Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/General Support Fund/Wikimedia Community Kilimanjaro Annual grant 2024-2025/Final Report
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Part 1: Understanding your work
[edit]Per the recent update on the Wikimedia Foundation Affiliates Strategy process, Wikimedia Affiliates that are General Support Fund grantees will fulfill their affiliate reporting requirements through their final or yearly grantee report.
If you are a Wikimedia Affiliate, you will use this form for your affiliate reporting and to address the affiliate health criteria. You do not need to submit a separate report to AffCom. Follow the guidance in the green boxes to report on how you met the corresponding affiliate health criteria.
If you are not a Wikimedia Affiliate, aligning your responses with the affiliate criteria is optional and not required.
1. Please share to what extent your programs, approaches, and strategies contributed to addressing the challenges you shared in your proposal. If they did not contribute as you believed they would, please share what obstacles you faced and what, if anything, you learned from them? (required)
For affiliates, use this space (Question 1.) to address Affiliate Health Criterion 1.1 (Goal delivery). Describe how you actively delivered on mission goals, e.g. content creation.
Yes, Programs, approaches, and strategies helped a lot in solving the challenges we shared in our proposal, such as limited Swahili content, low digital skills, gender imbalance in participation, and weak community connection.
Our main program was the' Monthly' In-Person Editathons. These played a big role in increasing Swahili content on Wikipedia and keeping participants active over time. Through these editathons, we created over 8.57k new articles and improved more than 12.3k articles.
However, we faced some challenges. Many new participants were creating a high number of low-quality articles. To solve this:
- We introduced a Mentorship Program – pairing new contributors with experienced editors to guide them. This helped improve the quality of articles and gave participants more confidence.
- We launched the “There Is an Error, Fix and Contribute” Campaign, which focused on reviewing and fixing errors in published articles. This ongoing campaign continues to improve the overall quality of Swahili Wikipedia content.
2. Let’s Connect Peer Learning Program in Tanzania
Helped strengthen our community by encouraging members to share skills and learn from each other in a collaborative space.
3. Wikimedia Contests and Campaigns
We participated in global campaigns like Wiki Loves Africa and Feminism and Folklore, which helped us reach wider audiences and attract new contributors. However, during these campaigns, we observed that very few women participated. To address this challenge, we introduced a new program called Wiki Malkia.
- Wiki Malkia is designed to create safe and welcoming spaces for women to participate in the Wikimedia movement.
- It provides them with dedicated support, training, and opportunities to contribute freely and confidently.
- This program is also a community-led initiative aligned with the Wikimedia Movement’s focus on gender equity and ensuring that women become strong, active contributors to Wikimedia projects.
4. Community Gatherings
These regular meetings gave us a chance to reflect, share feedback, solve problems together, and keep our community connected and motivated.
These programs helped us meet and even go beyond our targets, especially in article creation, skills development, and community engagement. We also learned that combining regular training, mentorship, targeted campaigns, and inclusive spaces like Wiki Malkia is key to building a strong, diverse, and sustainable Wikimedia community.
2. Is there a plan to build on the key successes you had? If yes, please describe the plan and if no, please share the limitations to do so. For instance, did the activities lead to any new priorities, ideas for activities, or goals for the future? (required)
Yes, we have clear plans to build on the key successes from our previous activities. The achievements so far have shaped new priorities and inspired future programs focused on growth, inclusion, content quality, and community collaboration. Below are our key plans for 2025–2026 and beyond:
1. Swahili Content Creation and Improvement
Wiki Monthly Edit-a-thon 2025–2026: We will continue organizing monthly editathons focusing on Swahili content creation and improvement, especially on topics relevant to the Kilimanjaro region like local history, culture, geography, and development.
There Is an Error, Fix, and Contribute Campaign. This ongoing campaign will continue helping contributors identify and correct errors in Swahili Wikipedia articles. It promotes quality and engages new editors in a meaningful way.
