Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/Rapid Fund/Lesotho Wikipedia Basics Training and Outreach Initiative (ID: 23945830)
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Applicant Details
[edit]- Main Wikimedia username. (required)
ZS Khumalo (talk • accounts • contributions • edit count)
- Organization
Lubombo-Maloti Wikimedians
- 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)
I'm a Group Secretary for the Lubombo-Maloti Wikimedia User Group and a founding member. My role is administrative, which includes coordination, record keeping, grants filing and reporting.
Main Proposal
[edit]- 1. Please state the title of your proposal. This will also be the Meta-Wiki page title.
Lesotho Wikipedia Basics Training and Outreach Initiative
- 2. and 3. Proposed start and end dates for the proposal.
2026-09-26 - 2026-10-31
- 4. Where will this proposal be implemented? (required)
Lesotho
- 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)
This project aims to increase Wikimedia awareness, participation and long-term contributor growth in Lesotho.
Lesotho, like Eswatini, currently has a limited awareness of Wikimedia projects, particularly Wikipedia and understanding of the mission of the Wikimedia Movement.
Many potential contributors, like students, educators, archivists, librarians and cultural heritage practitioners in Lesotho. are unaware that they can actively participate in documenting and sharing their knowledge through Wikimedia platforms.
This contributes to the continued underrepresentation of Lesotho’s history, culture, languages and knowledge digitilisation on Wikipedia as well as the production of Sesotho-language content and locally relevant information.
The project aims to address challenges of low awareness of Wikimedia projects and the free knowledge movement in Lesotho as well as limited Wikipedia editing and contribution skills among new users and the encyclopaedic underrepresentation of Sesotho-language and Lesotho-related content online.
The project wants to achieve cross-border knowledge collaboration frameworks within the Lubombo-Maloti region, which include Eswatini, Lesotho and relevant parts of South Africa (Mpumalanga, Free State and KZN).
APPROACH TO ADDRESSING THESE CHALLENGES The project will address these challenges through a programme of training, outreach and mentorship.
First, there will be a Wikipedia Basics Training workshop in Lesotho, hosted in partnership with Limkokwing University of Creative Technology in two weekends in September and early October 2026.
These will be practical, hands-on editing sessions where participants create and improve real Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons content during the proposed training workshop.
Participants will learn about the historical mission of the Wikimedia Movement and about the importance of collaboration, principles of reliable sourcing, verifiability, neutrality and how to identify notability in a subject.
There will also be:
- Post-workshop mentorship and online follow-up support
- Formalised coordination under the Lubombo-Maloti Wikimedia User Group framework, which connects Lesotho participants with broader regional Wikimedia contributors in Eswatini and adjacent South African communities (Mpumalanga, KZN and Free State), enabling cross-border knowledge sharing and editor contribution.
EXPECTED CHANGE The project will build a sustainable community of Wikimedia contributors in Lesotho who can confidently create, translate and improve high-quality content about local history, culture, and language. It aims to train 60 participants over an in-person weekends training workshops in order to enable sustainable long-term participation in Wikimedia projects by moving participants from awareness to active contribution, supported through ongoing mentorship and User Group institutional engagement.
- 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 FOR THE LESOTHO WIKIPEDIA BASICS TRAINING AND OUTREACH INITIATIVE
1. PREPARATION PHASE (15–25 September 2026)
- Confirm and finalise workshop venues and logistical arrangements in Maseru, Lesotho (Limkokwing University of Creative Technology where the event will be held)
- Finalise participant registration and attendance lists.
- Prepare training materials, presentations, recognition certificates and outreach materials.
- Establish WhatsApp communication channels
- Procure and collect project materials including banners, T-shirts and training resources.
2. WEEKEND 1 TRAINING WORKSHOP – LIMKOKWING UNIVERSITY OF CREATIVE TECHNOLOGY, MASERU (26–27 September 2026)
- Introduction to the Wikimedia Movement and the Wikimedia Foundation.
- What Wikipedia is and what it is not.
- Introduction to Wikimedia Commons and other Wikimedia projects.
- Creating Wikimedia accounts and understanding user responsibilities.
- Understanding neutrality, verifiability, reliable sourcing and notability.
- Practical Wikipedia editing sessions.
- Introduction to uploading and licensing images on Wikimedia Commons.
- Discussion on the importance of Sesotho-language content and representation of Lesotho's history, culture and heritage on Wikimedia platforms.
- Translations
- Participant engagement, networking and community-building activities.
3. WEEKEND 2 TRAINING WORKSHOP – MAFETENG COMMUNITY HALL (3–4 October 2026)
- Advanced Wikipedia editing and article improvement.
- Creating and expanding articles related to Lesotho's history, culture, heritage and notable people.
- Wikimedia Commons image uploads and categorisation.
- Introduction to Wikidata, Wikibooks and other Wikimedia projects.
- Translation and localisation opportunities for Sesotho-language content.
- Practical editing sessions with facilitator support.
