Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/African & Proud General Support./Final Report
Report Status: Under review
Due date: 2024-01-31T00:00:00Z
Funding program: Wikimedia Community Fund
Report type: Final
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General information[edit]
This form is for organizations, groups, or individuals receiving Wikimedia Community Funds or Wikimedia Alliances Funds to report on their final results.
- Name of Organization: African & Proud (archived)
- Title of Proposal: African & Proud General Support.
- Amount awarded: 22200 USD, 8264462 NGN
- Amount spent: 8842960 NGN
Part 1 Understanding your work[edit]
1. Briefly describe how your proposed activities and strategies were implemented.
The proposed activities were implemented through a focused strategy on digital representation and promotion of African languages, cultures, and cuisines. This was achieved through the development and delivery of online content and training programs. The Afrocuisine program, aimed at documenting African cuisines, utilized platforms like Wikibooks, Wikipedia, and Wikimedia Commons, it was implemented through a training approach followed through by an editathon which aimed at further engaging participants to practice hands-on what they have learnt from the training.
The Afroyanga Bootcamp provided residential training, fostering deep engagement by reducing travel hassles for participants, helped for engagement, capacity building, community building, the bootcamp saw various Wikimedians (old and new) from different region, come together to share knowledge and promote unity.
Despite challenges such as limited resources, which restricted the production of more training videos on the LMS covering other Wikimedia platforms, the activities broadly succeeded in enhancing the digital presence of African heritage. The LMS (Learning Management System) project was a key initiative, focusing on developing an open-source LMS website under African & Proud. This platform provided digitalization video learning resources and training materials on editing across Wikimedia projects, we started with Wikipedia, this has assisted new learners and editors and has served as a follow up training tool for new and existing editors. It was designed to support capacity building and skill development, contributing significantly to the overall objectives of African & Proud.
2. Were there any strategies or approaches that you felt were effective in achieving your goals?
The bootcamp structure of the Afroyanga Bootcamp was particularly effective, creating a conducive environment for participants and facilitating in-person engagement without the complications of daily travel, this also really helped for capacity building and knowledge sharing. Participants were able to share their knowledge on their wikis and share in the knowledge of wiki from others.
Concentrating on specific themes like African cuisines under the Afrocuisine program allowed for the creation of detailed and rich content. The hands-on approach in these programs was effective, although it highlighted the necessity for improved resource allocation and management.
Having a Learning Management system is also one approach that we find really useful as the LMS has not only proven worthy for us as African and Proud, but other communities and Wikimedians at large have been able to share in the knowledge from the LMS.
3. Would you say that your project had any innovations? Are there things that you did very differently than you have seen them done by others?
The project introduced several innovations, particularly in its training methodologies and incentive structures. For example, it employed a residential bootcamp format, which is not commonly seen in similar programs, enhancing participant commitment and learning outcomes. The use of digital tools for online training and content development was also tailored to the needs of the participants, accommodating various levels of digital literacy.
The LMS is also an innovation to our projects and other projects, as Project lead for other projects also share in the LMS, by engaging new editors to use the LMS as a follow up training resource after the inperson/virtual training session.
4. Please describe how different communities participated and/or were informed about your work.
Wikimedia Nigeria group as well as the languages group, including mission aligned groups were all duly notified on their pages and the information was shared with them via Whatsapp and telegram.
The Afroyanga Bootcamp particularly thrived in the fact that different community participated, each community in Nigeria participated in the bootcamp.
Different communities were engaged through online platforms and in-person events. The outreach dashboard served as a hub for tracking participation and progress. Communities were informed through social media, direct outreach, and partnerships with local organizations. Efforts were made to include underrepresented groups by providing resources in multiple languages and offering training tailored to their needs.
5. Documentation of your impact. Please use the two spaces below to share files and links that help tell your story and impact. This can be documentation that shows your results through testimonies, videos, sound files, images (photos and infographics, etc.) social media posts, dashboards, etc.
