Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/Rapid Fund/Digital Youth Clubs in Tanzania Phase 2 (ID: 23943653)
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Applicant Details
[edit]- Main Wikimedia username. (required)
Byera04 (talk • accounts • contributions • edit count)
- 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.
Digital Youth Clubs in Tanzania Phase 2
- 2. and 3. Proposed start and end dates for the proposal.
2026-09-01 - 2026-12-31
- 4. Where will this proposal be implemented? (required)
Tanzania
- 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)
What we learned from phase 1
The Wikimedia Foundation has presented key global trends that underscore the urgency of building a multigenerational movement. This requires mobilising younger generations to play key roles on our projects, from contributing to taking on more advanced on-Wiki roles, and to organise roles within the Movement ecosystem. Furthermore, global trends show that people who contribute online do so for meaningful connections. Phase 1 of the Wiki Digi-Youth Club pilot implemented from January 2026 till June 2026 set out to explore this question through a challenge-based learning model implemented across Nigeria, Rwanda, and Tanzania. Over the course of the pilot, youth clubs participated in a series of collaborative Wiki-Quests designed to build Wikimedia skills, encourage teamwork, and introduce participants to different Wikimedia projects through practical, hands-on activities.
The pilot brought together twelve clubs and more than one hundred young people aged 18–25, supported by local trainers, country coordinators, mentors, and volunteer jurors. Through virtual trainings, local workshops, and friendly competition, participants learned not only how to contribute to Wikimedia projects but also how to collaborate, communicate, and solve problems together. The project was structured around three Wiki-Quests, each introducing participants to different aspects of the Wikimedia ecosystem, training and encouraging them to contribute collectively through fun challenges. Clubs were encouraged to identify gaps in existing Wikimedia content and contribute by uploading photo and audio files to Wikimedia Commons, embedding them into Wikipedia articles, and connecting them to Wikidata items.
Overall, the results of phase 1 were:
3 countries overall results: 3 countries engaged 13 Clubs, 150 participants making active edits during 6 months.
In Tanzania country overall results, 3 clubs formed, 29 active participants making edits during 6 months.
341 photos uploaded to Commons, 82 photos uploaded by Tanzanian 3 clubs.
871 audio recordings to Wikimedia Commons, 230 were recorded by our 3 youth clubs.
Improved 493 Wikipedia articles by adding pronunciation audio for cities and towns, 200 were contributed by our 3 youth clubs.
Edited 238 Wikidata items by linking audio pronunciations to structured data entries, 87 were contribued by our 3 youth clubs.
Although implemented in three different countries, the project created opportunities for cross-country learning and collaboration. Regular virtual sessions, shared resources, and common challenges helped participants and organisers exchange ideas and learn from one another while adapting activities to their local contexts.
The project has shown that challenge-based, hybrid learning can be an effective model for engaging young people in the Wikimedia movement while building both technical and transferable skills. It has also demonstrated the value of local mentorship, collaboration, and creating welcoming spaces where young people can contribute confidently.
Phase 1 of the pilot taught us that when young people are given the tools, support, and opportunity to contribute, they do much more than edit Wikimedia projects. They become active creators and stewards of the knowledge that represents their communities and the world, making their engagement with open knowledge more sustainable, impactful, and enjoyable. We learned that methods applied to STEAM education that have proved successful outside of the Wikimedia context and can be adapted to our Movement.
This methodology also built a support network of mentors and trainers for youth mobilisation, scalable within a country or across the region at cost-effective rates.
What we seek from phase 2:
Growth in engagement and contribution from existing Clubs:
We want to continue to enhance youth engagement and on-Wiki contributions of these 150 active young contributors. With the implementation of new (and more challenging quests), we want to see if we can keep the momentum going for another 4 months and see if they can increase their skills, continue to work collectively as a club and be motivated to increase their contributions, not only through the challenges, but also as independent editors.
We also want to test an important cycle of this methodology recognising the top ranking Clubs with a significant skills building and life experience, such as the possibility to meet in a youth gathering in WikiIndaba or with some other alternative prize if this is not possible. This incentive at the end of the Quest journey is a key part of the methodology and it will be something that will engage future youth to participate in the Quest journey in future. Despite only 2 or 3 Clubs that rank at the top being awarded this incentive (approximately 15-25 participants), this possibility creates a strong incentive for future participants. It also helps encourage more youth focused programming in regional (and global) conferences, something that will be key to address Wikimedia Movement future audiences and sustainability challenges.
Test what bringing in a 4th country at this second stage.
From the start, our vision for this methodology is that, if proved effective, it could become a regional or even global model for the Movement. Despite the very encouraging results during phase 1, the 3-country team currently implementing this, does not want to run the risk of expanding too quickly whilst we are still in an experimental learning phase. However, we do want to test if it is possible to bring in new countries and Clubs whilst the programme is ongoing. For this reason we want to test the inclusion of 3 or 4 new Clubs in one additional country - Ghana.
