Dagbani Wikimedians User Group/Annual Reports/2022-2023
Introduction
This report elaborates on the activities carried out by the Dagbani Wikimedians User Group from January 2023 to December 2023
The year 2023 was a period marked by impactful projects implemented by the Dagbani Wikimedians User Group. These projects were carried out collaboratively with the User Group's sister language communities, namely, the Moore, Kusaal, Gurene, and Dagaare language communities. The year also witnessed a significant increase in content creation, skills development, knowledge sharing, and leadership growth.
The highlight of the year was the Parliament of Ghana project, in which all five language communities participated in the form of a contest. This endeavour yielded outstanding results in terms of content creation for the incubators of all the language communities involved. Capacity building for team members also played a crucial role, equipping them with skills across the five language communities.
Furthermore, the year saw the approval of the Dagaare Wikipedia to a fully-fledged Wikipedia, achieved through the collaboration of team members and volunteers of the community. Additionally, we experienced valuable partnerships with our partner organizations when needed, contributing to the success of our initiatives.
The benefits of collaboration were leveraged by organizing various community engagement activities to facilitate contributions to Wikipedia for both new and experienced editors. The user group's efforts helped to grow the initiative and Wikipedia as a whole.
Throughout the year 2023, we focused on supporting our language communities by running projects that contributed meaningful content, aiming to transition them out of the incubator. This collaboration ensured that the User group's activities were inclusive and addressed the needs of all language communities.
This report also serves as evidence of the efforts and commitment demonstrated by the members of the Dagbani Wikimedians in promoting Wikipedia in their native languages. It reflects their dedication to building an editing community enthusiastic about preserving their history and culture, as well as contributing content to digitalize their local language.
Details of the various activities are elaborated below:
January to February 2023[edit]
January was characterized by community engagement activities, which included a series of workshops, both online and in-person, and team meetups. The goal was to build and enhance the skills of both new and experienced editors, enabling them to contribute effectively to our programs and Wikipedia projects. The five language communities, Dagbani, Dagaare, Kusaal, Gurene, and Moore engaged with volunteers, providing them with editing skills in preparation for contests and edi-ta-thons to be implemented by the Dagbani Wikimedians User Group. Additionally, members of our Wiki Clubs underwent training to acquire the same editing skills as members of the User Group.
While we continued with the various community engagement activities, the flagship program of the User Group, dubbed "Dagbani Wikipedia Saha", a tele-education program, was broadcast to reach audiences unable to attend our in-person workshops.
Team members' meetings were held to evaluate our programs that had already been implemented. This was done to discuss the learnings that we had from the implementation of the programs. It helped us learn from the mistakes we made and build on the positives that emerged.
March and April 2023[edit]
The Dagbani Wikimedians User Group has a very high interest in feminism, and, for that matter, its team members and some members of the community organized events in that regard. March 2023 marked the 10th anniversary of Art+Feminism, the User Group participated in the celebration.
The Dagbani Wikimedians User Group, in collaboration with the various language communities including the Moore, Kusaal, Dagaare, Gurene, and Dagbani Wikimedia Communities, organized a series of Art+Feminism campaigns over the past three years. These campaigns aimed to create and enhance the biographies of notable Ghanaian women on Dagbani Wikipedia and its sister incubator language Wikis. As part of the Art+Feminism West African indigenous language program, a video documentary was produced to showcase the activities and achievements of the Art+Feminism campaigns in Ghana over the last decade.
The project aimed to bring together organizers of Art+Feminism campaigns as well as participants of such campaigns, to share and celebrate their achievements. It also focused on translating the A+F community care statement, the anti-racism policy, and the slide decks.
The documentary featured interviews with Art+Femism campaign organizers and participants from the Dagbani, Gurene, Moore, Kusaal, and Dagaare Wikimedia Communities. The interview highlighted the significance of the campaigns, personal experiences, challenges faced, and the impact of their contributions. The documentary aimed to inspire and motivate others to join the movement and contribute to the representation of female-related content on Wikipedia.
Impact and Outcomes:
- Increased representation of Ghanaian women on Dagbani Wikipedia and its sister incubator wikis
- Fostering a more inclusive and diverse knowledge base, strengthening collaboration among the language communities, and creating a supportive network of editors working towards a common goal.
- Enhance awareness and understanding of the importance of gender equality and representation on online platforms. Improved language accessibility by translating Art+Feminism’s community care statement into Dagbani.
Below are links to the slide deck presentations and also links to the Anti-Racism Policy and Community Care Statement:
Lesson 1 - The Gender Gap Presentation
Lesson 2 - Navigating Wikipedia pages
Lesson 3 - Basic rules of editing.