2. Empowering Women Contributors and Leaders
Wiki Malkia (“Wiki Queens”) Program: This program was launched after noticing low female participation in past campaigns. It provides a dedicated space for women to contribute, receive mentorship, attend leadership trainings, and grow as active members of the Wikimedia movement. It also recognizes outstanding women contributors.
Feminism and Folklore Tanzania: We plan to continue participating in this global campaign through edit-a-thons, writing contests, and photo walks focused on Tanzanian feminism and folklore. It also serves as a platform to engage more women in editing.
3. Building Local Capacity Through Collaboration Let’s Connect: Inclusive Collaboration Space We will expand this collaboration hub to bring together groups like Wikimedia Community User Group Tanzania, Jenga Wikipedia ya Kiswahili, University Student Wikimedians, and Wikimedians of Arusha. This space encourages shared learning, planning, and support across communities.
Training and Mentorship Regular workshops will be organized to help both new and existing editors build skills in editing, sourcing, and leadership. The goal is to support editor retention and community growth.
4. Partnerships and Technology:
Access Partnership with Reneal International Education Outreach. Reneal is a key partner that supports our work by providing computers to government schools in Tanzania. These computers are loaded with a wide range of educational materials, including offline Wikipedia (Kiwix).Role: Reneal supplies the devices and ensures they are equipped with Kiwix, which allows students and teachers to access Wikipedia without needing internet.
Collaboration: We work closely with Reneal to ensure that both students and teachers are trained on how to use these materials effectively. We also teach them how to search and find useful information from Wikipedia and other educational content available on the computers.
Impact: This partnership allows us to reach schools in remote or low-connectivity areas, promoting access to knowledge, digital literacy, and educational growth through the use of Wikimedia resources.
5. New Priorities and Long-Term GoalsExpand outreach to schools and rural communities.
- Strengthen women’s participation and leadership in Wikimedia.
- Focus on high-quality content and regular article review.
- Build a sustainable community through mentorship and leadership development.
- Seek more local partnerships and support to scale activities.
3. Please provide a link to reports that detail the activities that took place in the last year. This can include an annual report, Meta pages, and websites. If there are no links available, briefly describe the implemented activities and programs below or upload any files. (required)
For affiliates, use this space (Question 3.) to address Affiliate Health Criteria 2.1 (Affiliate health & resilience), 4.1 (Internal engagement), 4.2 (Community connection), and 4.3 (Partnerships and collaboration):
- Describe your activities engaging new users, new members for your decision-making body(ies), and developing leaders and organizers (2.1).
- Describe your activities creating or hosting spaces to encourage greater collaboration and engagement among your members (4.1).
- Describe how you engage with the contributing community that you serve and/or support (4.2).
- Describe your partnerships with other affiliates or with non-Wikimedia entities (4.3).
4. Are you interested in sharing what you achieved or learned this year with the wider community through different peer learning programs (e.g. Let's Connect program, Diff)? (optional)
Yes, we are very interested in sharing what we achieved and learned this year with the wider Wikimedia community through peer learning platforms such as the Let’s Connect program and Diff.
We believe that sharing our experiences from running monthly edit-a-thons, launching Wiki Malkia to empower women, improving article quality through mentorship and error-fixing campaigns, and collaborating with Reneal to bring offline Wikipedia to schools can inspire and support other communities facing similar challenges.
We are especially excited to:
- Share our successes and challenges in increasing Swahili content.
- Highlight how targeted mentorship and inclusive spaces like Wiki Malkia have improved engagement.
- Offer insights on how offline access (Kiwix) and partnerships can promote Wikipedia use in schools with limited internet.
5. Did you collect feedback from your community or target groups on how the activities implemented impacted them? If yes, please attach/provide information on the results (e.g. community surveys, stories, impact booklets/reports, interviews with partner institutions, etc). Did you collect other impact-specific data? (required)
For affiliates, the response to Question 5. also partially addresses Affiliate Health Criteria 4.1 (Internal Engagement), 4.2 (Community Connection), or 4.3 (Partnerships & collaboration), where applicable.