- Upload Documents and Files
- Here is an additional field to type in URLs.
https://learn.africanandproud.org/ - Link to Learning Management System
6. To what extent do you agree with the following statements regarding the work carried out with the support of this Fund? You can choose “not applicable” if your work does not relate to these goals.
| A. Bring in participants from underrepresented groups | Strongly agree |
| B. Create a more inclusive and connected culture in our community | Strongly agree |
| C. Develop content about underrepresented topics/groups | Agree |
| D. Develop content from underrepresented perspectives | Agree |
| E. Encourage the retention of editors | Strongly agree |
| F. Encourage the retention of organizers | Agree |
| G. Increased participants' feelings of belonging and connection to the movement. | Strongly agree |
7. Is there anything else you would like to share about how your efforts helped to bring in participants and/or build out content, particularly for underrepresented groups?
Our efforts to engage underrepresented groups included creating content in local African languages and focusing on cultural topics that resonate with these communities. We faced challenges in participation due to limited internet access and digital literacy.
Our effort at identifying local content gap helped in really bringing on participation from underrepresented groups, cause an average underrepresented group individual loves their culture so much and we leveraged on that.
Part 2: Your main learning[edit]
8. In your application, you outlined your learning priorities. What did you learn about these areas during this period?
One of the important learning for us is the reason/challenge Africans (beginning with Nigerians) face with editing Wikipedia and her sisters project and we were really able to go deep into this during the Afroyanga bootcamp as participants shared their experience and challenge, one that stood out was some persons consider some of the Wikipedia admins as being harsh or they feel sad when they have their article deleted, we were able to discuss on how well to handle conflicts and react when articles get deleted amongst other challenge that might occur.
We also learnt that in-person (residential) training mode like we had during Afroyanga was the most effective training method, as the learning curve was faster and it fostered capacity building as well as knowledge sharing.
9. Did anything unexpected or surprising happen when implementing your activities?
One surprising incident that happened while implementing our activities was when we announced the Afroyanga bootcamp and put out the registration and in about 24hrs, we had over 150 applicant, this really emphasized the need to allocate more resource for the bootcamp.
Post the bootcamp, people kept asking for 2.0 version of the bootcamp.
Another unexpected occurrence was the security incident involving a participant being robbed while leaving the bootcamp. This highlighted the need for considering the safety of participants beyond the immediate scope of the program. The incident led us to implement additional safety measures and to ensure participants had safe transport options when leaving our events, although we recognise this is outside of our control but after the first incident we made participants more self aware and security conscious.
10. How do you hope to use this learning? For instance, do you have any new priorities, ideas for activities, or goals for the future?
We plan to apply this learning by further refining our training methodologies to ensure they are accessible and engaging for all participants, regardless of their background. The insights gained from both successful and challenging experiences will inform future program designs, with an increased focus on safety, inclusivity, and resource management.
We want to expand our curriculum during the Afroyanga bootcamp to allow for more lengths to cover
11. If you were sitting with a friend to tell them one thing about your work during this fund, what would it be (think of inspiring or fascinating moments, tough challenges, interesting anecdotes, or anything that feels important to you)?
I would share the story of how the Afroyanga Bootcamp transformed the way participants viewed and interacted with African cultural content online. It's not just about adding information to the internet; it's about building a community that values and actively preserves its rich heritage. I will also speak about how the LMS has now been utilised by project leads to engage their project participants post training.
12. Please share resources that would be useful to share with other Wikimedia organizations so that they can learn from, adapt or build upon your work. For instance, guides, training material, presentations, work processes, or any other material the team has created to document and transfer knowledge about your work and can be useful for others. Please share any specific resources that you are creating, adapting/contextualizing in ways that are unique to your context (i.e. training material).
- Upload Documents and Files
- Here is an additional field to type in URLs.