Important note:
For this new phase the ranking would start from scratch to get the new Clubs a fair chance of competing. However, we may include an incentive for those clubs that started in phase 1 and also for new Clubs to develop the skills in phase 1.
All phase 1 Clubs start with 100 points.
All new Clubs must do Quest 1 (logo design).
- 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.
Planned Activities in July/August
- Presenting results at Wikimania
- Diff post to share results of phase 1 with the Movement
- Train trainers in the skills needed to support the following quests
- Confirm institutional collaboration and partnerships from existing and new universities /schools.
- Onboard new country coordinator and trainers.
- Confirm possibilities of youth meet up at WikiIndaba and finances involved.
Expected outputs
- Universities and schools that will continue confirm their participation in phase 2
- Existing and new trainers trained for new quests.
- Quest journey prizes confirmed (participation in WikiIndaba or other).
Other activities Big online kick-off with the participating youth clubs for phase 2 in September and launch of Quest 4.
Organise the prizes for top 2 ranking Clubs of phase 1 in October-November.
- 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.
1. Justin Msechu – Country Coordinator (Wikimedia Username; Justine Msechu). Justin coordinates the overall implementation of the Wikidigiyouth Clubs Program in Tanzania. He supports planning, partnerships, reporting, and ensures all activities are implemented successfully. He is an active volunteer in the Wikimedia movement with experience in youth engagement and digital literacy.
2. Amne Dauda, Project Leader (Wikimedia Username; Byera04). Amne leads the day-to-day implementation of the project, coordinates with participating clubs, supports mentors and participants, and helps organize trainings and community activities. She is a volunteer dedicated to growing youth participation in Wikimedia projects in Tanzania.
3. Hussein Issa – Project Leader (Wikimedia Username: Husseyn Issa). Hussein is an experienced Wikimedian from Tanzania who supports training, mentorship, and community engagement. He has organized several Wikimedia campaigns and youth programs, and will guide participants in contributing to Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, and other Wikimedia projects. He is also a volunteer and an active community leader.
- 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)
Our target participants are university students and other youth who are interested in digital skills, networking, open knowledge, and contributing to Wikimedia projects. We will mainly work with members of the Wikidigiyouth Clubs Program and invite new participants through universities, social media, WhatsApp groups, and community networks. Before the activities, we will share announcements and project information.
During the activities, participants will receive hands-on training, mentorship, group discussions, and practical quest overview with trainers.
After the activities, we will follow up through WhatsApp groups, online meetings, and with trainers to encourage continued contributions, answer questions, and support participants to become active during respective quests.
- 10. Does your project involve work with children or youth? (required)
Yes
- 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.
The General friendly safety policy for Wikimedia events will be summarised and read at the beginning of each event to remind the participants and the organisers of the importance of a friendly space policy. In addendum, we will make the following 24 hours phone numbers available throughout the events; The organisers, Local venue security, Local law enforcement, Local sexual assault hotline, Local emergency and non-emergency medical services, and Local taxi company will be available
- 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.
We discussed the project idea with our team members, club coordinators, and trainers through WhatsApp groups and online meetings. The project is coordinated by a joint team led by Jessica Stephenson, where members shared ideas, identified community needs, and gave suggestions to improve the overall quests. We also created a Meta page where community members can read about the project, leave comments, and continue the discussion. This process helped us ensure that the activities reflect the needs and interests of our community.
- 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)
Education
- 14. Will your work focus on involving participants from any underrepresented communities? Select one option that most apply to your work. (required)
Age (diversity of age groups)
- 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)
Learning questions: 1. Does this methodology work to engage new contributors to be active editors, improve on Wiki skills and make them more engaged in the Movement on the longer run?
2.Is this methodology scalable?
3.Does this methodology work to create a framework for programmatic regional collaboration involving youth?
- 18. What are your Wikimedia project targets in numbers (metrics)? (required)
| Other Metrics | Target | Optional description |
|---|---|---|
| Number of participants | 30 | 30 active participants
3 Clubs (with 10 participants per Club) |
| Number of editors | 45 | 180 active editors in the whole programme, 45 in each country. |
| Number of organizers | 8 | 1 Country Coordinator, 2 Project Leaders and 5 Trainers |
| Wikimedia project | Number of content created or improved |
|---|---|
| Wikipedia | 190 |
| Wikimedia Commons | 150 |
| Wikidata | 100 |
| 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)
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)
- Google Forms
- Spreadsheets
- Categories
Financial proposal
[edit]- 21. Please upload your budget for this proposal or indicate the link to it. (required)
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1e9QPUZ5DqA3fD7zzQ5U7bm6BogScXb2wQLs7gkZwHX4/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)
13050191 TZS
- 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.
4970 USD
- By submitting your proposal/funding request you confirm that you have read and agree to the Application Privacy Statement, WMF Friendly Space Policy, and the 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).