Lesson 4 - User Pages and the Sandbox
Lesson 5 - Adding Citations
Lesson 6 - Create a New Article (advance)
Lesson 7 - Adding Images (advance)
Community Hours: Deletion Policy on WikipediaWiki Interlinking Training
Anti-Racism Policy, January 2022Community Care Statement.
The Open Data Day was organized in Tamale by the Dagbani Wikimedians User Group led by Fuseini Musah, Co-Lead at the Dagbani Wikimedians User Group. The event was themed "Open Data Revolution, Fueling the Future of AI". The event brought together participants from different backgrounds to discuss the problems, opportunities, and possible experiences in Open AI during the one-day workshop, providing valuable insights into the growing importance of these fields.
Dr. Arnold Mashud, a senior lecturer at Tamale Technical University (TaTU), discussed open data tools, platforms, standards, and their contributions to AI, along with highlighting challenges and opportunities in these areas. Dr. Inusah Fuseini, a lecturer at the University for Development Studies (UDS), focused on AI-powered solutions for industries like healthcare, finance, transportation, and logistics, sharing insights and experiences.
Fuseini Mohammed Kamaldeen, Co-Lead at the Dagbani Wikimedians User Group, introduced participants to various AI tools and their potential to improve lives.
Participants engaged in discussions sked questions, and salho sared ethxir eperiences dwith using AI uring the interactive sessions of the event.
Positive feedback highlighted the event's informativeness, and engagement. Key learning outcomes underscored the rapid growth of open data and AI, their potential to transform industries, and the importance of collaboration to address challenges and seize opportunities.
In conclusion, the Open Data meetup successfully informed participants about the increasing significance of Open data and AI. Speakers shared expertise, while participants engaged in discussion, highlighting challenges, opportunities, and solutions in these fields. The event emphasized the importance of open data and AI in transforming industries and solving everyday problems.
On March 18, 2023, the Dagbani Wikimedians User Group and Global Open Initiative Foundation (GOIF) collaboratively embarked on a Wiki Loves Folklore 2023 photo walk to capture the various folklore activities in the Tolon District of Northern Ghana. The Gurene Wikimedans Community, Moore Wikimedians Community, and Dagbani Wikimedians as communities of the Dagbani Wikimedians User Group participated in the photo walk. Selected members of the Moore and Dagbani communities took the task of touring the Northern Region of Ghana to hunt for photos to achieve the aim of the event.
The event sought to document folklore traditions about the language communities involved and encourage people to capture images of their folklore traditions and upload them onto Wikimedia Commons.
The team first stopped at the Yoggu community in the Tolon district, where they met the chief of the community. He took them through some historical journeys of blacksmithing as well as the history behind the local warriors called "Sapashininima." The group learned from him that blacksmithing was one of the primary activities in the community.
The members visited a blacksmith's center in the community, learning about their work and the tools they created using metal. They also visited the leader of the "Sapashininima", the Achiri. They observed the production of gunpowder and tested it for efficiency. This experience provided a deeper understanding of cultural heritage activities in the community.
Wikimedians also learned about the community's history and folk cultures. They learned about Yoggu's birthplace of blacksmithing, which originated in Gambaga. The chief, Alhaji Adam Iddrisu, shared the community's traditions and practices, providing insight into local folk activities. The Wikimedians also learned about Faamuru, the chief of Dagbon blacksmiths, who possesses the unique ability to sit on a naked flame of fire without being burned. This skill has helped keep the traditional craft alive in Dagbon.
The Wikimedians visited the chief blacksmith, Sonaa, and were amazed by his intricate metalwork, which showcased the skill of creating tools and objects like rings, hoes, and knives. The Wikimedians captured images of Sonaa's metalwork, documenting and preserving the community's cultural heritage. The event, Tuhiŋmambuɣu, involved female children from the community singing the song Tuhimambugu, showcasing the rich cultural heritage within the community. The Wikimedians were grateful for the opportunity to witness this traditional event and share their experiences and images on Wikimedia Commons. By sharing their experiences and images through Wikipedia, they hope to promote a deeper appreciation for the diverse cultural traditions in Northern Ghana.
The group also visited Gbanjong, where pottery objects were made. The women in the community expertly molded clay into a variety of objects, leaving the Wikimedians in awe of their talent and accuracy. To maintain the community's distinct identity and to increase awareness through channels like Wikipedia, it is essential to preserve its cultural heritage.
The group documented various features of the Tolon District's cultural heritage throughout the day, including blacksmithing, gunpowder production, pottery production, traditional dances, and other cultural activities.
