Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/Rapid Fund/Africa Wiki Women Technical Support Grant (ID: 22828723)
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Applicant Details
[edit]- Main Wikimedia username. (required)
Ruby D-Brown
- 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)
I'm a group leader of an informal Wikimedia group.
- Describe all relevant roles with the name of the group or organization and description of the role. (required)
Africa Wiki Women- Lead
Main Proposal
[edit]- 1. Please state the title of your proposal. This will also be the Meta-Wiki page title.
Africa Wiki Women Technical Support Grant
- 2. and 3. Proposed start and end dates for the proposal.
2024-11-15 - 2024-01-31
- 4. Where will this proposal be implemented? (required)
Regional (more than one country in the same continent or region) Engagements and implementation of the project will cut across Africa, West Africa, East Africa, Southern Africa, and Northern Africa.
- 5. Are your activities part of a Wikimedia movement campaign, project, or event? If so, please select the relevant project or campaign. (required)
Other (please specify) Technical support grant
- 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 underrepresentation of African women in Wikimedia is evident in data from the Humaniki platform and the Wikimedia Foundation's 2024 reports. According to these sources, women’s contributions are noticeably lower, and leadership roles within the Wikimedia movement remain predominantly male. Women often hold minor positions in user groups and affiliates, which highlights a larger issue. Factors contributing to this imbalance include limited leadership and mentorship opportunities for African women in Wikimedia, a lack of coordinated efforts led by women across Africa, and limited understanding of the unique challenges women face.
Humaniki data also reveals a significant gender gap in Wikipedia content about people from African countries. Of the biographies and other content from Africa based on citizenship data in Wikidata, only 23.51% feature women. Countries like Uganda, Rwanda, and Botswana lead in gender representation, with 39.78%, 35.7%, and 35.09% of their content about women, respectively. Meanwhile, Libya, Mauritania, and the Republic of the Congo rank lowest, with only 10.92%, 12.89%, and 12.97% of content about women. This data clearly demonstrates the ongoing content gap regarding African women on Wikipedia, highlighting an area where more representation is urgently needed.- https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1NvIgxsA3SUly4KHrhbOlhKRPaPNQhdIOw1fYcLCqhhE/edit?usp=sharing
Our goal with the Africa Wiki Women initiative is to create an inclusive, well-coordinated platform that empowers African women within the Wikimedia movement.
This change is essential because it will advance gender diversity within the Wikimedia movement, contributing to a more inclusive and representative knowledge-sharing platform through a co-creation approach.
Strengthening the Organizational Structure: Strategy: We will focus on formalizing Africa Wiki Women as an organization by building a strong governance structure and enhancing our internal processes to support the growth and expansion of our activities.
- 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.
To achieve our goals and address the challenges outlined, we have planned a series of key activities that will help us investigate, strategize, and establish our organization. These activities are designed to foster discussions, gather data, build partnerships, and develop a sustainable structure for Africa Wiki Women.
Organize focus Group Discussions and Surveys: Organize 2 community online awareness sessions and 6 focus group discussions for 30 women from across different regions in Africa, like East, West, North, South Africa, within the African, and interviews within Wiki Women community, and women-led Wikimedia affiliates groups in Africa,and key stakeholders.
Mapping of Women-Led Wikimedia Initiatives Across Africa:
Map out existing women-led Wikimedia groups and their activities across Africa. engage research professionals within the Wikimedia community to lead this effort.
Registering Organizational Establishing Africa Wiki Women as a formal organization. This will involve legal registration and setting up governance structures, which will enable us to open a business account to manage funds transparently in the future. We will work with legal advisors, financial consultants, and Wikimedia Affiliate leaders to guide this process.
Based on our findings, we will develop a strategic direction that focuses on addressing the specific needs of African women in the Wikimedia community. This niche will help Africa Wiki Women carve out a unique role within the movement. A clear strategic niche will ensure that our efforts are focused and impactful and do not overlap existing initiative. It will also help us stand out as a key player in empowering African women, making our organization more attractive for partnerships and support.
We will use the insights gained from research and discussions to craft our strategy, outlining key focus areas, objectives, and actionable plans to empower women and elevate their contributions in the Wikimedia space.
We will also share the outcome with our Using research findings to draft a strategic plan that addresses key gaps and needs. Sharing the strategy with community members for feedback and buy-in.
Outlining key focus areas and objectives to guide future programs.
- 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.
Ruby D-Brown- Project Manager Pellagia - Research Coordinator. Bukola- Liaison and communication.
