Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/Rapid Fund/Digitization of Heritage Blueprints (ID: 23535432)
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Applicant Details
[edit]- Main Wikimedia username. (required)
Lutarchitecture
- 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.
Digitization of Heritage Blueprints
- 2. and 3. Proposed start and end dates for the proposal.
2025-11-03 - 2026-01-26
- 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)
Other (please specify) GLAM Wiki
- 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 change we aim to bring is the preservation, digitization, and open accessibility of Nigeria’s heritage architecture by digitizing 850 A1-sized heritage archives from first-generation architects in the country. Nigeria’s historic buildings, indigenous designs and colonial-era structures embody the country’s cultural identity. Yet, they face increasing risks from neglect, uncontrolled urban development, environmental damage, and the absence of coordinated preservation strategies. By digitizing and documenting these assets, we aim to safeguard them from loss while making them widely accessible for education, research, and cultural exchange.
Several key challenges hinder preservation efforts. Existing records are often fragmented and uncoordinated, scattered across institutions and private collections, making them inaccessible. There has been little effort to digitize archives, leaving fragile records vulnerable to decay and disasters. Additionally, limited skills and infrastructure, such as a shortage of trained staff, scanners, and storage systems, restrict progress. Policy frameworks remain weak, with no strong national mandates for heritage digitization, and there is low public awareness about the importance of safeguarding architectural heritage.
To address these challenges, the project proposes a community-driven, systematic approach. We will begin with detailed documentation of selected heritage buildings through digitization. These will feed into the creation of an open-access digital archive on Commons, where materials are catalogued and shared. Alongside this, the project emphasizes capacity building, training community members and Wikimedians in digitization, metadata creation, archiving, and heritage management. The projects will demonstrate impact and create momentum, while community engagement will ensure local knowledge and oral traditions enrich the archive. Furthermore, the project will engage in advocacy for stronger policies to institutionalize digital preservation.
- 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.
Main Activities
License Approval – Secure written or recorded permission from custodians to allow digitization and Wikimedia Commons uploads.
Rummaging and Sorting – Work with custodians to identify and assess heritage materials for significance, condition, and digitization suitability.
Curation and Digitization – Curate selected materials, scan with high-resolution equipment or photograph where scanning is not possible.
Metadata Creation – Develop structured metadata (title, description, date, creator, location, context, license) following Wikimedia standards.
Training Programs – Provide training in:
Use of Wikimedia tools (Pattypan, Upload Wizard, etc.)
Digitization processes in partnership with Tecres Technologies
Wikipedia, Wikidata, and Wikimedia Commons editing.
Batch Uploads to Wikimedia Commons – Upload digitized materials with complete metadata using Pattypan.
Verification and Categorization – Double-check uploads for accuracy, licensing, and categorization.
Community Review and Engagement – Share uploads with the Wikimedia community for review, improvement, and integration into articles and educational projects.
Cross-border Collaboration – Host events fostering collaboration within Africa and globally to expand impact and visibility.
Institutional and Ministerial Partnerships – Collaborate with national bodies such as NIA, NCMM, and ICOMOS to gain access to archives and strengthen heritage preservation networks.
- 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.
This project is led by dedicated Wikimedia contributors and cultural heritage advocates from Nigeria, each with defined roles to ensure success.
Lutarchitecture (Username: Lutarchitecture) – Lead Trainer & Stakeholder Liaison: Oversees training, equips participants with digitization/Wikimedia skills, and manages external stakeholder engagement.
Hillary Ogali (Username: Hillary Ogali) – Trainer & Project Manager: Supports training, manages timelines and deliverables, and ensures smooth project execution.
Lucy Iwuala (Username: Lucy Iwuala) – Trainer, Coordinator & Affiliate Liaison: Delivers training, coordinates activities, manages communications, and liaises with Wikimedia affiliates, including the Igbo Wikimedia community.
Jefhex (Username: Jefhex) – Communications & Media Lead; Upload Tools Mentor: Manages media, graphics, and documentation, while training participants on Wikimedia Commons upload tools (Pattypan, Upload Wizard).
Engagement: All members are volunteers, contributing their expertise to promote open knowledge, cultural heritage preservation, and Wikimedia community growth.
- 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 and Communities The project will engage members of the Igbo Wikimedia User Group, Wikimedia Heritage User Group Nigeria, professionals and volunteers in heritage conservation, and individuals from heritage communities — including historians, architects, cultural activists, and students interested in architectural preservation. These groups are chosen for their commitment to cultural preservation, open knowledge, and community development.
Engagement Strategy
Before & During Activities: Participants will be engaged through online trainings, thematic webinars, pre- and mid-project surveys, regular online/physical meetings, direct outreach via community leaders and social media, and access to a shared resource hub with training materials.
After Activities: Sustained engagement will include group upload sessions, mentorship support, post-project surveys, and integration into Wikimedia community activities, fostering leadership opportunities and long-term involvement in heritage documentation.
- 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.
Community Discussions and Involvement The project idea was discussed with the Igbo Wikimedia User Group off-wiki, engaging leadership and active members. The group’s co-founder expressed strong support and approved collaboration. Community members were briefed on the project’s goals, planned activities (trainings, uploads, digitization), and alignment with the group’s mission of promoting open knowledge and cultural heritage documentation. Discussions covered participant selection and training, integration with existing programs, sustaining engagement, and avoiding duplication of efforts. While initial discussions were off-wiki, project updates and activities will be documented on Meta-Wiki and Commons, with an on-wiki notification post shared before launch to ensure transparency and wider participation.
- 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)
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)
Digital Access
- 15. In what ways do you think your proposal most contributes to the Movement Strategy 2030 recommendations. Select one that most applies. (required)
Invest in Skills and Leadership Development
Learning and metrics
[edit]- 17. What do you hope to learn from your work in this project or proposal? (required)
Building Heritage in Nigeria, its sustainability and future
Architectural history and cultural heritage studies in Nigeria and their relevance to the general public. Why is it important we have it published on open-source platforms?
Climate Change Architectural Design Style Community management stakeholder Management and custodial relationships—navigating bottlenecks in the process of digitizing archives for sustainable heritage conservation processes.
- 18. What are your Wikimedia project targets in numbers (metrics)? (required)
| Other Metrics | Target | Optional description |
|---|---|---|
| Number of participants | 100 | |
| Number of editors | 50 | |
| Number of organizers | 5 |
| Wikimedia project | Number of content created or improved |
|---|---|
| Wikipedia | 20 |
| Wikimedia Commons | 500 |
| Wikidata | 25 |
| 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)
Support provided from the created Dashboard for the project that automatically updates Itself based on the contributions of Participants Google forms or Limesurvey to take 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/19nZiaCe1IzMx18uleMv6ClknaZXJ3ZjLMdBMGs0vPKY/edit?gid=0#gid=0
- 22. and 22.1. What is the amount you are requesting for this proposal? Please provide the amount in your local currency. (required)
3662825 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.
2500 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).