Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/Rapid Fund/Enhancing Health Content and Indigenous Language Representation through Luganda and Runyankore/Rukiga Editathons (ID: 23549731)
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Applicant Details
[edit]- Main Wikimedia username. (required)
Owobusingye
- Organization
Wikimedia Community User Group Uganda Ltd.
- 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)
Other
- Describe all relevant roles with the name of the group or organization and description of the role. (required)
I am Project Lead for Runyankole contracted by the Wikimedia Community User Group Uganda. I am also a Wikimedia Incubator admin for the NYN project
Main Proposal
[edit]- 1. Please state the title of your proposal. This will also be the Meta-Wiki page title.
Enhancing Health Content and Indigenous Language Representation through Luganda and Runyankore/Rukiga Editathons
- 2. and 3. Proposed start and end dates for the proposal.
2025-11-03 - 2026-01-31
- 4. Where will this proposal be implemented? (required)
Uganda
- 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) Wikimedia Incubator and Wikipedia
- 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)
English Wikipedia hosts more than 38 000 health‑related articles and receives over two billion page views each year. Despite this, only a handful of health topics are available in Luganda, and indigenous languages like Runyankore/Rukiga have no live Wikipedias.
Health readers in Uganda often rely on second‑hand translations or misleading online sources; Cochrane notes that the biggest errors in health articles are often errors of omission (https://community.cochrane.org/news/improving-health-related-content-wikipedia#:~:text=Wikipedia%20for%20health%20information%20English,in%20omission%2C%20however%2C%20misleading%20or).
At the same time, the endangered‑language grant programme highlights that many language pages exist as basic stubs and need quality information and links to resources.
Our proposed project aims to reduce these gaps by; (a) creating and improving at least 300 high‑quality Luganda health articles and; (b) incubating a Runyankore/Rukiga Wikipedia by producing 200 articles (150 translations and 50 original pieces) and establishing a sustainable campus‑based editing community.
We further intend to improve the reliability of health content by sourcing from systematic reviews and secondary sources to strengthen indigenous language representation by translating and localising cultural knowledge, and proverbs. The focus will be on universities of Makerere University, Bishop Stuart University, Kabale University, Mbarara University of Science and Technology and Kyambogo University for the planned editathons.
- 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.
Luganda health editathons; three outreach events in Kampala and Mbarara where volunteers will learn to edit health topics. Pre event online orientation will introduce health articles. Each event will target 100 health articles; participants will translate, expand and cite secondary sources such as Cochrane reviews. Health professionals will be invited as reviewers.
Runyankore/Rukiga university editathons; in partnership with Makerere University, Kyambogo University, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Bishop Stuart University and Kabale University. Activities include workshops introducing the Incubator (https://incubator.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wp/nyn/Orubaju_Rukuru), sessions on translation tools, and campus editathons to create 150 translated and 50 original articles. A Runyankore/Rukiga Wikimedia Society will be launched at Kabale University to sustain contributions. Runyankole/Rukiga Professors/lecturers will support content review.
Training and capacity building cross cutting online and offline sessions for new editors, focusing on Wikipedia editing skills, referencing, and use of the Programs & Events Dashboard.
Community outreach and promotion; design and distribution of posters, SWAG Materials and social media packs in Luganda and Runyankore/Rukiga; media segments featuring project goals; targeted engagement of journalists who write in Luganda and Runyankore/Rukiga.
Monitoring and evaluation; use of the Programs & Events Dashboard and Eventmetrics (https://meta.toolforge.org/catanalysis/index.php?cat=0&title=Wp/nyn&wiki=incubatorwiki) to track articles created/improved, edits and page views; mid project surveys for participants; post project reflection meetings to capture lessons learned.
- 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.
Christopher Liberty: He will be the Project Lead and he is a non-salaried volunteer in the Wikimedia Community User Group Uganda. His username is Owobusingye. Ssemanda Willy; He will be the lead for Luganda bit of the project. He is also the Language lead for the Language. He will be responsible for coordinating editathons in Luganda. He is also the Community Manager – a Salaried position at the Wikimedia Community User Group Uganda. Username: Ssemmanda will Five volunteer trainers who are experienced editors facilitating workshops and editathons. These will be responsible for supporting the editathons and the project and they include; 1. Username:Brenda Namulinda – Executive Director Wikimedia Community User Group Uganda, salaried 2. Username:Kateregga1 – Founder Wikimedia Community User Group Uganda - non salaried 3. Username:MichealKal – Board Member Wikimedia Community User Group Uganda - non salaried 4. Username:Tamdra – Project lead Wiki University Clubs for Wikimedia Community User Group Uganda - non salaried 5. Username:B722N - Board Member Wikimedia Community User Group Uganda - non salaried
- 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)
Participants include university students (especially language and health science students)from Makerere University, Kyambogo University, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Bishop Stuart University and Kabale University. We will also engage community volunteers, journalists and health professionals.
