Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/Rapid Fund/AWC Setswana Wikipedia Translation (ID: 23093659)/Final Report
Application type: Standard application
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)
Despite a late disbursement of funds, the Botswana team launched the Africa Wiki Challenge 2025 through a dynamic blend of proactive planning, virtual trainings, and community outreach. Key activities included: 1. Early editing by experienced contributors, which ensured Botswana’s visibility and competitiveness at the continental level. 2. Two virtual trainings hosted prior to funding, helping new participants gain skills, build confidence, and contribute meaningfully. 3. Localized edit-a-thons and outreach events post-funding, driving Setswana content creation and community involvement.
Results Achieved: 1. A total of 321 articles were created, dramatically exceeding the original goal of 200, a 60% increase that reflects both scale and depth. 2. Enhanced participation from youth, first-time editors, and Setswana language advocates. 3. Significantly bolstered Botswana's presence in the Africa Wiki Challenge and global Wikimedia movement.
Most Effective Approaches
1. Staggered engagement model: Activating editors before funding secured consistent progress and ensured readiness. 2. Virtual trainings with inclusive facilitation: These early sessions were cost-effective and catalytic for momentum building. 3. Localization and cultural relevance: Emphasizing Setswana translations and African narratives made contributions more meaningful and impactful for participants.
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
Project Page: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Event:Africa_Wiki_Challenge_2025_in_Botswana/Home#Theme_for_2025:
Photos: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/WikiVerse_Botswana/Media
Social Media:
First Virtual Training Call: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/15SzvhJ8xE/?mibextid=qi2Omg
Second Virtual Training Call: https://www.facebook.com/share/1FMXHeRmpJ/?mibextid=oFDknk
First Physical Training Call: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1EAuuoWBwg/?mibextid=qi2Omg
Second Physical Training Call: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19eD9VRTMD/?mibextid=qi2Omg
Television Interview: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/15L7REGvbd/?mibextid=qi2Omg
Winners Announcement: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19RLWKuz2k/?mibextid=qi2Omg
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
We mostly used video tutorials that could be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6aqrTUR8DQ
We also. Created a database of everything participants may have needed to know and keep referring back to in form of a WhatsApp channel found here: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbAavZzIXnliMIm7Pe1M
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)
| 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 | Strongly agree |
| D. Develop content from underrepresented perspectives | Strongly 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 |
| F. Other (optional) | Specifically to Botswana in Kanye it brought much hope to the youth & other information & knowledge centers in the town. They are willing to document knowledge and information (Heritage) that is in physical hard copies into the digital space (Wikipedia). Community members were so excited. |
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: Through this project, I aim to gain insights into the impact of translating and expanding Setswana-language content on Wikipedia, particularly on themes of African justice and reparations. These learning questions will guide the evaluation and refinement of the initiative: 1. Community Engagement & Participation
- What motivates Setswana speakers to contribute to Wikipedia content?
- What challenges do new editors face in understanding Wikipedia guidelines and translation accuracy?
- How effective are in-person and online training sessions in sustaining long-term participation?
2. Impact on Knowledge Accessibility
- How does translating content into Setswana improve knowledge accessibility and engagement with themes of reparations and justice?
- What is the level of awareness and understanding of reparations among Setswana-speaking readers before and after accessing translated content?
- What types of articles generate the most interest and contributions from the community?
3. Effectiveness of Recognition & Incentives
- Does awarding vouchers to top contributors motivate higher-quality contributions?
- What types of rewards (e.g., certificates, mentorship) are most effective in sustaining editor participation?
4. Collaboration & Partnerships
- How do partnerships with Wikimedia affiliates, educational institutions, and cultural organizations enhance content quality and outreach?
- What strategies are most effective in aligning the project with broader efforts like the Africa Wiki Challenge?
5. Sustainability & Future Expansion
- What measures help retain new editors beyond the initial project timeframe?
- How can the success of this initiative inform future Wikipedia translation projects in other African languages?
Data Collection Approach
- Track number of contributions, article views, and editor retention rates.
- Conduct pre- and post-project surveys to assess awareness and engagement levels.
- Gather feedback from participants on challenges, improvements, and best practices.
- Evaluate impact through community discussions and partner reports.