Other Volunteer Team Facilitators
- Blessing Timothy Ojewuyi
- Nanteza Divine Gabriella
- Khadija Issa Twahir
Vacant 10 Volunteer country coordinators to support with community engagements from grassroot communities
Advisors Alex Stintson Masana Mulaudzi Bridgit Kurgat Tilla
- 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 solely women within the Africa Wiki Women community who make up 75% of the total 109 and other African women leaders in leadership roles within communities where we may be lacking representatives. The AWW participants hail from countries such as Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Rwanda, Madagascar, Namibia, Uganda, Senegal, Togo, and Egypt, ensuring representation from West, East, Central, North, and Southern Africa. We will prioritize the inclusion of a maximum of 2 participants from each of the 5 regions in Africa, ensuring a balanced representation of both new and experienced women Wikimedians. To engage participants prior to the activities, we will hold preliminary online sessions and community outreach efforts through various communication channels, including email, social media, and direct engagement via AWW fellows and other African Wikimedia local affiliates. Post-activity follow-up will include sharing the outcome of this projects with members and the next steps for our theory of change. Additionally, we will maintain ongoing communication through our existing community platforms, offering continuous support, mentorship, and opportunities for collaboration to strengthen the network and sustain engagemen
- 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.
Here’s a rewritten version in simpler language:
Last month, we hosted a community office hour where we talked with our community about this idea. We had a discussion with our team and the community, and also reached out to the gender team at the Wikimedia Foundation, as well as Veronica from the general support grant team. Our community is eager to take this approach forward.
- 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)
Content Gender gap
- 13. Does your proposal include any of these areas or thematic focus? Select one option that most applies to your work. (required)
Gender and diversity
- 14. Will your work focus on involving participants from any underrepresented communities? Select one option that most apply to your work. (required)
Gender Identity
- 15. In what ways do you think your proposal most contributes to the Movement Strategy 2030 recommendations. Select one that most applies. (required)
Increase the Sustainability of Our Movement
Learning and metrics
[edit]- 17. What do you hope to learn from your work in this project or proposal? (required)
What specific barriers hinder African women from participating as editors and leaders within the Wikimedia movement?We want to identify the systemic and cultural obstacles that African women face in gaining visibility and representation. What lessons can we learn from existing women-led Wikimedia initiatives across Africa that can inform our strategic direction? We hope to identify best practices and successful approaches from similar initiatives to avoid redundancy and enhance our impact.
How effective are our initiatives in increasing the engagement and leadership of African women in Wikimedia?We will evaluate the success of our programs, workshops, and strategic discussions in empowering women to take on more prominent roles.
What strategies can be developed to ensure that the voices and perspectives of African women are effectively represented in Wikimedia content?We aim to discover how we can amplify African women’s contributions to the global knowledge base and ensure their experiences and viewpoints are included.
What organizational structures and processes are necessary to sustain Africa Wiki Women and enhance its impact?Understanding the governance and management strategies that will support long-term growth and sustainability will be crucial.
Identify opportunities that Africa Wiki Women can address strategic nitch
- 18. What are your Wikimedia project targets in numbers (metrics)? (required)
| Other Metrics | Target | Optional description |
|---|---|---|
| Number of participants | 90 | 90 individuals
This includes women from the Africa Wiki Women community, Women leaders in other Wikimedia affiliates within Africa, and stakeholders participating in focus group discussions, workshops, and community sessions. |
| Number of editors | 60 | 30 individuals
This includes women from the Africa Wiki Women community, Women leaders in other Wikimedia affiliates within Africa, and stakeholders participating in focus group discussions, workshops, and community sessions. |
| Number of organizers | 8 | Target: 8 organizers
Description: This includes the Project Manger, Research Coordinator, Liaison and communication, Advisors and other team members who will help implement activities, ensuring a well-supported environment for participants. |
| Wikimedia project | Number of content created or improved |
|---|---|
| Wikipedia | |
| Wikimedia Commons | |
| Wikidata | |
| Wiktionary | |
| Wikisource | |
| Wikimedia Incubator | |
| Translatewiki | |
| MediaWiki | |
| Wikiquote | |
| Wikivoyage | |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Partnerships/Collaborations | 5 partnerships established
Details: This includes formal partnerships with Wikimedia affiliates, and local institutions aimed at promoting women’s involvement in Wikimedia projects. |
5 |
| 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)
Google Forms and spreadsheets to collect and analyze participant data. Otter. AI for transcribing focus group discussions and other interviews collected. Taguette, the free and open-source qualitative data analysis tool for import analysis focus group transcriptions, highlighting and tag quotes, and export the results! Zoom for recording focus group discussions, and online strategy workshop, and community sessions.
Financial proposal
[edit]- 21. Please upload your budget for this proposal or indicate the link to it. (required)
- 22. and 22.1. What is the amount you are requesting for this proposal? Please provide the amount in your local currency. (required)
78866.4 GHS
- 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.
4994 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).