The Gurene Wikimedia Community in Perspective
A team of 13 participants visited Bolgatanga, Ghana, to take part in the event. The Region was explored by the participants, who visited Sombrungu, Bongo, and Zuarungu villages. Sombrungu, known for its unique architectural design and mud and thatch roofing, showcased the locals' preservation of traditions. Photos of the locals playing musical instruments and singing traditional songs in Bongo were captured. They also took images of baskets, mats, and other traditional crafts found in Zuarungu.
The team seized the opportunity to visit the Ghana-Burkina Faso border and captured images of the vibrant trade activity between the two countries.
In conclusion, the team captured and uploaded images of Folklore onto Wikimedia Commons. This will serve as a repository of folklore about the various languages, cultures, and traditions. This greatly contributed to the representation and preservation of the culture and traditions of the local languages.
April to June 2023[edit]
The Dagbani Wikimedians User group, in collaboration with its sister communities including the Dagbani Wikimedia Community, Kusaal Wikimedia Community, Gurene Wikimedia Community, Dagaare Wikimedia Community, and Moore Wikimedia Community, initiated a two-month competition dubbed the "Parliament of Ghana Contest" from April 20 to June 20, 2023. The aim was to create Wikipedia articles and enhance Wikidata items for 275 parliamentarians of the 8th parliament of the 4th Republic of Ghana. Participants across all communities were recognized based on specific criteria, including the 1st prize for the highest Ccontributorbyy btes, the 2nd prize for the second highest contributor byy b es, and the 3rd prize for the third highest contributor bby ytes. Each of the various language communities involved in this program recorded a hefty volume of articles added to the respective languages they contributed to. Below are reports from the perspective of our sister language communities we collaborated with to execute the Parliament of Ghana Contest program:
The Dagbani Wikimedia Community, supported by about 30 committed volunteers, actively participated in the Article and Wikidata Contest for the 275 Parliamentarians of Ghana's 8th Parliament. Their efforts were concentrated on developing thorough and trustworthy informational materials in the Dagbani language, aimed at enhancing the representation and presence of Parliamentarians on Wikimedia platforms. They created the articles using secondary information sources to guide them with the biographies/backgrounds, accomplishments, education, and political engagements of the various parliamentarians. Additionally, volunteers enhance the related Wikidata entries by supplying organized data.
In writing the contest, a very active, committed, and prolific volunteer by Username SIR SUCCESS (NAA JAHINFO) secured the 1st prize for Highest Contributor by Bytes, followed by User: Kalakpagh in 2nd place and User: Ibn Dagara in 3rd place. Use:Jahibia was recognized as the top female contributor. Meanwhile, in the Wikidaia contest, User: SIR SUCCESS (NAA JAHINFO) again, secured the 1st prize, User:Kadir2023 earned the second 2nd prize, User:Munkaila Sulemana won the 3rd prize, and Jahibia was recognized as the Top Female Contributier yet again.
The community's participation in the contest yielded several positive outcomes including visibility and representation of the members of parliament on tDgbani Wikipedia and Wikidata, contributed to the preservation of oGhana' political history, and facilitated public access to accurate information. The contest also fostered empowerment among the community volunteers.
The contest participants played an essential role in crafting accurate and comprehensive content for Ghana's 8th Parliament. The winners of the contest expressed their heartfelt acknowledgment to them, emphasizing that they merited the awards considering the commitment and hard work they exhibited during the contest. The team, again, thanked all participants who tried their best and contributed content through participating in the contest, They said every little contribution made formed part of the bigger efforts that are made by all and sundry towards the achievement of the community's goal. This event not only enriched the Wikimedia platform but also served as a source of inspiration for future endeavours.
Noteworthy winners included Awini Diana Anani (Atalata Gumah), who clinched the 1st prize for the Highest contributor by Bytes; Ayimbila Akolbire (Ayimbila 90), securing the 2nd prize for the second highest contributor by Bytes; and Felicia Ayeti Amoramah (Amoramah), earning the 3rd prize as the third highest contributor by Bytes. Of particular significance, Atalata Gumah also claimed the title of Top Female Contributor by Bytes.
In the Wikidata category, Akabare Augustina (Akolpoka) emerged as the 1st prize winner, while Alhassan Gifty (Gumah1) secured the 2nd prize, and Asampana Wilfred Apergyine (Akuo Apɛyinɛ) earned the 3rd prize. Akolpoka also distinguished herself as the Top Female Contributor in Wikidata, emphasizing the substantial contributions made by women in this sphere.
Despite encountering challenges during the edit-a-thon, such as coordinating schedules, ensuring consistency, and resolving technical issues, effective communication channels, regular meetings, and the steadfast support of the Gurene Wikimedia Community facilitated overcoming these obstacles.
The success of this edit-a-thon has inspired the community to persist in fostering knowledge, collaboration, and individual empowerment within the Wikimedia sphere. The Team extended their appreciation to all those who supported them on this remarkable journey.
