Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/Rapid Fund/Likpakpaanl Language Wikimedians/Launch, TranslateWiki and Test Wiki Edit-a-thon for students of University for Development Studies (ID: 23478716)/Final Report
Application type: Standard application
Part 1: Project and impact
1. Describe the implemented activities and results achieved. Additionally, share which approaches were most effective in supporting you to achieve the results. (required)
The project implemented activities to introduce students who are native likpakpaanl language of the University for Development Studies (UDS) to Wikimedia platforms like translatewiki and wikimedia incubator, build their localization skills, and support content creation for Likpakpaanl as one of the underrepresented Ghanaian languages. These participants were introduced to the Wikimedia movement, free-knowledge principles and the importance of digital language preservation. This session created a strong foundation for understanding the broader purpose of the project. Some of students of likpakpaanl were supported to create accounts both on translatewiki and Wikimedia incubator through training sessions which taught participants how to translate interface messages into Likpakpaanl . Emphasis was placed on translating the “Most Important” and “Most Used” messages, reviewing existing translations, and improving accuracy. Hands-on practice allowed participants to learn how to add content, databox, add references, and correct formatting. This reduced the fear of mistakes and prepared them for real contributions. Participants created and improved articles in the Wikimedia Incubator, contributing content necessary for the development of future Wikipedias in Likpakpaanl. The project successfully achieved strong outcomes across localisation and content development: 587 representing 100% of “Most Important” and “Most Used” messages were localized through translation on TranslateWiki. 98 new articles created in the Wikimedia Incubator, supporting the growth of the emerging language Wikipedia. Increased digital literacy and editing competence among Likpakpaanl students of UDS. New and returning editors gained confidence in using Wikimedia platforms which invariably raised awareness about the importance of language preservation and multilingual access to knowledge. Established a foundation for a sustainable Wikimedia community at UDS. These results demonstrate strong progress in both language focused contributions and editor capacity building. Several strategies proved particularly effective in enabling the project to achieve its goals. Practical editing sessions on Test Wiki and Incubator helped students learn faster and retain knowledge. The ability to experiment without fear encouraged active participation. Grounding the project in languages that participants speak or connect with increased motivation, ownership, and meaningful contributions. Pairing students during translation and editing activities boosted confidence, improved problem-solving, and created a collaborative learning environment. Mentors guiding participants through TranslateWiki, Test Wiki, and Incubator workflows ensured fewer errors and better-quality contributions. Continuous support was crucial for localisation accuracy.
2. Documentation of your impact. Please use space below to share links that help tell your story, impact, and evaluation. (required)
Share links to:
- Project page on Meta-Wiki or any other Wikimedia project
- Dashboards and tools that you used to track contributions
- Some photos or videos from your event. Remember to share access.
You can also share links to:
- Important social media posts
- Surveys and their results
- Infographics and sound files
- Examples of content edited on Wikimedia projects
Additionally, share the materials and resources that you used in the implementation of your project. (required)
For example:
- Training materials and guides
- Presentations and slides
- Work processes and plans
- Any other materials your team has created or adapted and can be shared with others
3. To what extent do you agree with the following statements regarding the work carried out with this Rapid Fund? You can choose “not applicable” if your work does not relate to these goals. Required. Select one option per question. (required)
| A. Bring in participants from underrepresented groups | Strongly agree |
| B. Create a more inclusive and connected culture in our community | Strongly agree |
| C. Develop content about underrepresented topics/groups | Strongly agree |
| D. Develop content from underrepresented perspectives | Strongly agree |
| E. Encourage the retention of editors | Strongly agree |
| F. Encourage the retention of organizers | Strongly agree |
| G. Increased participants' feelings of belonging and connection to the movement | Strongly agree |
| F. Other (optional) |
Part 2: Learning
4. In your application, you outlined some learning questions. What did you learn from these learning questions when you implemented your project? How do you hope to use this learnings in the future? You can recall these learning questions below. (required)
You can recall these learning questions below: 1. We hope to learn what inspire participants to this project.
2. We hope to learn the challenges that hinders participants contributing to the free knowledge.
3. We hope to learn how the team collaborate to strategically translate unfamiliar/scientific messages into Anufo language.
4. We hope to learn how user friendly the incubator is regarding translation and creation of articles.
During the implementation of the TranslateWiki launch, Likpakpaanl language translations, and the edit-a-thon activities, we reflected on the learning questions stated in the proposal. The project provided valuable insights that will guide future language and Wikimedia community initiatives. We learned that participants were mainly inspired by a desire to promote and preserve the Likpakpaanl digitally which invariably resulted in the excitement of contributing to a global platform such as Wikimedia. Through the project, participants have a unique opportunity to gain new digital, translation, and editing skills and moreover it creates a sense of pride that their language is being recognized internationally. Knowing what motivates participants will help us design future programs that emphasize language visibility, skill development, and recognition. We will continue to highlight the cultural impact of their contributions and create mentorship opportunities that inspire long-term involvement. Key challenges identified include, Limited internet access or unstable connectivity. difficulty understanding some complex or technical messages during translation. Limited experience with Wikimedia editing interfaces among new participants. Competing academic, economic and personal schedules that affect participation consistency. Planning into the future, we will plan for offline training materials, provide clearer translation guides, schedule sessions more flexibly, and pair inexperienced editors with mentors. We also intend to strengthen internet support for workshops. We observed that collaborative discussion was crucial, especially for scientific or technical terms that do not have direct equivalents. Participants relied on consensus-building, reference to local knowledge, and consultation with language experts or elders. Creating a shared glossary of standardized terms helped improve consistency in translations. Base on this finding, we plan to formalize the glossary into a community dictionary for use on TranslateWiki and in future editing events. This collaborative model will be used for other complex domains such as health, science, and technology. Participants reported that the Incubator interface is manageable but can be confusing for beginners. Navigation is not intuitive for first-time users, especially when switching between translation, article creation, and reviewing contributions. However, once trained, participants appreciated the structured environment of the Incubator. We will develop step-by-step guides and short video tutorials for new editors. During training, we will allocate extra time for hands-on practice. Strengthening peer support and providing a dedicated helpdesk during events will also improve user experience.