Yes, we collected feedback from our community and target groups to understand how our activities impacted them. We used different methods such as informal interviews, participant reflections, community stories, and feedback sessions during events. Below are some highlights and standout stories that show the results and impact of our work:
Standout Stories and Examples
[edit]Bridging the Digital Divide: Offline Wikipedia in Tanzanian Schools
[edit]In Tanzania, where internet access is often limited, the Wikimedia Community Kilimanjaro team, in partnership with Reneal International Education Outreach, installed offline Wikipedia (Kiwix) servers in over 99 schools. This initiative has made it possible for thousands of students and teachers, especially in underserved areas, to access educational materials and free knowledge.
"Now, even without the internet, our students can learn so much using the offline Wikipedia server. It has become a library in our computer lab."A school teacher in Kilimanjaro.
Volunteer Organizer Story
[edit]One of our volunteer organizers shared:
"Being part of organizing workshops has boosted my confidence. I’ve learned how to choose venues with reliable electricity and create a welcoming environment for participants."
This shows how our programs not only support knowledge sharing but also develop local leadership and organizational skills.
New Contributor – Emmy’s Story
[edit]"I never thought I could contribute to Wikipedia. I thought it was only for experts. Today, I’m happy to join and learn all this. I will participate more!": Emmy, new participant.
This feedback demonstrates how our activities are breaking the myth that Wikipedia is only for experts, making it more accessible and welcoming for everyone.
Championing Open Culture: A Tanzanian Voice on the Global Stage
[edit]In 2023, our team was selected as an ambassador for the CC Open Culture Platform, a global space for cultural heritage and open access advocates. This recognition shows that our local efforts are gaining international visibility and influence, especially in promoting open culture from an African perspective.
Sense of Belonging and Community Building
[edit]A new participant shared:
"I’ve never eaten food like this or been part of such a great event with my peers. I’m amazed! I’ll tell others to join."
This reflects how our events are creating a strong sense of community, belonging, and joy, important factors for long-term participation and inclusion.
6. During the fund period, did your efforts do any of the following? (required):
For affiliates, the response to Question 6. also partially addresses Affiliate Health Criterion 2.2 (Diversity balance).
- 6.1 Bring in participants from the following groups: women, people with disabilities, indigenous groups , young people, speakers of minority languages, underrepresented geographical regions (ESEAP, LATAM, SSA, MENA, SA)
- 6.2 Develop content about the following underrepresented topics or groups of people: women, people with disabilities, indigenous groups, speakers of minority languages, underrepresented geographical regions (ESEAP, LATAM, SSA, MENA, SA)
- 6.3 Support the retention of: Editors, Organizers, Partnerships
7. What, if any, effective tactics or approaches can you share that worked well when dealing with the programs under points 6.1-6.3 that you selected? (optional)
Several approaches worked well in engaging and supporting underrepresented groups and retaining contributors:
Targeted Programs for Inclusion
[edit]- The Wiki Malkia program created a safe and welcoming space for women, offering leadership training, mentorship, and recognition. This helped increase women's participation and confidence.
- Inclusive edit-a-thons such as Feminism and Folklore Tanzania encouraged contributions related to gender, indigenous culture, and local traditions.
Mentorship and Peer Support
[edit]- We introduced a mentorship model to guide new editors—especially youth, women, and people from disadvantaged backgrounds. This helped them overcome fear or lack of experience with Wikipedia and boosted retention.
Offline Access through Partnerships
[edit]- By partnering with Reneal International Education Outreach, we provided schools with offline Wikipedia (Kiwix), reaching young people in rural and low-resource settings. We also trained teachers and students on how to access and use this content, ensuring long-term impact.
Welcoming Community Events
We designed events to be social, inclusive, and beginner-friendly, with food, fun, and group activities that built trust and encouraged people to return and invite others.