The Kussal Wikimedia Community participated actively in the contest, aiming to transition from the incubator stage and establish Kusaal Wikipedia. They embraced the opportunity to create additional articles, meeting the criteria necessary to elevate the Kusaal Wikipedia to mainstream status. Despite their limited familiarity with Wikipedia editing, the community underwent online training and received guidance from co-leads via video tutorials and regular communication.
By the conclusion of the project, Kusaal language Wikipedia articles were available for all 275 members of Parliament, complemented by Wikidata labels and descriptions. This significantly bolstered the content on Kusaal Wikipedia (Incubator), contributing to its progression towards achieving mainstream Wikipedia. Moreover, the contest facilitated the recruitment of and training of more volunteers for Wikipedia and Wikidata editing, with the prizes acting as a motivating factor for participants.
Nevertheless, the Kusaal Community encountered obstacles such as unstable internet connectivity and high data costs. Additionally, time constraints for training and editing posed challenges for both facilitators and community members, many of whom had other commitments outside of Wikimedia activities. Roughly ten editors actively contributed to the creation and editing of articles for all 275 members of Parliament.
Despite these challenges, the community leadership remains optimistic that measures will be taken to address these issues, ensuring smoother operations for both community members and leadership in future endeavours.
The Dagaare Wikimedia Community participated actively in the Parliament of Ghana Contest with the primary objective of documenting the profiles of members of Ghana's 8th parliament, thereby advancing towards attaining live Wikipedia status for the Dagaare language. Thirteen enthusiastic contestants participated, demonstrating their commitment to safeguarding Ghana's cultural legacy and political narrative.
The winners of the Wikipedia writing contest, Zakaria Tunsung Bukari, 1st prize, Yirkang Joachim, 2nd prize and Bismark, 3rd prize. Anthionette Kuukye was adjudged the top female contributor. In the Wikidata Contest, Paula Daara, Bambaare Jacob Dekungmwine, Linus Konkor, and Paula Daara won 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and ,Top female Contributor, respectively.
Owing to the collective efforts of the participants, the Dagaare Wikipedia (Incubator) experienced a notable expansion in both content quality and quantity. The edi-ta-thon moved them closer to the live Wikipedia status for the Dagaare language.
The success of the contest served as an inspiration for the community to continue organizing similar events collaboratively with other language communities, et al.
The Moore Wikimedia Community achieved significant success in the Parliament of Ghana Contest, initiated by the Dagbani Wikimedians User Group. The contest aimed to document and translate the profiles of all 275 members of the Ghanaian Parliament into the Moore language, including their labels and descriptions on Wikidata.
To ensure the contest's effectiveness, the Moore community employed various strategies. They established a dedicated WhatsApp group for committed and active editors, fostering communication, resource sharing, and a sense of bonding.
Additionally, team members produced concise video tutorials on editing Moore incubator articles, offering guidance to participants regardless of their level of experience.
The competition saw fierce rivalry among both seasoned editors and newcomers. Participants devoted substantial time to researching, translating, and editing English articles into Moore. Their dedication and commitment throughout the two-month contest period were truly inspiring.
The winners of the Parliament of Ghana Contest in the Moore community for Wikipedia articles were Binghi1 (First Top Contributor), Badaweya (Second Top Contributor), Raizkgh (Third Top Contributor), and Sumaya630 (Top Female Contributor). Raizkgh, Badaweya, and Sumaya630 were the top three contributors to the Wikidata competition as well.
The team of the community extended their heartfelt gratitude to the Dagbani Wikimedia User Group for organizing the contest and providing a platform to showcase Moore's cultural and linguistic heritage. Appreciation was also expressed to the participants, jurors, and all community members who contributed to the contest's success.
The Ghanaian Wikimedia Languages Meetup, a two-day conference, brought together 60 Wikimedians from nine Ghanaian language communities to address language barriers and strengthen the Wikimedia ecosystem in Ghana. The event hosted at the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Guest House in Tamale from May 12th to May 14th, 2023, was focused on networking, workshops, and open mic discussions to refine language platforms and exchange insights. The two-day conference facilitated collaboration among attendees to improve on their various language projects and exchange insights from their respective experiences.
On the first day of the Ghanian Wikimedia Language Communities meetup (GWLC), participants from various Wikimedia Communities introduced themselves, showcasing their diverse linguistic backgrounds and dedication to advancing knowledge in Ghana. The co-founder of the Ghanaian Pidgin Wikimedia community, Maxwell Beganim, who is also a core team member of the GWLC, emphasized the importance of unity in diversity in the local language.
