Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/Rapid Fund/2024 WLM in Zambia (ID: 22751417)/Final Report

2024 WLM in Zambia

Rapid Fund Final Report

Report Status: Under review

Due date: 31 December 2024

Funding program: Rapid Fund

Report type: Final

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General information

Applicant username: Revention24
Organization name: N/A
Amount awarded: 2200
Amount spent: 2852.32 USD, 74629.87

Part 1: Project and impact

1. Describe the implemented activities and results achieved. Additionally, share which approaches were most effective in supporting you to achieve the results. (required)

It was hard to implement the project, especially when it came to partnerships and some of the logistical challenges during our upload sessions. Despite the difficulties, we managed to pull through and achieve meaningful results. Here’s an overview of what we implemented and what we plan for the future: Partnerships: Forming and managing partnerships was a challenge as some organizations we approached were initially hesitant to collaborate. However, with persistence and clear communication about the project’s goals, we managed to secure a few key partnerships. These collaborations played an essential role in providing access to historical sites and adding credibility to the documentation process.

Upload Sessions: Our upload sessions were critical but came with their own set of issues, primarily related to slow internet speeds and participants struggling with the technical aspects of uploading photos to Wikimedia Commons. To address this, we had to extend the sessions and provide one-on-one support, which delayed the process but ultimately ensured that all participants successfully contributed their work.

Workshops and Training: Training sessions were conducted to teach participants photography basics and how to upload content. Despite initial nerves and a steep learning curve for some, participants showed great determination and improved their skills significantly by the end of the sessions.

Photo Walks: Organizing photo walks to local monuments was one of the highlights of the project. While we faced challenges with transportation and access to some sites, these walks allowed participants to experience the beauty of Zambia’s heritage firsthand and capture high-quality images.

Awareness Campaigns: We used social media, WhatsApp groups, and word-of-mouth to promote the competition. Although the turnout was lower than expected, those who participated showed great commitment and enthusiasm for the cause.

Results Achieved:

Numerous high-quality photos of Zambia’s monuments were uploaded to Wikimedia Commons, increasing representation of our heritage online.

Participants gained valuable skills in photography and Wikimedia contribution, building a foundation for future projects.

Partnerships, while difficult to establish, opened doors for future collaboration and resource-sharing.

Planned Activities Building on the lessons learned, here are the activities we plan to implement in the future:

Strengthening Partnerships:

Engage potential partners early and clearly outline the mutual benefits of collaboration to avoid misunderstandings.

Work closely with schools, universities, and cultural institutions to expand reach and participation.

Improved Upload Sessions:

Address technical challenges by providing offline resources, pre-upload workshops, and better internet connectivity at upload venues.

Assign dedicated technical support volunteers to assist participants during these sessions.

Expanded Awareness Campaigns:

Use a broader range of promotional tools, including radio, television, and local influencers, to reach more participants.

Host pre-event sessions to explain the competition, its goals, and how to participate effectively.

Workshops and Skill Development:

Introduce advanced training on photo editing and writing Wikipedia articles to complement participants’ photography skills.

Provide certificates to recognize participants’ efforts and encourage continued involvement.

Enhanced Photo Walks:

Organize trips to more remote and lesser-documented sites to diversify content.

Partner with local guides and community leaders to ensure access and safety during photo walks.

Community Involvement:

Deepen community engagement by hosting storytelling events where locals can share the histories of monuments.

Encourage participants to become “heritage ambassadors” who continue raising awareness about Zambia’s cultural heritage.

2. Documentation of your impact. Please use space below to share links that help tell your story, impact, and evaluation. (required)

Share links to:

Project page on Meta-Wiki or any other Wikimedia project
Dashboards and tools that you used to track contributions
Some photos or videos from your event. Remember to share access.

You can also share links to:

Important social media posts
Surveys and their results
Infographics and sound files
Examples of content edited on Wikimedia projects

Additionally, share the materials and resources that you used in the implementation of your project. (required)

For example:

Training materials and guides
Presentations and slides
Work processes and plans
Any other materials your team has created or adapted and can be shared with others

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1twzk5VMs4lbIzUZ7-ixEENxCGsVQXuY6SsnS6mW-4LY/edit?usp=sharing

3. To what extent do you agree with the following statements regarding the work carried out with this Rapid Fund? You can choose “not applicable” if your work does not relate to these goals. Required. Select one option per question. (required)

Our efforts during the Fund period have helped to...
A. Bring in participants from underrepresented groups	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	Strongly agree
E. Encourage the retention of editors	Neither agree nor disagree
F. Encourage the retention of organizers	Agree
G. Increased participants' feelings of belonging and connection to the movement	Strongly agree
F. Other (optional)