- Community discussions on sustaining Wikimedia participation in Lesotho.
- Awareness and advocacy activities and participant recognition.
4. ONLINE MENTORSHIP AND FOLLOW-UP (5–18 October 2026)
- WhatsApp mentorship and support sessions.
- Ongoing assistance with Wikipedia editing and Wikimedia Commons uploads.
- Monitoring participant contributions through Wikimedia tracking tools.
- Encouraging continued participation and recruitment of new contributors.
- Facilitating collaboration with members of the Lubombo-Maloti Wikimedia User Group
5. EVALUATION AND REPORTING (19–31 October 2026)
- Review participant contributions and project outcomes.
- Compile stats and submit the final project report.
- 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.
PROJECT TEAM (4 people)
All team members are volunteers and have been informed of their involvement in this grant application. No team member will receive a salary or benefit of any form through this project.
NAME Zama Khumalo
WIKIMEDIA USERNAME ZS_Khumalo
ROLE Group Secretary
LOCATION Mpumalanga, South Africa
OTHER WIKIMEDIA AFFILIATION ZA Chapter
EXPERIENCE
- Wikipedia editor since 2020 and active contributor to Wikimedia projects relating to Southern African history and heritage, particulaly Eswatini royal history and South African liberation politics.
- Extended-Confirmed editor and Pending Changes Reviewer on English Wikipedia.
- Previous Wikimedia Foundation Rapid Fund grantee since 2025
- Journalism since 2008
- ZA Chapter Wikimania 2026 scholarship recipient
ROLE IN THIS PROJECT Administration, participant coordination, communications, reporting, workshop support, monitoring and evaluation.
STATUS Volunteer
---|----
NAME Twin Mosia
WIKIMEDIA USERNAME KeMang??
ROLE Group Chairperson
LOCATION Free State, South Africa
OTHER WIKIMEDIA AFFILIATION African Wikipedian Alliance, ZA Chapter
EXPERIENCE
- Wikipedia editor since 2017.
- Heritage researcher, museum curator and experienced Wikimedia trainer.
- Has organised and facilitated multiple Wikimedia workshops and community initiatives focused on Sesotho heritage, culture and language documentation.
ROLE IN THIS PROJECT Lead trainer, workshop facilitation, participant mentorship, outreach, content development guidance and community engagement.
STATUS Volunteer
---|---
NAME Dieketseng Cindi
WIKIMEDIA USERNAME Mmaditopo
ROLE Coordination Lead
LOCATION Free State, South Africa
EXPERIENCE Wikipedia contributor with experience in translation, community engagement and content development. She has supported Wikimedia Sesotho outreach and participation activities in Free State, South Africa.
ROLE IN THIS PROJECT Participant support, registration coordination, communication with participants, workshop administration and post-event follow-up.
STATUS Volunteer
---|---
NAME Piet Lombard
WIKIMEDIA USERNAME SimonéDW
ROLE Language support
LOCATION Free State, South Africa
WIKIMEDIA AFFILIATION Lubombo-Maloti Wikimedia User Group
EXPERIENCE Wikimedia contributor with interests in local history, reading and farming
ROLE IN THIS PROJECT Online mentorship, language support, participant follow-up and technical assistance after workshops.
STATUS Volunteer
---|----
PARTNER ORGANISATION
Limkokwing University of Creative Technology (Lesotho)
The University has expressed support for the initiative and will assist with hosting part of the training programme. Please note that the institution is not receiving grant funds and is participating as a supporting partner for educational outreach and knowledge digitilisation and sharing.
- 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 primary target participants are students, educators, researchers, librarians, archivists, museum professionals, cultural heritage practitioners, language activists and community members from Lesotho who are interested in free knowledge, digital heritage preservation and indigenous language content development.
Particular emphasis will be placed on recruiting Sesotho-speaking participants, as well as individuals interested in documenting Lesotho's history, culture, heritage, notable people, institutions and places on Wikimedia platforms. The project aims to train approximately 60 participants, with a strong intention of new editor recruitment and retention.
ENGAGEMENT BEFORE THE ACTIVITIES
The project will work closely with supporting contacts at Limkokwing University of Creative Technology and other community stakeholders to identify and invite participants.
A list of prospective participants has already been compiled and information about the workshops will be shared through WhatsApp groups, email communication and direct engagement..
Participants will receive information about the objectives of the workshops, registration requirements and expectations prior to the training sessions.
ENGAGEMENT DURING THE ACTIVITIES
The first workshop will be hosted at Limkokwing University of Creative Technology in Maseru and the second workshop will be hosted at Mafeteng Community Hall.
During the workshops, participants will receive introductory and practical training on Wikimedia projects, particularly Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons and Wikidata.
Participants will learn:
1. The mission and objectives of the Wikimedia Foundation. 2. What Wikipedia is and what it is not. 3. How Wikipedia articles are created, improved and maintained. 4. Wikimedia policies on neutrality, verifiability, copyright, reliable sourcing and notability. 5. How to identify suitable topics for Wikimedia contribution. 6. How to upload photographs and media files to Wikimedia Commons. 7. Image licensing and copyright compliance. 8. The importance of preserving and promoting Sesotho language content on Wikimedia platforms. 9. Ways to contribute to documenting Lesotho's history, culture and heritage through Wikimedia projects.