Also, Sadik Shahadu, Executive Director of the Dagbani Wikimedians User Group, highlighted the importance of collaboration and community-building in the Wikimedia movement. He highlighted his work with Curationist, a free online resource that brings together arts and culture communities to find, share, collaborate, and reimagine cultural narratives. He also shared that the initiative will bring Ghanaian Wikimedians together to create engaging content and present Ghana's cultural heritage globally.
The Dagbani Wikimedians User Group in Ghana showcased their ongoing projects and initiatives, including the development of indigenous language Wikipedia articles and the digitization of cultural heritage. They actively participated in Wiki Loves campaigns, such as Wiki Loves Folklore, Wiki Loves Monuments, and Wiki Loves Earth. The user group also embarked on a project to translate the most commonly used statements in MediaWiki on TranslateWiki. These initiatives demonstrate the diverse impact of Wikimedia in Ghana.
The Ewe Wikimedians User Group, represented by Mr. Christopher, shared challenges faced by their community such as time constraints for some community members and the need for support with data allowance. In the coming year, they aim to strengthen their structure and team, improve Ewe-language content, and collaborate with other communities.
The Fante Wikimedians Community, represented by Mr. Robert Jamal, also highlighted their community's challenges such as internet data problems and a lack of active editors. They aimed to expand their reach, increase participation, and foster knowledge exchange by collaborating with other Wikimedia communities. These collaborations could help address challenges, share experiences, and collectively work towards enhancing Fante Wikipedia and other Wikimedia projects.
Mr. Zakaria Tunsung, the representative of the Dagaare Wikimedians Community, highlighted their accomplishments, obstacles, and future strategies. He shared how the Daggare community has translated dozens of media wiki messages and organized an in-person training session in Wa, resulting in over 20 new user accounts being created. However, they faced challenges in organizing physical meetings due to network connectivity issues. They plan to explore alternative communication channels, institute guidelines for terminology usage, engage with educators and students, enhance female participation through mentorship programs, workshops, and local competitions, and launch projects on Wikidata and lexicographical data to contribute to the repository of Dagaare language data.
The Kusaal Wikimedians Community, consisting of students, teachers, and language experts, started editing the Kusaal Wikipedia incubator in November 2022 to document the Kusaal language on the internet. They have started active translation of most used messages on Media Wiki, created 200 random articles on the Kusaal incubator, participated in the Parliament of Ghana Contest, and organized workshops in three districts. However, challenges include limited membership, inactive members, limited technical knowledge, and inadequate internet data. The community aims to transition to a mainstream Wikipedia project by 2024.
The Gurene Wikimedians Community, a sister language group under the Dagbani Wikimedians User Group, aims to digitalize and promote the Gurene language on the internet, starting with Wikipedia. The community consists of students, teachers, and language experts. They have achieved a 100% translation requirement, leading to the localization of the Wikipedia interface in the Gurene language. The Gurene Wikimedians actively participate in Wiki Loves campaigns, such as Wiki Loves Monuments and Wiki Loves Earth, to document and showcase cultural heritage sites and natural landscapes. The community also participated in the Parliament of Ghana contest to create more content on the Gurene Wikipedia and improve articles for the 275 members of the 8th Parliament of the 4th Republic of Ghana.
The Ghanaian Pidgin Wikimedians Community, led by user DaSupremo, began in October 2021 to document and share knowledge in Ghanaian Pidgin. The community has been approved as an independent and recognized project by 2023. The community actively collaborates with other communities, fostering connections and learning from one another. The Moore Wikimedians Community, established in early 2022, focuses on promoting knowledge, preserving cultural heritage, and encouraging linguistic diversity.
The Twi Wikimedians Community, led by Jemima Antwi, has been working on several projects and collaborations to document the meaning and history of Twi names. They have also been translating biographies of parliamentarians from the 1st to 4th parliaments of the 4th Republic of Ghana. The community has been growing, with an increasing number of active contributors and volunteers. Antwi emphasized the importance of producing high-quality content in Twi, encouraging contributors to generate and disseminate knowledge. Community engagement is crucial, with events and workshops organized to foster cooperation. Antwi also discusses the challenges faced by the community, such as technical hurdles and internet connectivity issues. However, she also highlights potential avenues for the community, such as forming partnerships with other language communities or collaborating with educational institutions. The community's plans include expanding Their reach, improving content quality, and establishing partnerships.
On the second day of the Ghanaian Wikimedia Languages Meetup, participants were reminded of the diverse efforts and contributions made by various language communities. A learning session led by Mr. Fuseini Mohammed Kamaldeen introduced participants to various tools on Wikidata aimed at enhancing Wikipedia content's usefulness. The session included hands-on exercises and practical applications of these tools.
