Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/Rapid Fund/Africa Wiki Challenge 2024 in Nigeria (ID: 22587183)
This is an automatically generated Meta-Wiki page. The page was copied from Fluxx, the grantmaking web service of Wikimedia Foundation where the user has submitted their application. Please do not make any changes to this page because all changes will be removed after the next update. Use the discussion page for your feedback. The page was created by CR-FluxxBot.
Applicant Details[edit]
- Main Wikimedia username. (required)
Major Lyte
- Organization
N/A
- 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.
Africa Wiki Challenge 2024 in Nigeria
- 2. and 3. Proposed start and end dates for the proposal.
2024-06-03 - 2024-07-05
- 4. Where will this proposal be implemented? (required)
Nigeria
- 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)
The Africa Wiki Challenge 2024 in Nigeria aims to catalyze a transformative change in the accessibility, accuracy, and representation of information about Africa on the internet, especially on Wiki sister projects. This initiative seeks to address the main challenges of misinformation, underrepresentation, and digital divide that persistently plague the portrayal of the African continent online.
The project is to support the Africa Wiki Challenge 2024 global campaign with a similar campaign in Nigeria to improve and contribute to Wikimedia. The theme of the Africa Wiki Challenge 2024 campaign is “Educate Africa: Nurturing Minds for the 21st Century”.
One of the primary problems we are trying to solve is the prevalence of misinformation and stereotypes surrounding Africa. Often, information available online portrays Africa through a narrow lens, focusing on poverty, disease, and conflict, while neglecting the diverse cultures, rich histories, and vibrant economies that exist across the continent. This misrepresentation not only perpetuates harmful stereotypes but also hinders the understanding of Africa's complexities and potential.
Another significant problem is the underrepresentation of African voices and perspectives in online content creation and knowledge dissemination. While the internet has the potential to be a democratising force for information sharing, the lack of diverse voices contributes to biased narratives and incomplete depictions of African societies. This underrepresentation exacerbates existing power imbalances in the global information landscape, marginalising African perspectives and hindering the exchange of knowledge.
Furthermore, the digital divide remains a persistent barrier to accessing and contributing to online information. Many communities in Africa lack reliable internet connectivity, digital literacy skills, and access to necessary resources, limiting their ability to participate in online knowledge-sharing platforms. Bridging this gap is essential to ensure that all African voices are heard and that information about the continent is produced and disseminated in a more inclusive and equitable manner.
To address these problems, the Africa Wiki Challenge 2024 in Nigeria adopts a multifaceted approach that encompasses several key strategies:
● Community Empowerment: The initiative prioritizes community engagement and capacity building to empower African individuals and organizations to contribute to online knowledge creation. By providing training workshops, resources, and support networks, the Africa Wiki Challenge in Nigeria aims to foster a culture of collaborative content creation and digital literacy across the country.
● Content Curation and Verification: Recognising the importance of accuracy and reliability in online information, the Africa Wiki Challenge 2024 in Nigeria will promote the curation and verification of content related to Africa while also nurturing the minds of Africans of the 21st century. Through partnerships with local experts, academics, and institutions, the initiative seeks to ensure that information about Africa is factually accurate, culturally sensitive, and representative of diverse perspectives.
● Cultural Preservation: In addition to promoting accurate and diverse representations of Africa, the Africa Wiki Challenge 2024 in Nigeria aims to preserve and promote African cultures, languages, and heritage. By documenting indigenous knowledge, oral histories, and cultural practices, the initiative seeks to combat cultural erasure and celebrate the richness and diversity of African societies.
- 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.
The planned activities for engaging participants during the project timeline include a combination of capacity-building workshops, collaborative content creation initiatives on Wikimedia sister projects, and community outreach events. Here are some of the activities.
● Content Creation Hackathons: Host hackathons or content creation challenges where participants can collaborate to create and improve articles, multimedia content, and other online resources related to Nigeria's culture, history, and current events. These events foster creativity, teamwork, and collective problem-solving while producing valuable content for online platforms.