- N/A
Part 3: Metrics[edit]
13a. Open and additional metrics data
| Open Metrics | Description | Target | Results | Comments | Methodology |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Participants | Afroyanga - 10 participants
AfroCuisine - at least 70 participants (30 participants during the physical edit-a-thon, and at least 40 participants would join the event remotely) Other (social media reach) - at least 50 participants |
130 | Afroyanga:30 Participants. Afrocuisine: 80 participants (38 Online + 42 Onsite). Social Media Reach: Over 100 | We were able to meet our target | Outreach Dashboard - https://outreachdashboard.wmflabs.org/courses/Afroyanga_Cultural_Enlightenment_Initiative/AfroCuisine
Headcount and registration form at physical event. |
| Number of Editors | This will include editors who will participate in contest and writing | 130 | 100 | Over 100 editors participated in contest and writing, from Afrocuisine, Afroyanga Bootcamp and even usage of LMS | Outreach dashboard - https://outreachdashboard.wmflabs.org/courses/Afroyanga_Cultural_Enlightenment_Initiative/Afroyanga_1.0
Meta Page: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/AfroCuisine https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Afroyanga_Bootcamp LMS Backoffice: learn.africanandproud.org |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Additional Metrics | Description | Target | Results | Comments | Methodology |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of editors that continue to participate/retained after activities | At least 25% of participants would be retained after activities. They will be inducted into the mentorship program. | 33 | 50 | We have a community of mentorship and fellows called Afroyanga fellows, this comprises of participants that are retained after activities. | WhatsApp group.
Afroyanga Mailing list |
| Number of organizers that continue to participate/retained after activities | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Number of strategic partnerships that contribute to longer term growth, diversity and sustainability | Strategic partnership with Wiki-in-Africa, AFROCROWD, Wikimedia Nigeria. | 3 | 3 | All partners were involved | N/A |
| Feedback from participants on effective strategies for attracting and retaining contributors | Strategic monitoring, evaluation and learning surveys carried out at the start of each project, at the end of the project and 3-months after the end of each project to monitor participant's feedback on things that can be done better, added or removed which will lead to the attracting and retaining of contributors. | 10 | 20 | We continued to engage Participants 3month after the bootcamp and 20 participants participated actively | WhatsApp, Zoom call, Email list |
| Diversity of participants brought in by grantees | Participants for all events would be spread across all diverse groups in Nigeria (Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba) | 3 | 3 | Most community in Nigeria all participated (Igbo, Yoruba and Hausa) | N/A |
| Number of people reached through social media publications | Social media advertisements and publications about all of our projects (At least 500 impressions from our online advertisement // At least 2.35% conversion rate) | 12 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Number of activities developed | At least 2 distinct activities will be developed | 2 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Number of volunteer hours | African & Proud Administrative assistant (Yet to be filled Role); He/She is responsible for supporting the co-founders and staff, assisting with daily needs, and managing the organization’s general administrative activities. Organizationally he/she will act as the point of contact for internal and external persons, answering and directing phone calls. | 1 | N/A | Demilade Ajala served as the administrative assistant | N/A |
13b. Additional core metrics data.
| Core metrics | Description | Target | Results | Comments | Methodology |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of participants | Afroyanga - 10 participants
AfroCuisine - at least 70 participants (30 participants during the physical edit-a-thon, and at least 40 participants would join the event remotely) Other (social media reach) - at least 50 participants |
130 | 240 | Afroyanga:30 Participants. Afrocuisine: 80 participants (38 Online + 42 Onsite). Social Media Reach: Over 100 | Google link, Outreach dashboard |
| Number of editors | This will include editors who will participate in contest and writing | 200 | 150 | ||
| Number of organizers | N/A |
| Wikimedia Project | Description | Target | Results | Comments | Methodology |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia | (English Wikipedia) Number of articles created/improved - 350 // (Igbo Wikipedia) Number of articles created/translated/improved - 300 // (Yoruba Wikipedia) Number of articles created/translated/improved - 350 | 1000 | 6361 | Afrocuisine: 694 created / edited
Afroyanga Bootcamp: 5667 articles created/edited |
https://outreachdashboard.wmflabs.org/courses/Afroyanga_Cultural_Enlightenment_Initiative/AfroCuisine |
| Wikibooks | Specifically on the cookbooks of Wikibooks | 500 | 660 | 308 articles were created on cookbook
352 artticles were edited and improved |
https://outreachdashboard.wmflabs.org/courses/Afroyanga_Cultural_Enlightenment_Initiative/AfroCuisine |
| Wikimedia Commons | Adding photos on cuisines on Wikimedia Commons | 500 | 788 | N/A | N/A |