Part 2: Learning

4. In your application, you outlined some learning questions. What did you learn from these learning questions when you implemented your project? How do you hope to use this learnings in the future? You can recall these learning questions below. (required)

You can recall these learning questions below: Engagement and Participation:

How well do our promotion efforts attract local photographers, students, and community members? What motivates participants to join, and what challenges do they face? Impact on Documentation:

How many new monuments and historical sites are documented and added to Wikimedia Commons and Wikipedia? What is the quality of the information and photos uploaded? Community Building:

How does the competition affect the sense of community and collaboration among participants? Do participants continue to engage with Wikimedia projects and heritage preservation afterward? Skill Development:

How effective are the workshops and training sessions in improving participants' skills? What additional training or resources do participants need? Partnerships:

How successful are our partnerships with local organizations and schools in supporting the project? What benefits and challenges come from these collaborations? Awareness:

How does the project influence public awareness of Zambia’s cultural heritage? What are the best ways to raise awareness about heritage preservation? Data Collection Surveys and Feedback: Gather feedback from participants before, during, and after the competition. Participation Metrics: Track the number of participants and workshop attendance. Content Analysis: Evaluate the number and quality of images and information uploaded. Engagement Metrics: Measure social media activity and media coverage. Interviews: Conduct interviews with participants and partners for deeper insights.

This was my first time implementing such a project, and under the mentorship of Isaac, I was able to gain valuable insights and achieve significant milestones. Here’s a summary of what I learned from the outlined learning questions and how I plan to apply these learnings in the future: Engagement and Participation: With Isaac’s guidance, we learned the importance of targeted promotion to attract local photographers, students, and community members. Many participants were motivated by the opportunity to showcase their skills and contribute to Zambia’s cultural heritage, though challenges such as limited internet access persisted. For future initiatives, we will build on this experience by incorporating more direct, in-person engagement strategies.

Impact on Documentation: Under Isaac's mentorship, we successfully documented several new monuments and historical sites on Wikimedia Commons and Wikipedia. However, there’s a need to focus more on the quality of the photos and detailed documentation. Moving forward, we plan to implement stricter quality control measures during uploads and provide additional training on standards.

Community Building: We observed how the competition fostered collaboration among participants, many of whom expressed interest in continuing their engagement with Wikimedia projects. Isaac emphasized the importance of follow-up activities, and we plan to introduce mentorship programs and regular meetups to maintain participant involvement.

Skill Development: The workshops, guided by Isaac’s structured approach, were effective in teaching photography, article writing, and Wikimedia editing. Participant feedback highlighted a need for more advanced sessions, which we plan to incorporate into future workshops to ensure sustained skill development.

Partnerships: With Isaac’s advice, we successfully collaborated with local organizations and schools. These partnerships provided critical support, though challenges like scheduling conflicts arose. We have learned to establish clearer expectations and timelines for future collaborations to maximize their impact.

Awareness: Isaac’s mentorship helped us design strategies to increase public awareness of Zambia’s cultural heritage. Social media campaigns and local events were particularly effective. However, we realized the need to reach more rural areas, and we plan to organize mobile workshops and exhibitions in underserved regions.

Data Collection: Following Isaac’s recommendations, we used surveys, feedback forms, and interviews to gather insights from participants. These tools provided invaluable information about their experiences and areas for improvement. Future projects will include even more comprehensive data collection processes to ensure all voices are heard.

5. Did anything unexpected or surprising happen when implementing your activities? This can include both positive and negative situations. What did you learn from those experiences? (required)

It being my first time, I was nervous but managed to pull through. Despite the challenges, the experience was incredibly rewarding. Here are some of the unexpected situations we encountered during Wiki Loves Monuments 2024:

Challenges Faced:

Pictures Outside the Scope: Some participants submitted photos that were outside the scope of the competition, such as modern buildings or landscapes unrelated to cultural heritage. This required extra effort to review submissions and provide feedback to participants, which slowed down the overall process.

Low Turnout: The initial turnout was lower than expected, and this was disheartening. It took a lot of effort and additional promotion to encourage more people to join. However, we realized that clearer communication and more targeted outreach could improve participation in the future.

Slow Internet: Limited internet access and slow speeds made it difficult for participants to upload their photos and edit content on Wikimedia Commons. This caused delays and added frustration for both the organizers and the participants.

Lessons Learned:

Clearer Guidelines: We realized the importance of providing clear guidelines and examples of eligible monuments to participants to reduce the submission of photos outside the scope. For future events, we plan to include more detailed instructions during workshops and on our promotional materials.

Improved Promotion: The low turnout taught us the need for stronger promotion strategies. We will focus on using both online and offline channels, engaging local influencers, and forming partnerships with schools and organizations to increase participation.

Support for Internet Challenges: Slow internet access highlighted the importance of preparing offline materials and providing alternative ways for participants to submit their contributions. For example, we could allow photo submissions via USB drives during in-person workshops and then upload them collectively.