● Community Dialogues and Panels (Day 1): Facilitate community dialogues and panel discussions on topics related to online information sharing, digital inclusion, and cultural preservation. These events provide opportunities for participants to engage in meaningful discussions, share their experiences and perspectives, and learn from experts and peers.
● Local Wiki Edit-a-thons (Day 2): Organize edit-a-thons focused on improving the quality and coverage of Nigeria-related content on online platforms such as Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wiki Commons. These events bring together participants to edit existing articles, create new ones, and cite reliable sources to ensure accuracy and completeness of information. The edit-a-thon session offers practical, hands-on experience, equipping participants with the essential skills and knowledge needed to make effective contributions to Wikipedia articles. This will be led by experienced trainers and facilitators, these training sessions will guide participants through the editing, article creation process. This integrative approach fosters a collaborative and practical learning environment, encouraging active participation and contributions towards Wikipedia articles aligned with the project's objectives.
● Online Follow-up Training: There will be a 2 days virtual follow-up training which will extend the event, offering continual learning avenues and skill enhancement for all participants. The first session will be a webinar where the core team members of the Open Foundation West Africa (OFWA) will address all the participants. The second online session will be held in the fourth week of the project timeline so participants' challenges will be addressed.
● Contest: This contest offers participants a platform to utilize their newly acquired skills and knowledge in editing and article creation. With a focus on fostering engagement, recognizing outstanding contributions, and further enriching the documentation of Africa’s culture. The contest will also encourage active participation and contribution in the Wikimedia movement.
● Community Engagement Campaigns: Launching community engagement campaigns to raise awareness about the importance of accurate, diverse, and inclusive online information sharing. These campaigns use various outreach strategies, including social media and community events, to reach a wide audience and encourage participation.
- 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.
Yes, we are a team of 3 Wikipedia editors who are volunteers. Below are their usernames, roles and user group.
- Major Lyte, Project Lead (Wikimedia User Group Nigeria). He is an experienced Wikimedia Editor. He has participated and won in various Wikimedia community projects. He has organized various projects such as Wikidata for Tourism, Wikidata for Media Personalities in Nigeria and Africa Wiki Challenge 2022 in Nigeria.
- Iwuala Lucy, Coordinator for Igbo editors ( Igbo Wikimedia User Group). She is an experienced Wikimedian editor. She will be coordinating the Igbo editors.
- James Popoola, Coordinator for Yoruba editors (Yoruba Wikipedia User Group). He is an experienced Wikimedian and he has won various prizes both in the local and global level. He is a core team member of the Wiki Vibrance. He would be coordinating the Yoruba editors.
- 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)
The target participants are the active English, Yoruba and Igbo Wikimedia editors in Nigeria. The participants will be selected from different communities such as students and educators , local communities groups in various event locations, among others.
Students and Educators: Engaging students and educators from schools, colleges, and universities can foster a culture of digital literacy and knowledge sharing from a young age.
Local NGOs and Community Groups: Partnering with local NGOs and community groups allow for outreach to marginalised communities and facilitates grassroots participation in content creation and knowledge dissemination activities.
On Cultural and Heritage Groups: Collaborating with cultural and heritage groups enables the documentation and preservation of indigenous knowledge, languages, and cultural practices, promoting cultural diversity and inclusion online.
To engage participants before and during the activities, several approaches can be employed:
First, Community Outreach: Conducting outreach activities, such as workshops, edit-a-thons, and information sessions, to raise awareness and generate interest among target communities.
Online Platforms will be used. Utilising online platforms, such as social media and community forums to disseminate information, solicit feedback, and facilitate discussions with potential participants.
Another is Local Partnerships: Establishing partnerships with local organisations, schools, and community leaders to leverage existing networks and channels for participant recruitment and engagement.
Tailored Communication strategy will be used to resonate with the specific interests, needs, and preferences of target participants, ensuring relevance and inclusivity.
After the activities, it is essential to follow up with participants to:
Solicit feedback from participants to evaluate the effectiveness of the activities, identify areas for improvement, and inform future programming.
Facilitate Continued Engagement: Provide opportunities for participants to stay engaged, such as joining online communities, participating in follow-up events, or contributing to ongoing projects.