Before events, we will run online orientations and campus visits to recruit participants. During activities, we will provide in person training, internet data, refreshments and mentorship. Afterwards, participants will join WhatsApp/Telegram groups and receive monthly support sessions; the new Runyankore/Rukiga society will hold regular meetings to maintain momentum.
- 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.
Yes. As we will be working mainly with university students aged 18–25, we will follow the Wikimedia Foundation’s Youth Safety Policy (https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Policy:Wikimedia_Foundation_Combating_Online_Child_Exploitation_Policy)
All activities will be held in university spaces under supervision; participants will be adults or legally capable minors with university consent; no direct work with children under 18 is planned.
- 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 have discussed this proposal within the Ugandan Wikimedia community and at regular virtual meetups. Draft plans were shared on the WhatsApp groups of the projects and the proposal review by the Community's technical staff for feedback.
The idea started at the Wikimania in Nairobi and has been discussed also on emails especially at ideation stage. Volunteers and language lecturers have provided input on event timing, content focus and sustainability. The project timeline was aligned to avoid clashes with other local campaigns.
- 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)
Socioeconomic Status
- 13. Does your proposal include any of these areas or thematic focus? Select one option that most applies to your work. (required)
Other
- 14. Will your work focus on involving participants from any underrepresented communities? Select one option that most apply to your work. (required)
Linguistic / Language
- 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 methods most effectively mobilise university communities to create high quality local language content?
- How can health information be adapted and translated so that it remains accurate and locally relevant?
- What motivates volunteers to sustain editing in a new language incubator, and how can a campus society support continuity?
- 18. What are your Wikimedia project targets in numbers (metrics)? (required)
| Other Metrics | Target | Optional description |
|---|---|---|
| Number of participants | 120 | Metric Target Notes
Participants 120 Approximately 60 per language project (students, journalists, volunteers) Editors 80 At least 50 new editors, supported by 30 returning editors Organisers 8 Project lead, language leads, communications/logistics, four volunteer trainers New content contributions 500+ articles 300 Luganda health articles, 150 Runyankore translations, 50 original Runyankore articles; plus uploads of related media and proverbs to Commons/Quote Outreach events 8 Three Luganda editathons, five Runyankore/Rukiga events across universities New language society established 1 Runyankore/Rukiga society at Kabale University |
| Number of editors | 80 | Metric Target Notes
Participants 120 Approximately 60 per language project (students, journalists, volunteers) Editors 80 At least 50 new editors, supported by 30 returning editors Organisers 8 Project lead, language leads, communications/logistics, four volunteer trainers New content contributions 500+ articles 300 Luganda health articles, 150 Runyankore translations, 50 original Runyankore articles; plus uploads of related media and proverbs to Commons/Quote Outreach events 8 Three Luganda editathons, five Runyankore/Rukiga events across universities New language society established 1 Runyankore/Rukiga society at Kabale University |
| Number of organizers | 7 | Christopher Liberty: He will be the Project Lead and he is a non-salaried volunteer in the Wikimedia Community User Group Uganda. His username is Owobusingye.
Ssemanda Willy; He will be the lead for Luganda bit of the project. He is also the Language lead for the Language. He will be responsible for coordinating editathons in Luganda. He is also the Community Manager – a Salaried position at the Wikimedia Community User Group Uganda. Username: Ssemmanda will Five volunteer trainers who are experienced editors facilitating workshops and editathons. These will be responsible for supporting the editathons and the project and they include; 1. Username:Brenda Namulinda – Executive Director Wikimedia Community User Group Uganda 2. Username:Kateregga1 – Founder Wikimedia Community User Group Uganda 3. Username:MichealKal – Board Member Wikimedia Community User Group Uganda 4. Username:Tamdra – Project lead Wiki University Clubs for Wikimedia Community User Group Uganda 5. Username:B722N - Board Member Wikimedia Community User Group Uganda |
| Wikimedia project | Number of content created or improved |
|---|---|
| Wikipedia | 500 |
| Wikimedia Commons | |
| Wikidata | |
| Wiktionary | |
| Wikisource | |
| Wikimedia Incubator | |
| Translatewiki | |
| MediaWiki | |
| Wikiquote | |
| Wikivoyage | |
| Wikibooks | |
| Wikiversity | |
| Wikinews | |
| Wikispecies | |
| Wikifunctions or Abstract Wikipedia |
- Optional description for content contributions.
300 Luganda health articles, 150 Runyankore translations, 50 original Runyankore articles; plus uploads of related media and proverbs to Commons/Quote
- 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)
Wikipedia Dashboard and Wikimedia incubator tracker (https://meta.toolforge.org/catanalysis/index.php?cat=0&title=Wp/nyn&wiki=incubatorwiki)
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)
11550000 UGX
- 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.
3272.81 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).