Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/Rapid Fund/AfriVoyage Pilot – Uganda Travel Content Documentation (ID: 23420874)
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Applicant Details
[edit]- Main Wikimedia username. (required)
Alvinategyeka
- Organization
AfriVoyage
- If you are a group or organization leader, board member, president, executive director, or staff member at any Wikimedia group, affiliate, or Wikimedia Foundation, you are required to self-identify and present all roles. (required)
N/A
- Describe all relevant roles with the name of the group or organization and description of the role. (required)
Main Proposal
[edit]- 1. Please state the title of your proposal. This will also be the Meta-Wiki page title.
AfriVoyage Pilot – Uganda Travel Content Documentation
- 2. and 3. Proposed start and end dates for the proposal.
2025-08-01 - 2025-10-31
- 4. Where will this proposal be implemented? (required)
Uganda
- 5. Are your activities part of a Wikimedia movement campaign, project, or event? If so, please select the relevant project or campaign. (required)
Not applicable
- 6. What is the change you are trying to bring? What are the main challenges or problems you are trying to solve? Describe this change or challenges, as well as main approaches to achieve it. (required)
We aim to enhance both the quality and quantity of African travel content on platforms like Wikivoyage and Commons by documenting underrepresented regions in Uganda. The main challenges we face are the scarcity of reliable, locally sourced travel information and low participation from African contributors on Wikivoyage. Through the AfriVoyage initiative, we will train young people in travel writing, mapping, and photography, guiding them to contribute travel articles, images, and geographic data. This effort will improve global access to accurate, community-driven travel knowledge about Africa
- 7. What are the planned activities? (required) Please provide a list of main activities. You can also add a link to the public page for your project where details about your project can be found. Alternatively, you can upload a timeline document. When the activities include partnerships, include details about your partners and planned partnerships.
We are launching a travel content documentation project that will cover three major tourism routes in Uganda:
1. Route Planning and Training: We will conduct a virtual orientation and onboarding for team members, contributors, and project leaders. This training will include Wikimedia skills for new contributors.
2. Field Documentation Trips: We will explore two key routes:
- Fort Portal Tourism City route (Western Uganda)
- Eastern Uganda route (Jinja and surrounding areas)
3. Content Uploads and Publishing: We will upload media to Wikimedia Commons, create and improve articles on Wikivoyage and Wikipedia, and add relevant items to Wikidata.
4. Community Engagement: We will hold meet-ups with local communities to share our project goals and gather their feedback.
5. Monitoring and Reporting: We will track our progress weekly, hold feedback sessions, and prepare a final learning report.
For more information about this project, please visit our Meta-Wiki page: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/AfriVoyage_Pilot_Uganda
- 8. Describe your team. Please provide their roles, Wikimedia Usernames and other details. (required) Include more details of the team, including their roles, usernames, Wikimedia group, and whether they are salaried, volunteers, consultants/contractors, etc. Team members involved in the grant application need to be aware of their involvement in the project.
The AfriVoyage Pilot – Uganda project will be led by a diverse team of Wikimedians and travel knowledge contributors across East Africa. Roles, usernames, and engagement details are as follows:
Alvin Ategyeka (Uganda) – Project & Strategy Lead (Username: Alvinategyeka) Responsible for vision-setting, overall coordination, grant management, partner outreach, and alignment with the global Wikimedia movement. (Volunteer)
Anuary Rajab (Tanzania) – Co Project Lead & Program Implementation Lead (Username: Anuary Rajab) Supports overall strategy, supervises implementation, ensures quality, and leads scale-up planning. (Volunteer)
Ndahiro Derrick (Rwanda) – Outreach & Partnerships Coordinator (Username: Ndahiro Derrick) Engages tourism stakeholders and Wikimedia communities, builds networks for growth. (Volunteer)
Ferdinand Irankunda (Burundi) – Mapping & Data Integration Lead (Ferdinand IF99) Leads OpenStreetMap/Wikidata training, geotagging, route mapping, and metadata work. (Volunteer)
Alex Method (Tanzania) – Wikivoyage Content Trainer (Username: Rwebogora) Leads Wikivoyage workshops, mentors contributors, and ensures editorial quality. (Volunteer)
Macholi Chris Benard (Uganda) – Country Coordinator & Wikimedia Integration Strategist (Username: Macholi) Coordinates fieldwork in Uganda, contributor management, cross-platform Wikimedia alignment, and documentation. (Volunteer)
Alinde Allen (Uganda) – Training & Logistics Coordinator. Handles contributor onboarding, logistics, and welfare. (Volunteer)
All members have been involved in project planning and are aware of their roles.
