness about the Code for Africa project, its missions, vision, and anticipated outcomes. We also provided an introduction to Wikipedia, covering eligibility principles, foundational values, and other essential aspects. Participants discovered the Wikipedia environment, created user accounts, developed their own user pages, explored discussion pages, and familiarized themselves with features such as alerts and notifications.
4. Edit-a-thon 2:This session provided an opportunity for us to delve deeper into advanced editing techniques, understand the importance of citation on Wikipedia, and participants were taught how to insert references (automated, manual, or reused) into articles, and create drafts.

Conclusion:

Throughout this project, I have learned valuable lessons, enhanced my editing skills, and embraced the responsibility of leading a group of volunteers passionate about combating climate change misinformation. The journey has been both challenging and rewarding, as I strive to contribute to the greater cause. I am grateful for the support and understanding provided by my fellow team members. Together, we are making a difference in addressing the issue of misinformation and ensuring accurate information regarding climate change is disseminated.

Bile rene - Cameroon

My CfA's Fellowship began in February 2023 with essential focused on combating misinformation, disinformation on climate change through fact checking, whilst creating and improving climate related articles about cameroun and senegal on Wikipedia and its sisters project. As a fellow, I recruited volunteers, created a list of suggested Wikipedia articles whose creation will not cause deletion. At the beginning of March, with the team of volunteers, we started creating articles on wikipedia and items on Wikidata including modifications of topics on both wikimedia projects resulting to the creation and improvement of thirty (30) articles in the month of March.

Key learnings

During the residency, I encountered initial challenges in incorporating fact-checks into Wikipedia. However, with invaluable assistance from CfA Pesachecks, I successfully navigated these obstacles and effectively integrated fact-checks into existing articles on the platform.

Conclusion

Through my participation in the program, I have gained valuable knowledge in fact-checking and significantly improved my editing skills. I now feel confident and proficient in carrying out these tasks, even taking the lead in guiding a group of dedicated volunteers within the program's theme. This experience marks an exciting new chapter in my journey, setting a strong foundation for future growth and exploration.