8. If you developed partnerships, which of the following factors most helped you to build partnerships? Please pick a MAXIMUM of the three most relevant factors (optional):
Volunteers from our communities, Partners proactive interest, Other
Part 2: Metrics
[edit]| Metrics name | Target | Result | Comments and tools used |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of all participants | 107 | 128 | outreachdashboard |
| Number of all editors | 100 | 128 | We achieved a 50% retention rate (64 out of 128 participants), meaning these editors continued contributing at least one month after the activities. This surpasses our target of 40 editors and shows growing interest and sustained engagement.
Tools Used or Comments To track this result, we used: Participant lists Participant engagement tracking including follow-ups via WhatsApp, mentorship, and email. Outreach Dashboard to monitor editing activity, contributions, and user retention. While this is a strong result, we aim to further improve retention especially among women editors by learning from best practices in other Wikimedia communities. |
| Number of new editors | 50 | 71 | |
| Number of retained editors | 40 | 64 | |
| Number of all organizers | 7 | 7 | We reached our target of 7 organizers. Using the participant list and engagement tracking records, we identified individuals who consistently demonstrated commitment and initiative. These individuals expressed genuine interest in volunteering beyond participation, and we selected them as new organizers for the coming year. |
| Number of new organizers | 2 | 2 |
| Wikimedia project | Target - Number of created pages | Target - Number of improved pages | Result - Number of created pages | Result - Number of improved pages |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia | 1000 | 500 | 8570 | 12300 |
| Wikimedia Commons | 300 | 400 | 227 | 227 |
| Wikidata | 200 | 500 | 150 | 500 |
| Wiktionary | ||||
| Wikisource | ||||
| Wikimedia Incubator | ||||
| Translatewiki | ||||
| MediaWiki | ||||
| Wikiquote | ||||
| Wikivoyage | ||||
| Wikibooks | ||||
| Wikiversity | ||||
| Wikinews | ||||
| Wikispecies | ||||
| Wikifunctions or Abstract Wikipedia |
Tool used and comments (optional):
11. Did you set other quantitative and qualitative targets for your project (other metrics)? (required): No
11.1. Other Metrics.
In your application, you outlined some other open metrics that you would like to measure. Please fill out the achieved results for each of the open metrics you defined.
| Other Metrics name | Metrics Description | Target | Result | Tools and comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| People reached on social media | Estimated number of people we should reach though our social media channeles by the end of the project | 1000 | ||
| institutions partnerships | strategic partnerships with public universities in Kilimanjaro and non-profit organizations will be forged through formal agreements. Building these partnerships will contribute to the longer-term sustainability of Wikimedia activities and the expansion of the community in our focus region. | 4 | ||
Part 3: Skill Development / Capacity Building
[edit]12. Reflecting on your programmatic (external) and organizational (internal) work, did your grant support you to undergo any skill development that made a difference to your success? If yes, what skill was developed, and how did it lead to success? (e.g. received coaching on public speaking, attended training on nonviolent communication, hosted professional development conversations on leadership, learned and used a new tool for project management, etc.)? Can you share any materials? (required)
For affiliates, use this space (Question 12.) to address Affiliate Health Criteria 2.2 (Diversity balance) and 3.1 (Diverse, Skilled, and Accountable Leadership):
- Describe actions taken to prioritize gender balance in affiliate leadership, as well as any areas of diversity relevant to your affiliate's context (2.2).
- Describe the management, financial, or other leadership skills of your affiliate leaders. If you have a succession plan, please include it here (3.1).
- Describe any training or skill development (as outlined in the question above) (3.1).
- Incorporate into the annual report a disclosure of conflict of interests (if any) from the leadership (3.1).
Yes, absolutely. The grant enabled us to strengthen our team in several important areas. One of the most impactful was leadership and community organizing skills. Through programs like the Let’s Connect Peer Learning Program, our leaders learned how to better coordinate activities, engage volunteers, and respond to community needs more inclusively.
Additionally, we hosted internal training sessions on:
- Conflict resolution and inclusive communication, which helped us create safer and more welcoming spaces.
- Project and financial management, improving how we track progress and report on impact.