What Surprised Us: Despite the challenges, it was uplifting to see the passion and commitment of those who participated. Many participants took time to carefully photograph and document monuments, showing genuine interest in preserving Zambia’s heritage. This enthusiasm encouraged us to keep going, even during the tough moments.

6. What is your plan to share your project learnings and results with other community members? If you have already done it, describe how. (required)

Our plan to share the learnings and results of the Wiki Loves Monuments 2024 project with other community members involves several strategies to ensure transparency, engagement, and knowledge sharing:

Community Meetings and Workshops: We will organize post-event debriefs and workshops to present the outcomes of the project. During these sessions, we will share insights, challenges, and successes with other Wikimedia community members. These meetings will also serve as an opportunity to gather feedback and discuss ideas for future projects.

Reports and Blogs: A detailed project report will be created and shared on platforms such as Meta-Wiki and Wikimedia Commons. Additionally, we plan to publish a blog post on Diff to highlight key milestones, achievements, and lessons learned, making this information accessible to a wider Wikimedia audience.

Social Media Engagement: We will use social media channels like Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp to share project highlights, participant stories, and visual content such as photographs and videos. This will not only showcase our work but also inspire other communities to take on similar initiatives.

Presentations at Regional and Global Events: We aim to present our project learnings at events such as WikiIndaba, Wikimedia Summit, and other regional or global conferences. This will provide an opportunity to network with other communities and gain insights from their experiences as well.

Mentorship and Collaboration: We plan to mentor other community members or groups interested in running their own Wiki Loves Monuments events. By sharing our learnings through one-on-one or group mentoring sessions, we hope to help them avoid common pitfalls and build on the successes of this project.

Follow-Up Activities: To keep the momentum going, we will engage participants and the community in follow-up activities such as photo walks, editing workshops, and heritage-focused projects. These activities will provide ongoing opportunities to share knowledge and encourage collaboration.

Part 3: Metrics

7. Wikimedia Metrics results. (required)

In your application, you set some Wikimedia targets in numbers (Wikimedia metrics). In this section, you will describe the achieved results and provide links to the tools used.

	Target	Results	Comments and tools used
Number of participants	80	65	We hoped to get more people from other provinces around the country but we had a problem with our ambassadors.
Number of editors	50	30	The editing part is hard for a number of people and so we hope for 2025 workshop to see how we can work in and around that.
Number of organizers	4	5

Wikimedia project	Target	Result - Number of created pages	Result - Number of improved pages
Wikipedia	20	28	5
Wikimedia Commons	300	217	217
Wikidata	150
Wiktionary
Wikisource
Wikimedia Incubator
Translatewiki
MediaWiki
Wikiquote
Wikivoyage
Wikibooks
Wikiversity
Wikinews
Wikispecies
Wikifunctions or Abstract Wikipedia

8. Other Metrics results.

In your proposal, you could also set Other Metrics targets. Please describe the achieved results and provide links to the tools used if you set Other Metrics in your application.

Other Metrics name	Metrics Description	Target	Result	Tools and comments

9. Did you have any difficulties collecting data to measure your results? (required)

No

9.1. Please state what difficulties you had. How do you hope to overcome these challenges in the future? Do you have any recommendations for the Foundation to support you in addressing these challenges? (required)

Part 4: Financial reporting

10. Please state the total amount spent in your local currency. (required)

74629.87

11. Please state the total amount spent in US dollars. (required)

2852.32

12. Report the funds spent in the currency of your fund. (required)

Provide the link to the financial report https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1EB74iSqhg7CTlfl4Yz4IywU-7VtSCJk-cE_GBxDBusk/edit?gid=928458698#gid=928458698

12.2. If you have not already done so in your financial spending report, please provide information on changes in the budget in relation to your original proposal. (optional)

13. Do you have any unspent funds from the Fund?

Yes

13.1. Please list the amount and currency you did not use and explain why.

ZMW 138.87 Is the amount that was left

13.2. What are you planning to do with the underspent funds?

A. Propose to use the underspent funds within this Fund period with PO approval

13.3. Please provide details of hope to spend these funds.

We propose to allocate the remaining funds toward the next Wikimedia project, ensuring continuity and building on the successes and lessons learned from this initiative. This will allow us to further our efforts in engaging the community, preserving cultural heritage, and enhancing participation in Wikimedia projects.

14.1. Are you in compliance with the terms outlined in the fund agreement?

Yes

14.2. Are you in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations as outlined in the grant agreement?

Yes

14.3. 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

15. If you have additional recommendations or reflections that don’t fit into the above sections, please write them here. (optional)

Review notes

Review notes from Program Officer:

N/A

Applicant's response to the review feedback.

N/A