- 9. Who are the target participants and from which community? How will you engage participants before and during the activities? How will you follow up with participants after the activities? (required)
Target Participants: New contributors from Uganda who are interested in travel, storytelling, photography, mapping, and contributing to Wikimedia projects. Existing Wikimedians from Uganda and East Africa who are looking to expand into travel documentation and cross-project work (Wikivoyage, Commons and Wikidata.). Local tourism stakeholders (like guides, cultural institutions, community tourism operators) who can provide contextual content or access.
Pre-Activity Engagement: We will engage participants through local university networks, travel and youth hubs, and partner organizations. Virtual onboarding sessions will be held to introduce the AfriVoyage concept and set clear expectations.
During Activities: Participants will be guided through field visits and documentation sessions in Uganda. They will receive support through in-person training on topics such as photography, mapping, and Wikivoyage editing.
Post-Activity Follow-Up: We will implement follow up mentoring calls and online editing clinics. Outstanding contributors will be connected to further Wikimedia projects and East African cross border opportunities as part of the scaling process. Our aim is to build a strong travel knowledge community rooted in Uganda but connected to the wider regional movement.
- 10. Does your project involve work with children or youth? (required)
No
- 10.1. Please provide a link to your Youth Safety Policy. (required) If the proposal indicates direct contact with children or youth, you are required to outline compliance with international and local laws for working with children and youth, and provide a youth safety policy aligned with these laws. Read more here.
N/A
- 11. How did you discuss the idea of your project with your community members and/or any relevant groups? Please describe steps taken and provide links to any on-wiki community discussion(s) about the proposal. (required) You need to inform the community and/or group, discuss the project with them, and involve them in planning this proposal. You also need to align the activities with other projects happening in the planned area of implementation to ensure collaboration within the community.
The AfriVoyage initiative was conceived during Wikimania 2024 in Poland, following a conversation I had with Anuary Rajab. We discussed the significant content gaps concerning African destinations on Wikivoyage and recognized a unique opportunity to establish a pan-African initiative aimed at documenting local travel knowledge from a Wikimedia perspective. Motivated by our shared vision, we decided to take action and begin laying the groundwork for a pilot project.
To form the project team, we reached out to experienced Wikimedians from East Africa with whom we have built long-standing collaborative relationships. Many of these individuals have participated with us in various Wikimedia campaigns and initiatives, and we have met through conferences and regional events. Our existing rapport allowed us to quickly mobilize a committed, cross-border team dedicated to documenting African travel content and empowering local contributors.
It is important to clarify that this project is not affiliated with any existing Wikimedia user group. Although I (Alvin) was previously part of the Wikimedia Community User Group Uganda, I have since stepped away to create space for a new challenge and ensure this project stands independently without drawing resources or attention from the user group. AfriVoyage is a fresh, independent initiative, and the team has committed to seeing it grow across the continent, grounded in movement values.
Relevant documentation and discussions,
Meta-Wiki project page: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/AfriVoyage
Pilot planning page: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Grants:Project/Rapid/AfriVoyage_Pilot_Uganda
- 12. Does your proposal aim to work to bridge any of the content knowledge gaps (Knowledge Inequity)? Select one option that most apply to your work. (required)
Geography
- 13. Does your proposal include any of these areas or thematic focus? Select one option that most applies to your work. (required)
Open Technology
- 14. Will your work focus on involving participants from any underrepresented communities? Select one option that most apply to your work. (required)
Geographic
- 15. In what ways do you think your proposal most contributes to the Movement Strategy 2030 recommendations. Select one that most applies. (required)
Identify Topics for Impact
Learning and metrics
[edit]- 17. What do you hope to learn from your work in this project or proposal? (required)
Through this pilot program, we aim to gain a deeper understanding of how to grow and sustain meaningful participation on Wikivoyage from Uganda and the broader East African region. Since Wikivoyage is still relatively new to many communities here, we see this as a valuable opportunity to explore practical methods for training and supporting contributors to engage with travel related content.
We also want to learn how effectively we can connect different Wikimedia projects particularly Wikivoyage, Wikimedia Commons, and Wikidata to create comprehensive and useful travel resources about our region. By documenting locations with stories, photos, and structured data, we hope to develop a model that others in Africa can adapt and build upon.
Another goal is to better understand what motivates young people and community members to contribute local travel knowledge. This insight will help us enhance our design of activities and support systems, ensuring that more people recognize the value of contributing and remain engaged even after the project concludes.