- Mentorship and coaching, which strengthened our ability to support newcomers—especially women—into active contributors.
This growth directly contributed to our success in programs like Wiki Malkia and edit-a-thons, because we were better prepared to listen, adapt, and lead with care.
We also worked with partners like Reneal Outreach to learn more about digital education tools and how to effectively train teachers and students in low-connectivity areas using Kiwix
We’re proud to say that gender balance is a key priority in our leadership structure. Our leadership team includes a majority of women and youth, many of whom began as volunteers and grew into leadership through mentorship. This helps ensure that decisions are made with diverse perspectives in mind.
We also reflect regional and linguistic diversity, which helps us respond effectively to the realities of our communities. Our leaders are trained not just in technical skills but also in community care, ensuring accountability, transparency, and empathy in all our work.
We currently do not have any declared conflicts of interest in our leadership.
13. What is one capacity/skill area that you would like to focus on for the next year? And how do you plan to achieve this capacity? (required)
In the coming year, we want to focus on improving our skills in storytelling and digital documentation. We’ve realized that while we’re doing impactful work, we struggle to capture and share our stories in ways that resonate globally. To address this, we plan to:
- Attend or host workshops on digital storytelling and media production.
- Train community members to write blogs, create short videos, and use platforms like Diff and social media to highlight impact.
- Collaborate with experienced storytellers in the Wikimedia movement to mentor our volunteers.
This will help us document our journey more m
14. If you have additional information or reflections that don’t fit into the above sections, please write them here. Use the space below to upload any additional documents that would be useful to understand your report.
For affiliates, also use this section (Question 14) to fulfill the Affiliate Health Criteria requirements.
- Describe and link to any public-facing documentation for affiliate governance, including affiliate leadership and membership with a breakdown of the demographics; how elections are conducted; how conflicts of interest are declared; and how decisions are made and communicated (2.2, 2.3, 3.1).
- Describe and link to any public-facing documentation for activities incorporating, promoting awareness about, or enforcing the Universal Code of Conduct in your affiliate's activities (3.3).
- Describe and link to any public-facing documentation for internal membership engagement, such as notes from your regular meetings and how you communicate to or involve your membership (4.1).
Part 4: Financial reporting
[edit]For affiliates, also use this section (Part 4: Financial reporting) to address Affiliate Health Criterion 3.2 (Financial & Legal Compliance).
| Description | Planned / received budget for this category (TZS) | Amount spent (TZS) |
|---|---|---|
| Personnel costs | 18150000 | 18518500 |
| Operational costs | 3355000 | 3355000 |
| Programmatic costs | 19745000 | 16976500 |
| Total General Support Fund | 42740280 | 38850000 |
| Other revenue | 210737 | |
| Remaining funds from General Support Fund | N/A |
15. Please state the total amount spent from this fund in your local currency. (required)
38850000 TZS
16. Please provide an overview of the amount spent from this fund in the following budget categories in your local currency. (required)
- Operational costs: 3355000 TZS
- Programmatic costs: 16976500 TZS
- Staff and contractor costs: 18518500 TZS
17. Did you have any other revenue sources (e.g. other funding, membership contributions, donations)? (required): No
- 17.1. Provide the total amount received from other revenue sources in your local currency. (required): 210737 TZS
- 17.2. Provide the total amount spent from other revenue sources in your local currency. (required): TZS
18. Provide a financial report document which will provide the details of funds received and spent in the currency of your fund. (required)
- Upload Documents, Templates, and Files.
- Report funds received and spent, if template not used.
18.2. If you have not already done so in your financial spending report, provide information on changes in the budget in relation to your original proposal. (optional)
N/A
19. Do you have any unspent funds from this funding?: No
20. Final confirmations (required)
- 20.1. Are you in compliance with the terms outlined in the fund agreement? You must be in compliance 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 Wikimedia Foundation mission and for charitable/nonprofit/educational purposes.
- Yes
- 20.2. Are you in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations as outlined in the grant agreement?
- Yes
- 20.3. 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
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