Mr. Abukari Mohammed Awal, Secretary of the Dagbani Teachers Association, emphasized the importance of valuing and embracing one's mother tongue and encouraging its integration into one's lives. He urged participants to recognize and respect their heritage and use their native tongue to preserve cultural traditions and norms.
The West Africa Language Coordinator for Art+Ferminism, Sadik Shahadu, discussed the relevance and objectives of Art+Feminism, a global initiative aiming to address information related to gender, feminism, and the arts, with a particular focus on improving content on platforms like Wikipedia.
By introducing Art+Feminism at the Ghanaian Wikimedia Languages Meetup, Mr. Sadik Shahadu underscored the importance of actively addressing information gaps and advocating for gender equity in the representation of Art+Feminism. He encouraged participants to join the movement, engage in edit-a-thons, and contribute to the collective endeavor of enhancing gender-related content on Wikipedia.
Sadik Shahadu also introduced participants to the Wikimedia Language Diversity Hub, which aims to champion linguistic diversity on Wikimedia platforms, including Wikipedia. The hub serves as a central resource hub, offering tools, resources, and support for communities engaged in language-related projects within the Wikimedia movement. It facilitates collaboration among language communities, fosters content creation and enhancement in underrepresented languages, and advocates for the development of language-specific Wikimedia projects. By advocating for language diversity, the Wikimedia Language Diversity Hub contributes to Wikimedia's broader mission of offering free access to knowledge for all.
Read more here.
July To December 2023[edit]
Introduction
Community engagement lies at the heart of the Wikimedia movement, fostering collaboration, knowledge sharing, and the growth of open knowledge resources such as Wikipedia. In line with this ethos, the Dagbani Wikimedians User Group proudly introduced and successfully executed its Community Engagement Activities Program. This program aimed to cultivate a vibrant and inclusive community, empowering individuals to contribute effectively to Wikimedia projects while fostering connections among members.
The highlights and links to other Community engagement activities are shown below:
The Dagbani Wikimedians User Group embarked on a journey aimed at bolstering their collaborative expertise and capacity. Throughout a two-day team capacity-building training hosted at the Royal Basin Resort in Kumasi, Ghana, 25 team members convened from Dagbani Wikimedians and its affiliated communities, namely Gurene, Moore, Dagaare, and the Kusaal Wikimedia Community. Their collective objective was to acquire fundamental knowledge, skills, and tools essential for advancing the mission of fostering knowledge dissemination across Wikimedia platforms. Facilitated by team members, the training comprised immersive workshops wherein participants shared their experiences to impart practical insights, thus better equipping the team to enhance their contributions to the Wikimedia movement.
Day One
The Dagbani Wikimedians User Group's Executive Director, Sadik Shahadu, led a training program on information retrieval, gender equality, and the importance of Art+Feminism Wikipedia campaigns. Dr. Richard Lamptey from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology provided insights on research methods.
Day Two
The second day of the Dagbani Wikimedians User Group's team training focused on the Wikimedia movement and its tools. Fuseini Abdul-Rafiu introduced Wikimedia tools such as the Outreach dashboard, the hashtags tool, and the Fountain tool, helping participants learn how to use these tools to track Wikimedia contributions. An Open forum session was held to foster inclusivity and promote diversity. Mohammed Kamal-Deen Fuseini introduced OpenRefine for data cleaning and transformation. Sadik Shahadu shared more insights on community communications and social media strategies. Alhassan Mohammed Awal also shared techniques for navigating Meta-Wiki, Diff, and Translate Wiki, enabling efficient collaboration and translation of Wikimedia projects.
On December 23, 2023, the Dagbani Wikimedians User Group held a year-end gathering and awards ceremony at the UDS Guest House in Dungu. The event, attended by members from the Dagbani, Gurene, Kusaal, Dagaare, and Moore communities, aimed to reflect on the achievements and collaborations of the past year. The event featured a Year-in-review presentation by co-leaders from each community, discussing common issues such as internet access and the need to increase editors. A cultural performance by the Tahama Cultural Group was also featured. Partner organizations Sagani TV, LDP, and DTA joined the event, expressing solidarity and pledging support for the language's global recognition. Awards were presented in categories such as Best Male Wikimedian of the Year, Best Female Wikimedian of the Year, and Overall Wikimedian of the Year.
In the Gurene Community, Akabare Augustina was recognized as the Best Female Wikimedian of the Year, while Ayeera Iddrisu Baba earned the distinction of Best Male Wikimedian of the Year. These deserving individuals were presented with a certificate along with a brand new Infinix phone, intended to enhance their contributions to Wikimedia projects.