This learning process will ensure the project remains impactful, sustainable, and aligned with Wikimedia’s broader mission of promoting knowledge equity.
Learnings from the Africa Wiki Challenge 2025 – Botswana Edition
In implementing this project, several powerful insights emerged that speak directly to the learning questions I originally set out to explore. These insights will guide future initiatives and refine how we approach community engagement, language preservation, and digital justice in Botswana and beyond.
1. Community Engagement & Participation: Motivation was strongest when contributors felt their work connected deeply to identity, justice, and cultural pride. The theme of reparations gave meaningful context that resonated with Setswana speakers. Challenges for new editors included interpreting Wikipedia’s technical guidelines and maintaining translation accuracy. However, hands-on mentorship and simplified guides helped bridge these gaps.
Virtual and in-person training proved complementary: online sessions built early momentum and reached wider audiences, while in-person edit-a-thons solidified long-term engagement and built communal ownership.
2. Impact on Knowledge Accessibility: Translating content into Setswana significantly improved both reach and relevance. Readers were able to grasp complex themes, especially around reparations and African history, in their own language, fostering deeper understanding.
Community feedback indicated a notable increase in awareness of reparative justice, especially through articles that featured local heroes, cultural movements, and historical legacies.
The most engaged articles were those tied to Botswana’s own narratives, suggesting that localized relevance fuels participation and readership.
3. Recognition & Incentives: Vouchers and certificates were powerful motivators, especially for new editors. Tangible rewards validated their efforts and increased the perceived value of their contributions. However, the most sustainable incentive was belonging and purpose. Editors who saw themselves as knowledge stewards and cultural ambassadors expressed strong interest in continuing beyond the project.
Mentorship emerged as an especially promising tool for retention, both as a reward and a developmental pathway.
4. Collaboration & Partnerships: Partnerships with local libraries, educators, and Wikimedia affiliates expanded the reach and credibility of the initiative. These allies provided space, visibility, and cultural grounding.
Aligning with broader efforts like the Africa Wiki Challenge enhanced legitimacy, resource access, and regional learning. These collaborations gave participants a sense of being part of something continental and transformational.
5. Sustainability & Expansion: Starting early with experienced editors was key. It gave Botswana a head start, ensured content quality, and helped onboard new contributors more confidently.
The campaign’s success, with 321 articles created, surpassing the original target by over 60%, demonstrated that early activation, cultural relevance, and community care are the pillars of long-term retention.
These learnings will directly inform future initiatives in other indigenous languages, guiding how we localize training, design incentives, and build strategic partnerships across Africa.
In summary, this project has not only expanded Botswana’s digital footprint, it’s deepened our understanding of what it means to share knowledge with care, conviction, and cultural integrity. I plan to share these insights through Div platform, community workshops, and future funding proposals to strengthen the Wiki ecosystem across local languages and African contexts.
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)
Unexpected Situations & Lessons Learned
1. Late Arrival of Funds, A Test of Strategy and Resilience: One of the biggest challenges was that project funding was approved quite late and only received eight days before the close of the campaign. At first, this created a sense of urgency and pressure. But instead of postponing activities or scaling back, we leaned into smart adaptation:
We encouraged experienced editors to begin editing early so that Botswana could compete internationally even before the local campaign was officially launched.
We hosted two virtual trainings at our own cost before funding was released. These built momentum, attracted new contributors, and allowed us to cultivate a motivated team.
Lesson learned: Starting with what you have, even if it’s just vision and commitment, can create the foundation for powerful impact. Planning early and building community ahead of logistics are essential for resilience.
2. The Energy of New Editors, Unexpected level of Engagement: We expected new participants to be cautious, perhaps contributing minimally. But many embraced the challenge with boldness. Some went on to translate multiple full articles into Setswana, ask deep questions about reparations, and request mentorship beyond the campaign.
Lesson learned: When people see their language, culture, and values reflected in a project, they engage not only with their hands, but with their hearts. Authentic themes spark authentic participation.
3. Exceeding Article Targets by Over 60% While our goal was 200 articles, we ended with an astonishing 321. This was far beyond expectation, especially given the resource constraints. It reaffirmed that clear vision, grassroots mobilization, and localized storytelling can drive exceptional results.