Lastly, as this is a cross border initiative involving team members from Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Burundi, we want to identify what approaches work best for regional collaboration how to coordinate effectively, share roles, and support one another across different countries.
This learning will inform the future phases of AfriVoyage and contribute to the growth of the Wikimedia movement in underrepresented areas, in alignment with the 2030 Movement Strategy.
- 18. What are your Wikimedia project targets in numbers (metrics)? (required)
| Other Metrics | Target | Optional description |
|---|---|---|
| Number of participants | 30 | This includes both new and Experienced participants (mainly local content contributors) engaged in training, documentation, and contribution. |
| Number of editors | 20 | Editors who will contribute directly to Wikivoyage, Wikimedia Commons, and/or Wikidata through travel documentation, uploads, and edits |
| Number of organizers | 7 | These are the core project team members coordinating, training, mentoring, and documenting activities throughout the pilot |
| Wikimedia project | Number of content created or improved |
|---|---|
| Wikipedia | |
| Wikimedia Commons | 300 |
| Wikidata | 50 |
| Wiktionary | |
| Wikisource | |
| Wikimedia Incubator | |
| Translatewiki | |
| MediaWiki | |
| Wikiquote | |
| Wikivoyage | 50 |
| Wikibooks | |
| Wikiversity | |
| Wikinews | |
| Wikispecies | |
| Wikifunctions or Abstract Wikipedia |
- Optional description for content contributions.
N/A
- 19. Do you have any other project targets in numbers (metrics)? (optional)
Yes
| Main Open Metrics | Description | Target |
|---|---|---|
| Wikivoyage | 50+ new or significantly improved Wikivoyage articles about Uganda | 50 |
| Wikimedia Commons | 300+ quality travel media files uploaded to Commons | 300 |
| Wikidata/OSM | 50+ destinations mapped or linked via Wikidata/OSM | 50 |
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
- 20. What tools would you use to measure each metrics? Please refer to the guide for a list of tools. You can also write that you are not sure and need support. (required)
To effectively track and measure the outcomes of the project, we plan to utilize tools that we are already familiar with from previous Wikimedia programs:
1. Program & Events Dashboard – This will help us manage and monitor contributions from participants across all our training sessions and documentation trips.
2. Hashtags Tool – We will create a unique hashtag for this project to make it easier to follow edits on Wikipedia, Wikivoyage, and other related platforms.
3. PetScan and Pageviews – These will enable us to monitor page views and content engagement, particularly for the Wikivoyage articles we create or improve.
4. Commons Category Tracking – We will create a dedicated category for the project to track uploads on Wikimedia Commons.
5. Wikidata Query (SPARQL) – For the data we add to Wikidata, we will utilize SPARQL queries to assess the number of entries and review their structure and geotagging.
Additionally, we will document participant feedback and challenges by using simple survey forms and reflections after key activities, particularly from those in the field.
Financial proposal
[edit]- 21. Please upload your budget for this proposal or indicate the link to it. (required)
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1osXAThvgki7RKTYWZA8dI076ZU5Ci3_O344uj4Yi2zk/edit?usp=sharing
- 22. and 22.1. What is the amount you are requesting for this proposal? Please provide the amount in your local currency. (required)
17200000 UGX
- 22.2. Convert the amount requested into USD using the Oanda converter. This is done only to help you assess the USD equivalent of the requested amount. Your request should be between 500 - 5,000 USD.
4748.8 USD
- We/I have read the Application Privacy Statement, WMF Friendly Space Policy and Universal Code of Conduct.
Yes
Endorsements and Feedback
[edit]Please add endorsements and feedback to the grant discussion page only. Endorsements added here will be removed automatically.
Community members are invited to share meaningful feedback on the proposal and include reasons why they endorse the proposal. Consider the following:
- Stating why the proposal is important for the communities involved and why they think the strategies chosen will achieve the results that are expected.
- Highlighting any aspects they think are particularly well developed: for instance, the strategies and activities proposed, the levels of community engagement, outreach to underrepresented groups, addressing knowledge gaps, partnerships, the overall budget and learning and evaluation section of the proposal, etc.
- Highlighting if the proposal focuses on any interesting research, learning or innovation, etc. Also if it builds on learning from past proposals developed by the individual or organization, or other Wikimedia communities.
- Analyzing if the proposal is going to contribute in any way to important developments around specific Wikimedia projects or Movement Strategy.
- Analysing if the proposal is coherent in terms of the objectives, strategies, budget, and expected results (metrics).