5. Did anything unexpected or surprising happen when implementing your activities? This can include both positive and negative situations. What did you learn from those experiences? (required)
The implementation of the Launch of the Likpakpaanl Language Wikimedians and Edit-a-thon at the University for Development Studies saw a few unexpected situations emerged. Many participants quickly adapted to editing on TranslateWiki and the Test Wiki platform, which contributed to the creation of 98 new Incubator articles and the translation of 587 most-used interface messages. This unexpected momentum strengthened the overall impact of the project. However, there were also challenges, unstable internet connectivity caused interruptions during training sessions. Additionally, some participants initially struggled with the technical aspects of the platforms, requiring more time and support than originally planned. These experiences offered valuable lessons. First, the overwhelming interest highlighted the importance of preparing to securing more internet support. Second, the need for extended hands on guidance showed that future workshops should include more facilitators and simplified onboarding materials to help new editors learn at their own pace.
6. What is your plan to share your project learnings and results with other community members? If you have already done it, describe how. (required)
To ensure that the learnings and results from the Launch of the Likpakpaanl Language Wikimedians and Edit-a-thon at the University for Development Studies benefit the wider community, several dissemination strategies have been planned and, in some cases, already initiated. The project outcomes such as the translation of 587 most-used interface messages, creation of 98 Incubator articles, and overall participant experiences will be documented and published on Meta-Wiki for open access by all Wikimedia communities. Additionally, a summary of the lessons learned has already been shared informally with local Wikimedia groups through community WhatsApp platforms and in-person discussions. Moving forward, we plan to present the results during upcoming Wikimedia Ghana User Group meetups and relevant online events, highlighting both the successes and challenges faced. We also intend to prepare a brief blog-style report to encourage other language communities, especially those working on underrepresented Ghanaian languages, to adopt similar approaches. These efforts aim to ensure that the knowledge gained contributes to broader capacity building, cross-community learning, and continued growth of the Likpakpaanl language within the Wikimedia movement.
Part 3: Metrics
7. Wikimedia Metrics results. (required)
In your application, you set some Wikimedia targets in numbers (Wikimedia metrics). In this section, you will describe the achieved results and provide links to the tools used.
| Target | Results | Comments and tools used | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of participants | 50 | 50 | |
| Number of editors | 30 | 23 | |
| Number of organizers | 3 | 3 |
| Wikimedia project | Target | Result - Number of created pages | Result - Number of improved pages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia | |||
| Wikimedia Commons | |||
| Wikidata | |||
| Wiktionary | |||
| Wikisource | |||
| Wikimedia Incubator | 100 | ||
| Translatewiki | 587 | 587 | 0 |
| MediaWiki | |||
| Wikiquote | |||
| Wikivoyage | |||
| Wikibooks | |||
| Wikiversity | |||
| Wikinews | |||
| Wikispecies | |||
| Wikifunctions or Abstract Wikipedia |
8. Other Metrics results.
In your proposal, you could also set Other Metrics targets. Please describe the achieved results and provide links to the tools used if you set Other Metrics in your application.
| Other Metrics name | Metrics Description | Target | Result | Tools and comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
9. Did you have any difficulties collecting data to measure your results? (required)
No
9.1. Please state what difficulties you had. How do you hope to overcome these challenges in the future? Do you have any recommendations for the Foundation to support you in addressing these challenges? (required)
Part 4: Financial reporting
[edit]10. Please state the total amount spent in your local currency. (required)
16427
11. Please state the total amount spent in US dollars. (required)
1500
12. Report the funds spent in the currency of your fund. (required)
Provide the link to the financial report https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1CAfHSQTdvqaafVkQbt2gWrsvKD54YCn1HH2NhvpM2_c/edit?usp=sharing
12.2. If you have not already done so in your financial spending report, please provide information on changes in the budget in relation to your original proposal. (optional)
13. Do you have any unspent funds from the Fund?
No
13.1. Please list the amount and currency you did not use and explain why.
N/A
13.2. What are you planning to do with the underspent funds?
N/A
13.3. Please provide details of hope to spend these funds.
N/A
14.1. Are you in compliance with the terms outlined in the fund agreement?
Yes
14.2. Are you in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations as outlined in the grant agreement?
Yes
14.3. Are you in compliance with provisions of the United States Internal Revenue Code (“Code”), and with relevant tax laws and regulations restricting the use of the Funds as outlined in the grant agreement? In summary, this is to confirm that the funds were used in alignment with the WMF mission and for charitable/nonprofit/educational purposes.
Yes
15. If you have additional recommendations or reflections that don’t fit into the above sections, please write them here. (optional)