Offer resources, materials, and support to participants to further develop their skills, knowledge, and contributions to online information sharing.
Monitor the long-term impact of the activities on participants' attitudes, behaviours, and engagement with online information, assessing changes over time and identifying opportunities for sustained impact.
By actively engaging participants before, during, and after the activities, the initiative can foster a sense of ownership, belonging, and empowerment among diverse communities in Nigeria, contributing to a more inclusive and representative online narrative about the country and its people.
- 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 Ilorin Wikimedia Hub members have been notified on the official WhatsApp page. The Yoruba Wikipedia User Group have been notified. The Igbo Wikimedia User Group have been notified their mailing list and Telegram group. I have also notified the WikiProject Nigeria.
- 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)
Cultural background, ethnicity, religion, racial
- 13. Does your proposal include any of these areas or thematic focus? Select one option that most applies to your work. (required)
Culture, heritage or GLAM
- 14. Will your work focus on involving participants from any underrepresented communities? Select one option that most apply to your work. (required)
Ethnic/racial/religious or cultural background
- 15. In what ways do you think your proposal most contributes to the Movement Strategy 2030 recommendations. Select one that most applies. (required)
Innovate in Free Knowledge
Learning and metrics[edit]
- 17. What do you hope to learn from your work in this project or proposal? (required)
We aim to gain valuable insights into how collaborative efforts, innovative technologies, and community engagement can contribute to a more inclusive, accurate, and representative portrayal of Africa on the internet.
On Effective Strategies: we aim to understand which strategies are most effective in addressing misinformation, underrepresentation, and the digital divide in online information about Africa. By analyzing the outcomes of various interventions, we hope to identify best practices that can be replicated or scaled for future initiatives.
On Community Dynamics: Through engagement with diverse communities across Africa, we seek to gain insights into the factors that influence participation, collaboration, and knowledge sharing online. Understanding community dynamics is crucial for designing inclusive and culturally sensitive approaches to information dissemination.
On Cultural Preservation: We hope to learn more about the challenges and opportunities associated with preserving and promoting diverse cultural heritage online. By documenting indigenous knowledge and cultural practices, we aim to contribute to efforts to combat cultural erasure and celebrate the richness of African cultures.
On Global Collaboration: Through collaboration with international partners and stakeholders, we seek to understand how global cooperation can enhance the impact of initiatives aimed at improving online information about Africa. Learning from successful collaboration efforts will inform future strategies for driving systemic change in the global information landscape.
- 18. What are your Wikimedia project targets in numbers (metrics)? (required)
| Other Metrics | Target | Optional description |
|---|---|---|
| Number of participants | 60 | New Participants: 25
Returning Participant: 35 |
| Number of editors | 60 | New Participants: 25
Returning Participant: 35 |
| Number of organizers | 3 | Lead: 1
Communities Coordinator: 2 |
| Wikimedia project | Number of content created or improved |
|---|---|
| Wikipedia | 500 |
| Wikimedia Commons | 150 |
| Wikidata | 300 |
| Wiktionary | |
| Wikisource | |
| Wikimedia Incubator | |
| Translatewiki | |
| MediaWiki | |
| Wikiquote | 100 |
| Wikivoyage | |
| Wikibooks | |
| Wikiversity | |
| Wikinews | |
| Wikispecies | |
| Wikifunctions or Abstract Wikipedia |
- Optional description for content contributions.
All contributions will be in line with the AWC 2024 theme “Educate Africa: Nurturing Minds for the 21st Century” and also the African Union declaration for 2024 which is "Year of Education".
- 19. Do you have any other project targets in numbers (metrics)? (optional)
No
| Main Open Metrics | Description | Target |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
- 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)
Outreach Dashboard, X-Tools and Hashtag tool will be used to track contributions.
Financial proposal[edit]
- 21. Please upload your budget for this proposal or indicate the link to it. (required)
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1AAws3bkNAJ8yZDQf9QSi0cqpcA9HTfIGB1qIe051_g0/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)
1980000 NGN
- 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.
1409.4 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).