The workshops will be highly interactive and will include practical editing sessions, group discussions, demonstrations and one-on-one support from experienced Wikimedia contributors.
FOLLOW-UP AND POST-WORKSHOP SUPPORT
Following the workshops, participants will continue receiving support through a dedicated WhatsApp mentorship group coordinated by the Lubombo-Maloti Wikimedia User Group.
Participants will be encouraged to continue editing Wikipedia, uploading media to Wikimedia Commons and participating in Wikimedia-related activities. Facilitators will monitor contributions, provide technical assistance, answer questions and encourage continued participation.
The project seeks to establish a sustainable Wikimedia contributor community in Lesotho while strengthening collaboration between contributors in Lesotho, Eswatini and neighbouring regions of South Africa. Long-term engagement will focus on contributor retention, knowledge sharing and continued development of Sesotho-language and Lesotho-related content across Wikimedia projects.
- 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 idea of this project developed through ongoing discussions among members of the Lubombo-Maloti Wikimedia User Group, particularly Twin Mosia and Dieketseng Cindi.
When we first met with Twin at the 2024 Wiki Indaba in Johannesburg we felt a need to collaborate and digitalise our histories, heritage and culture.
Following this a Usergroup was formed after months of engagement on the issue of the underrepresentation of our region on Wikimedia projects.
This particular proposal was then discussed with key group members including Twin Mosia, Dieketseng Cindi and Piet Lombard who expressed interest in executing it.
Through these discussions, we identified several common challenges, both with Eswatini and Lesotho, of limited awareness of Wikimedia projects, low participation from new contributors, underrepresentation of local history and culture, and the need for more formalised training opportunities and capacity building in Lesotho.
The project was also informed by previous discussions with intellectual stakeholders from educational, heritage and cultural institutions and the Limkokwing University of Creative Technology formally agreed in a letter to work with our User Group in documenting the history, heritage and cultures of Basotho people. A letter signed by the registra of the Limkokwing University of Creative Technology, Ms Mateboho Moorosi, as well as email correspondence our User Group had with Ms Malichaba Mbeka, a lecturer at the university, highlighted strong interest in learning Wikipedia editing skills and the mission behind the free knowledge movement.
The university subsequently provided a letter of support for the initiative and expressed willingness to collaborate in hosting the programme.
The project has also been designed to complement existing Wikimedia activities in Southern Africa by focusing specifically on recruitment, training and retention of new contributors in Lesotho and Eswatini to achieve cross-border knowledge sharing, digitilisation and long-term collaboration.
Planning discussions were conducted through email correspondence, WhatsApp communication, online meetings and direct consultations with community members, potential partners and prospective participants since April 2026.
- 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)
Language
- 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)
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)
Since we aim to build editor capacity, we would like to learn more about effective ways approaches recruit, train and retain new Wikimedia contributors in an underrepresented Southern African community like Lesotho.
We will like to know:
1. How effective are in-person Wikipedia Basics Training workshops in introducing new participants to Wikimedia projects and encouraging them to make their first contributions?
2. What factors influence whether participants continue editing Wikipedia and contributing to Wikimedia Commons after the workshops have ended?
3. What challenges do new contributors face when learning Wikipedia editing, sourcing, image uploads and Wikimedia policies?
4. How effective is WhatsApp-based mentorship and follow-up support in retaining new contributors and encouraging continued participation?
5. How can educational institutions, museums, libraries and heritage organisations contribute to the growth of Wikimedia communities in Lesotho?
6. What strategies are most effective for increasing participation in Sesotho-language content development and improving representation of local history, culture and heritage on Wikimedia platforms?
7. How can the Lubombo-Maloti Wikimedia User Group strengthen cross-border collaboration between contributors from Lesotho, Eswatini and relevant provinces of South Africa (Mpumalanga, KZN and Free State)?
- 18. What are your Wikimedia project targets in numbers (metrics)? (required)
| Other Metrics | Target | Optional description |
|---|---|---|
| Number of participants | 60 | The project will engage approximately 60 participants in Lesotho. The majority of participants will be first-time Wikimedians drawn from universities, heritage institutions, and local communities, with a smaller group of experienced editors from the User Group.
The aim is not only participation during the workshops but also continued engagement with Wikimedia projects after the training. |
| Number of editors | 35 | The project expects approximately 35 participants to become active Wikimedia editors as a direct result of the workshops. |
| Number of organizers | 4 |
| Wikimedia project | Number of content created or improved |
|---|---|
| Wikipedia | 60 |
| Wikimedia Commons | 60 |
| Wikidata | 80 |
| 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)
Program and Events Dashboard Xtools
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)
55844 ZAR
- 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.
3409.28 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).