| Wikipedia | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
14. Were there any metrics in your proposal that you could not collect or that you had to change?
No
15. If you have any difficulties collecting data to measure your results, please describe and add any recommendations on how to address them in the future.
N/A
16. Use this space to link or upload any additional documents that would be useful to understand your data collection (e.g., dashboards, surveys you have carried out, communications material, training material, etc).
- Upload Documents and Files
- LMS_Analysis.docx
- Here is an additional field to type in URLs.
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Afroyanga_Bootcamp
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/AfroCuisine
Part 4: Organizational capacities & partnerships[edit]
17. Organizational Capacity
| A. Financial capacity and management | This capacity has grown but it should be further developed |
| B. Conflict management or transformation | This has grown over the last year, the capacity is high |
| C. Leadership (i.e growing in potential leaders, leadership that fit organizational needs and values) | This has grown over the last year, the capacity is high |
| D. Partnership building | This capacity has grown but it should be further developed |
| E. Strategic planning | This capacity has grown but it should be further developed |
| F. Program design, implementation, and management | This has grown over the last year, the capacity is high |
| G. Scoping and testing new approaches, innovation | This capacity has grown but it should be further developed |
| H. Recruiting new contributors (volunteer) | This has grown over the last year, the capacity is high |
| I. Support and growth path for different types of contributors (volunteers) | This capacity has grown but it should be further developed |
| J. Governance | This capacity has grown but it should be further developed |
| K. Communications, marketing, and social media | This capacity has grown but it should be further developed |
| L. Staffing - hiring, monitoring, supporting in the areas needed for program implementation and sustainability | This capacity has grown but it should be further developed |
| M. On-wiki technical skills | This capacity has grown but it should be further developed |
| N. Accessing and using data | This capacity has grown but it should be further developed |
| O. Evaluating and learning from our work | This has grown over the last year, the capacity is high |
| P. Communicating and sharing what we learn with our peers and other stakeholders | This has grown over the last year, the capacity is high |
| N/A | |
| N/A |
17a. Which of the following factors most helped you to build capacities? Please pick a MAXIMUM of the three most relevant factors.
Formal training provided by a Wikimedia Movement organizing group (i.e., Affiliates, Grantees, Regional or Thematic Hub, etc.), Peer to peer learning with other community members in conferences/events, Peer to peer learning with other community members in community/ies of practice* (structured and continuous learning and sharing spaces)
17b. Which of the following factors hindered your ability to build capacities? Please pick a MAXIMUM of the three most relevant factors.
Barriers to access training because of connectivity or equipment
18. Is there anything else you would like to share about how your organizational capacity has grown, and areas where you require support?
Our organization has really grown in terms of capacity, our distinct project has helped us built a massive capacity. We might require support going into other African country as this is our long term goal and that is why we have started with Nigeria.
19. Partnerships over the funding period.
| A. We built strategic partnerships with other institutions or groups that will help us grow in the medium term (3 year time frame) | Agree |
| B. The partnerships we built with other institutions or groups helped to bring in more contributors from underrepresented groups | Strongly agree |
| C. The partnerships we built with other institutions or groups helped to build out more content on underrepresented topics/groups | Agree |
19a. Which of the following factors most helped you to build partnerships? Please pick a MAXIMUM of the three most relevant factors.