Lesson learned: Targets are good, but communities often surpass them when given trust, tools, and meaningful themes. The spirit of Ubuntu makes excellence contagious.
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)
How We Shared Project Learnings and Results
We used a strategic mix of public media, social platforms, and also plan to use Div blog as a digital publishing platform to make sure insights from our campaign reache a wide and diverse audience. Here's how each channel contributed:
National Television Interview: Botswana Television (BTV): We were featured on TV, allowing us to spotlight: a) Why editing Wikipedia in Setswana matters for language preservation and cultural pride.
b) The mobilization of local editors, including youth and first-time contributors.
c)Our ability to adapt under pressure, especially when funding arrived just days before the campaign ended
This helped raise awareness beyond the immediate community and inspired others to get involved.
Facebook Appreciation & Updates: Throughout the campaign, we used Facebook to keep the community informed and inspired: a) We posted regular updates on how the campaign was progressing b) Shared insights from workshops and sessions that captured real-time learnings.
This created an ongoing conversation, showing transparency and celebrating local excellence.
Div Blog Post in Progress: We're developing a dedicated Div-powered blog post that will: a) Tell the full story of our campaign with photos, stats, and quotes.
b) Present key learnings, such as how early mobilization boosted impact.
c) Offer practical guidance for other organizers who want to replicate or adapt our approach
This will serve as both a digital archive and a toolkit for knowledge sharing across the region and beyond.
Why It Matters: By using both mainstream platforms (TV) and community channels (Facebook, blog), we made sure that: a) Our celebrations were public, and our lessons were preserved.
b) Contributors felt valued and seen.
c) Future projects can learn from what worked, and what didn’t.
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 | 60 | 28 | |
| Number of editors | 60 | 28 | |
| Number of organizers | 2 | 2 |
| Wikimedia project | Target | Result - Number of created pages | Result - Number of improved pages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia | 200 | ||
| Wikimedia Commons | |||
| Wikidata | |||
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 321 | We used the outreach dashboard to collect data. | |||
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
[edit]10. Please state the total amount spent in your local currency. (required)
23994
11. Please state the total amount spent in US dollars. (required)
2016.57
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/1kdvXVxEM68DEo_iNGZ17MxYfJXhmv68nhnLRdXn322s/edit?usp=drivesdk
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)
During implementation, we made one intentional change to our original budget: We allocated an additional P500 to the Prizes & Awards category. This adjustment was not part of the initial budget but was made to address a key equity concern within the competition.
Rationale for the Change: Experienced editors began contributing early before funding was received, which gave them a head start in the competition.
To create a fair and motivating environment, we introduced a special recognition for outstanding new editors who joined later but showed exceptional effort and commitment.
This additional prize helped: 1. Encourage editor retention beyond the campaign 2. Foster a sense of belonging and fairness within the community 3. Celebrate emerging contributors who are vital to the sustainability of the movement
This small adjustment had a meaningful impact on morale, participation, and long-term engagement.
13. Do you have any unspent funds from the Fund?
No
13.1. Please list the amount and currency you did not use and explain why.
N/A
13.2. What are you planning to do with the underspent funds?
N/A
13.3. Please provide details of hope to spend these funds.
N/A
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)
Impact of Currency Devaluation on Project Execution
During the implementation of the Africa Wiki Challenge 2025 Botswana Edition, Botswana experienced a notable currency devaluation, which had direct implications on our project budget and operations:
1. Rising Costs: Prices for essential goods and services including printing, transport, internet data, and refreshments increased significantly, mirroring pre-pandemic levels. 2. Budget Strain: The original budget, approved before the devaluation, could no longer accommodate these inflated costs without adjustments.
Adaptive Measures: To maintain fairness and motivation, we restructured certain allocations such as recognition prizes and logistics while ensuring core activities remained intact.
Lesson Learned: Future projects should consider currency fluctuation buffers or flexible budgeting mechanisms to protect against economic shifts.
Despite these challenges, the team remained resilient and resourceful, ensuring the campaign’s success without compromising its inclusive spirit.
Review notes
[edit]Review notes from Program Officer:
N/A
Applicant's response to the review feedback.
N/A