At the end of the event, User: SIR SUCCESS (NAA JAHINFO) emerged as the Overall Wikimedian of the Year for 2023. Reflecting on this achievement, he remarked, "This honour is a testament to the dedication, perseverance, and passion invested in contributing to the Wikimedia community and making knowledge accessible to all."
“This recognition serves as a reminder of the impact that collective efforts can achieve. I'm inspired to continue contributing meaningfully, uplifting information accessibility, and inspiring others in the Wikimedia community.” Sir Success took home a brand new, detachable laptop and a citation.
The co-leads toof t sister language communities also presented their Enendf-year Acactity reports.
Below are links to the various community reports for 2023:
Aside from the two elaborated community engagement activities, various communities engaged in several other activities, including online and in-person workshops. All of them were geared towards empowering the volunteer base to get cquainted witf the skills needed to contribute more effectively. New and experienced editors were taken into consideration in planning such activities.
Here are links to reports of some of the activities the various communities embarked on:
Empowering the Moore Wikimedia Community: A Successful Orthography Training Workshop (Moore Community)[edit]
Moore Wikimedia Community hosted a training session for newbies in Moore orthography at Tamale College of Education, focusing on the fundamentals of the language.The training successfully equipped community members with the skills to contribute to the Moore language Wikipedia on the Moore Incubator. The Moore Wikimedia Community nurtures a passionate community of editors and newbies dedicated to preserving and enriching the Moore language. With 38 participants, the workshop showcased the strong commitment of the community to preserve and enrich the Moore language. Read more here.
TACE Wiki Hub Training Workshop[edit]
On August 5, 2023, the Dagbani Wikimedians User Group took a significant stride to foster knowledge sharing and community collaboration by organizing a comprehensive Wikipedia training program for members of the TACE Wiki Hub. The event garnered participation from both beginners and experienced contributors, aiming to equip participants with essential skills and insights into the world of Wikimedia and Wikipedia. Read more here.
BACE Wiki Hub Launch[edit]
On July 30, 2023, the Bagabaga College of Education (BACE) in Tamale witnessed the dawn of a new era as the BACE Wiki Hub officially launched. The event brought participants together with enthusiasm and a shared vision for promoting knowledge and collaboration within the community.
In attendance were some of the team members from the Dagbani Wikimedians User Group, who encouraged participants to embrace the mission of the User Group in digitizing and rewriting our stories as natives of their language. Read more here.
My Kusaal Achiever Editing Contest[edit]
The Kusaal Wikimedia Community, with support from the Dagbani Wikimedians User Group, organized a one-month-long editing competition dubbed the My Kusaal Achiever Editing Contest, from August 27th, 2023, to September 26th, 2023.
The goal of the contest was to enable community members to create and/or improve Wikipedia articles and Wikidata items for notable people (living or dead) whose efforts have contributed to the development and wellbeing of the people from the Kusaug traditional area. Read more here.
Kusaal Wikipedia Workshop at Ajumako Campus of University of Education, Winneba (UEW)[edit]
The Kusaal Wikimedia Community, with support from the Dagbani Wikimedians User Group, held a one-day workshop at the Ajumako Campus of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW) on Saturday, July 1, 2023. This event was the first ever in-person training to be held by the Kusaal Wikimedia Community for its members.
The participants, numbering 47, were students studying Kusaal at the Gur-Gonja Department of the Faculty of Languages at the University of Education, Winneba (UEW) Ajumako campus. Mr. Samuel Asitanga, a teaching assistant at the Kursaal Unit of the department, coordinated the organization of the participants and logistics for the workshop. Read more here.
Introducing Wikipedia to Kusaal Language Teachers[edit]
The Kusaal Education Oversight Committee (KEOC) organized a series of workshops to train teachers in its pilot schools in the Zebila, Binduri and Garu Districts in the Kusaug Traditional Area in the Upper East Region of Ghana. The workshop was to train the teachers on the appropriate methods to employ in teaching the Kusaal language in basic schools.
The organizers of the training, seeing the relevance of Wikipedia in teaching the Kusaal language in schools, partnered with the Kusaal Wikimedia Community to factor in a Wikipedia session in each cohort of the workshops. As such, Musah Fuseini (User:Musahfm), a co-lead for the Kusaal Wikimedia Community, with support from the Dagbani Wikimedians User Group, held a Wikipedia session in each of the three workshop venues. The Zebila, Binduri and Garu sessions were held on March 14th, 19th, and 20th, 2023, respectively. Read more here.
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Students at the University of Education (Ajumako Campus) in Ghana held a session to digitize Africa in the Gurene language. The students who are members of the Gurene Wikimedia Community translated administrative bodies associated with the African Union. The goal of the session was to increase the visibility of Gurene on the internet and to make it easier for Gurene speakers to access information about Africa.