Institutional support from the Wikimedia Foundation, Volunteers from our communities, Partners proactive interest
19b. Which of the following factors hindered your ability to build partnerships? Please pick a MAXIMUM of the three most relevant factors.
Lack of interest from partners
20. Please share your learning about strategies to build partnerships with other institutions and groups and any other learning about working with partners?
Look for mission aligned institution to build partnerships with. Do a proper follow up Carefully align the goals of Wikimedia Foundation and how all can benefit
Part 5: Sense of belonging and collaboration[edit]
21. What would it mean for your organization to feel a sense of belonging to the Wikimedia or free knowledge movement?
A sense of belonging for our organization within the Wikimedia or free knowledge movement would mean that our contributions are recognized as integral to the global pursuit of knowledge sharing. It would mean that our work in documenting and preserving African cultural heritage is valued and supported, and that our voice is heard in the larger conversations about the future of open knowledge.
22. How has your (for individual grantees) or your group/organization’s (for organizational grantees) sense of belonging to the Wikimedia or free knowledge movement changed over the fund period?
Increased significantly
23. If you would like to, please share why it has changed in this way.
Our works are duly noted, Wikimedia Foundation as an organization is ever willing to listen and share in our knowledge.
24. How has your group/organization’s sense of personal investment in the Wikimedia or free knowledge movement changed over the fund period?
Somewhat increased
25. If you would like to, please share why it has changed in this way.
The happiness of the organization is to see us build the free knowledge movement and take it from where it currently is to where we see it to be and our organization's personal investment has shown to yield fruition.
26. Are there other movements besides the Wikimedia or free knowledge movement that play a central role in your motivation to contribute to Wikimedia projects? (for example, Black Lives Matter, Feminist movement, Climate Justice, or other activism spaces) If so, please describe it below.
N/A
Supporting Peer Learning and Collaboration[edit]
We are interested in better supporting peer learning and collaboration in the movement.
27. Have you shared these results with Wikimedia affiliates or community members?
Yes
27a. Please describe how you have already shared them. Would you like to do more sharing, and if so how?
We have a mailing list where we share results with all community members, we also have a maintained Whatsapp group for such conversations.
28. How often do you currently share what you have learned with other Wikimedia Foundation grantees, and learn from them?
We do this regularly (at least once a month)
29. How does your organization currently share mutual learning with other grantees?
We provide support, Question and Answer session with other grantees and personal and direct communication.
Part 6: Financial reporting and compliance[edit]
30. Please state the total amount spent in your local currency.
8842960
31. Local currency type
NGN
32. Please report the funds received and spending in the currency of your fund.
- Upload Documents, Templates, and Files.
- Report funds received and spent, if template not used.
33. If you have not already done so in your budget report, please provide information on changes in the budget in relation to your original proposal.
N/A
34. Do you have any unspent funds from the Fund?
34a. Please list the amount and currency you did not use and explain why.
212.80
34b. What are you planning to do with the underspent funds?
B. Propose to use them to partially or fully fund a new/future grant request with PO approval
34c. Please provide details of hope to spend these funds.
Added to 2024 grant.
35. Are you in compliance with the terms outlined in the fund agreement?
As required in the fund agreement, please report any deviations from your fund proposal here. Note that, among other things, any changes must be consistent with our WMF mission, must be for charitable purposes as defined in the grant agreement, and must otherwise comply with the grant agreement.
36. Are you in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations as outlined in the grant agreement?
Yes
37. Are you in compliance with provisions of the United States Internal Revenue Code (“Code”), and with relevant tax laws and regulations restricting the use of the Funds as outlined in the grant agreement? In summary, this is to confirm that the funds were used in alignment with the WMF mission and for charitable/nonprofit/educational purposes.
Yes
38. If you have additional recommendations or reflections that don’t fit into the above sections, please write them here.