Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/Rapid Fund/Building Content and Community:Strengthening Wikimedia in the Gambia (ID: 23642589)
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Applicant Details
[edit]- Main Wikimedia username. (required)
Gayobah13
- 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 a Wikimedia User Group (submitted to the Affiliation Committee).
- Describe all relevant roles with the name of the group or organization and description of the role. (required)
I am a group leader of the Gambia Wikimedia Community, which has been submitted to the Wikimedia Affiliations Committee for recognition. I help coordinate community activities such as edit-a-thons, trainings, and awareness sessions to build a sustainable Wikimedia community in The Gambia.
Main Proposal
[edit]- 1. Please state the title of your proposal. This will also be the Meta-Wiki page title.
Building Content and Community: Strengthening Wikimedia in the Gambia
- 2. and 3. Proposed start and end dates for the proposal.
2026-02-06 - 2026-05-06
- 4. Where will this proposal be implemented? (required)
The Gambia
- 5. Are your activities part of a Wikimedia movement campaign, project, or event? If so, please select the relevant project or campaign. (required)
WikiGap
- 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)
Since November 2024, I have been building a Wikimedia community in the Gambia following my participation in Wiki Indaba 2024. The first awareness campaign, held in July 2025, attracted the attention of national and local media, including the Gambia Daily Newspaper and three community radio stations and online media platforms.
From our initial training sessions, several key challenges became evident: 1. Limited local capacity to train new editors across Wikimedia projects. 2. Strong interest among participants to contribute in their local languages (Mandinka, Fula, Wolof, etc.) but limited technical knowledge on how to do so. 3. Lack of continuous engagement and mentorship, which risks losing the enthusiasm of new volunteers.
To address these gaps, this project aims to: 1. Strengthen the skills of Gambian volunteers through intensive training and mentorship. 2. Invite two experienced Wikimedia trainers from Nigeria to support comprehensive training on Wikipedia, Wikidata, and Wikisource via online. 3. Continuous online engagement through follow-up sessions and local coordination. Our overall goal is to build a sustainable Wikimedia community in the Gambia through capacity building, mentorship, and collaboration with experienced Wikimedians in 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.
The project will begin with a three-day in-person training workshop designed to introduce participants to a wide range of Wikimedia projects. The sessions will cover topics such as editing Wikipedia and Wikidata, contributing to local-language projects through the Wikimedia Incubator, uploading media to Wikimedia Commons, and using Wikisource for digital preservation. The goal is to equip participants with practical editing skills and a clear understanding of how Wikimedia platforms support open knowledge and cultural documentation.
The workshop will be facilitated by a team of three trainers; one local facilitator (the project lead) and two experienced Wikimedia trainers from Nigeria who will join the sessions virtually via Zoom. Their combined expertise will ensure a comprehensive and interactive learning experience for all participants.
Following the training, there will be two online follow-up sessions to provide continued mentorship and technical support. These sessions will focus on reviewing participants’ progress, addressing challenges encountered during editing, and guiding them toward sustained contributions to Wikimedia projects. To strengthen collaboration and community engagement, the project will also include partnership and outreach activities. Key institutional partners will include the University of The Gambia (UTG), the International Open University (IOU), and the Media Association for Journalists and Advocates of The Gambia (MAJAG). Media coverage through radio programs and online platforms will be used to promote awareness about Wikimedia projects and encourage more people to join the open knowledge movement in The Gambia.
- 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.
Gayo Bah (User:Gayobah13) serves as the Project Lead and Local Trainer, based in The Gambia. Gayo will coordinate all project activities, oversee implementation, and provide hands-on guidance to participants. As an experienced Wikimedian, he will lead training sessions on Wikisource and ensure that the project aligns with Wikimedia’s open knowledge goals.
Abdul Kadir (User:Fulani215) joins the team from Nigeria as a Trainer for Wikipedia and Wikidata. He brings extensive experience in community engagement and Wikimedia technical skills. As a consultant, Abdul Kadir will facilitate sessions on the Wikimedia Incubator, focusing on how participants can contribute to local-language projects, especially in Fula (Fulfulde).
Dr. Tesleemah (User:Tesleemah), also from Nigeria, serves as a Trainer for Wikisource and Outreach. She will support the project as a consultant, helping to expand its reach and strengthen participants’ capacity in content development, editing, and digital documentation. Her sessions will emphasize practical contributions to Wikipedia and Wikidata.
Binta S. Jawo (User:Binta S Jawo) serves as the Media and Communications Officer for the project. Operating from The Gambia, she will volunteer to promote the project’s activities, handle media outreach, and ensure strong public visibility through radio, social media, and other platforms.
Kabiro Janneh (User: Kjanneh3) is the Community Engagement and Follow-up Officer, also based in The Gambia. As a volunteer, she will maintain ongoing communication with participants, coordinate follow-up sessions, and encourage continued engagement in Wikimedia projects. Isatou will also be responsible for managing participant communication via WhatsApp and Telegram, ensuring timely responses and feedback collection.
Lamin B. Fatty (User:Lfatty22) serves as the Procurement and Accounts Officer for the project. Based in The Gambia, he will be responsible for managing budgeting, procurement, and expenditure, ensuring that all project funds are used transparently and in line with Wikimedia Foundation grant guidelines. Lamin will also assist in coordinating logistics and providing financial reports to support the smooth implementation of all activities.
- 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 groups: 1. Students and lecturers from University of The Gambia (UTG) 2.Students from International Open University (IOU) 3. Members of MAJAG (Media Association for Journalists and Advocates of Gambia) 4. New Wikimedia volunteers and language enthusiasts
Engagement plan: 1. Before training: Online mobilization through WhatsApp and Telegram groups, institutional outreach, and social media announcements. 2. During training: Interactive sessions, group work, and mentorship pairing with experienced trainers. 3. After training: Two follow-up online sessions, continuous mentorship through a WhatsApp group, and progress tracking via a shared dashboard.
- 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 project idea was discussed through regular meetings with volunteers on WhatsApp and Telegram groups. Feedback was collected on training needs, priority projects, and suitable training periods. Local Wikimedia enthusiasts and partner media institutions were also informed and expressed strong support.
- 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)
Other Important Topics (topics considered to be of impact or important in the specific context)
- 13. Does your proposal include any of these areas or thematic focus? Select one option that most applies to your work. (required)
Education
- 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)
Improve User Experience
Learning and metrics
[edit]- 17. What do you hope to learn from your work in this project or proposal? (required)
during this project we hope to learn the following: 1. Effective strategies for sustaining volunteer engagement after initial training. 2. Best practices for developing local-language content on Wikimedia projects. 3. How to strengthen cross-country collaboration within the African Wikimedia community.
- 18. What are your Wikimedia project targets in numbers (metrics)? (required)
| Other Metrics | Target | Optional description |
|---|---|---|
| Number of participants | 50 | |
| Number of editors | 50 | |
| Number of organizers | 4 |
| Wikimedia project | Number of content created or improved |
|---|---|
| Wikipedia | 100 |
| Wikimedia Commons | 200 |
| Wikidata | 150 |
| Wiktionary | |
| Wikisource | 50 |
| Wikimedia Incubator | 50 |
| 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)
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)
1. We will use the Program & Event Dashboard to track participant contributions.
2. And Google Forms for feedback surveys
Financial proposal
[edit]- 21. Please upload your budget for this proposal or indicate the link to it. (required)
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1hAPm-ycCJLPVbNSoqpCyZerZPJRZMZN1-hvllqKT2Lk/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)
312400 GMD
- 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.
4198 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).