The students’ work is an important step towards digitizing Africa in the Gurene language. By translating the names of these administrative bodies, the students have made it easier for Gurene speakers to understand the structure of the African Union and to participate in its work. Read more here.
Empowering Gurene Wikimedians: A Workshop on Citations and Wikidata Item Creation[edit]
The Gurene Wikimedia Community recently concluded a training workshop on Saturday, July 29, 2023, at the Ajumako campus. The workshop enhanced the knowledge and skills of our community members in adding citations to articles on Gurene Wikipedia and creating Wikidata items for indigenous names of people, villages, and towns in the Upper East region of Ghana.
The training workshop is an essential platform for our community members to gather, interact, and strengthen their understanding of critical aspects of contributing to Gurene Wikipedia and Wikidata. With 25 enthusiastic participants in attendance, the event fostered an environment for collaboration and knowledge sharing. Read more here.
University of Education Gurene students host translation session on environmental articles[edit]
Gurene Wikimedians at the University of Education [Ajumako campus] hosted a translation session on environmentally-related articles.The meeting was held in two sessions: April 7, 2023 in the Central Region of Ghana ,and 1Aprilo10 2023 ,at Bolgatanga Social Center in the Upper East Region of Ghana. In total, over 30 participants participated.
At the Ajumako campus of the University of Education in Ghana, the participants comprised 19 Gurene-learning students, 3 Dagaare-major students, and two facilitators from the community. Bolgatanga Social Centre hosted over 10 participants, excluding its trainer, Akakiiri [Wiki Username]. Read more here.
Dagbani Wikimedians User Group Supports the Dagaare Wikimedia Community to hold their Maiden Physical Workshop in Wa[edit]
In a momentous gathering that marked a turning point for the Dagaare Wikimedia Community, the Dagbaani Wikimedians User Group, in collaboration with dedicated community members, recently organized the community’s Maiden physical meeting in the Upper West Regional Capital of Ghana, Wa. The event served as a platform to introduce participants to the vast world of Wikipedia and ignite their passion for contributing to the Dagaare Wikipedia Incubator. With over 20 enthusiastic attendees, this event proved to be an empowering and enlightening experience for everyone involved. Read more here.
August 2023[edit]
Lexemes play a vital role in language development, the reasons for saying this are not far-fetched, and for that, the Dagbani Wikimedians User Group embarked on this program which sought to create more lexemes for the various parts of speech and also to improve on existing lexemes that lacked senses or forms in the Dagbani language.
Being one of the focus languages selected for the Abstract Wikipedia project, we have had a series of events on Lexemes. We organized an in-person training to train newbies on how to create lexemes and also improve the knowledge of experienced editors.
The Contest ran from August 20 to September 20, 2023, in which 25 active volunteers participated effectively. We recruited new volunteers and recorded 4,860 total lexemes created/improved.
Here is the contest dashboard for detailed statistics.
November 2023[edit]
As part of our ongoing commitment to making Wikimedia projects accessible and user-friendly for a global audience and the indigenous languages for the Mabia languages, we embarked on a translation project on TranslateWiki collaboratively involving our sister language communities.
Various co-leads of our sister language communities including Gurene, Kusaaal, Dagaare, and Moore ,,rganized w owrkshop and took participants through how to translate on trhe tanslate wiki. Audiovisual recordings were shared with the communities to guide them more tandballowathemto participate in the translation.
In order to make experienced editors feel involved, we selected five language experts from each community and engaged them in implementing the project.
A substantial and quality translation was recorded. This localized our language wikis and made them user-friendly to our volunteer base.
The translation yielded 180 pages of translations to 5 different languages.
News Publications[edit]
- Open Data Day 2023 Workshop in Tamale
- Wiki Loves Folklore 2023 in Ghana organized by Global Open Initiative Foundation, Moore and Gurene Wikimedia Communities in Collaboration with Dagbani Wikimedians User Group
- Ghanaian Wikimedia languages meet ups begin in Tamale
- Dagbani Wikimedians User Group holds capacity-building training for its team members at Royal Basin Resort in Kumasi, Ghana
- Dagbani Wikimedians User Group Celebrates Wikidata's 11th Birthday
- Empowering the Moore Wikimedia Community: A Successful Orthography Training Workshop
- Dagbani Wikimedians User Group launches the BACE Wiki Hub at Bagabaga College of Education in Tamale,Ghana
- Kusaal Wikipedia Workshop at Ajumako Campus of University of Education, Winneba (UEW)
- Empowering Gurene Wikimedians: A Workshop on Citations and Wikidata Item Creation
- Dagbani Wikimedians User Group Supports the Dagaare Wikimedia Community to hold their Maiden Physical Workshop in Wa