Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/Rapid Fund/Nigeria Cultural Heritage Project (NCHP) (ID: 22895374)
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Applicant Details
[edit]- Main Wikimedia username. (required)
Albakry028
- 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.
Nigeria Cultural Heritage Project (NCHP)
- 2. and 3. Proposed start and end dates for the proposal.
2025-02-10 - 2025-03-09
- 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) Training Wikimedia editors, promoting the documentation about Nigeria diverse cultural heritage, bridging content gap about Nigeria cultural heritage on Wikimedia platforms i.e. Wikipedia, Wikidata, and Wiki Commons
- 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 Nigeria Cultural Heritage Project (NCHP) aims to digitally document and promote Nigeria's diverse cultural heritage, including the often-overlooked oral traditions and historical practices of its three major ethnic groups—Yoruba, Igbo, and Hausa—as well as other indigenous cultures. By bridging the existing content gap on platforms like Wikipedia, Wikidata, and Wikimedia Commons, this project seeks to prevent the gradual erosion of Nigeria’s cultural legacy, ensuring these invaluable traditions are not only preserved but also accessible to both local and global audiences.
What are the main challenges or problems you are trying to solve? A key challenge in preserving Nigeria’s cultural heritage is its predominantly oral nature, making it vulnerable to loss over time due to urbanization, modernization, and generational shifts. Additionally, there is a lack of visibility for many traditional practices and figures on digital platforms, which limits both educational reach and global awareness. Educational materials and digital archives frequently overlook Nigerian cultural heritage, resulting in limited access to documented records, especially those pertaining to lesser-known cultural practices, festivals and cultural elements.
Changes & Challenges, and Main approaches 1. Engagement and Training: NCHP plans to recruit and train 50 new editors from universities, youth associations, and cultural organizations in Nigeria. The training will focus on documenting cultural heritage through Wikipedia, Wikidata, and Wikimedia Commons, with a curriculum designed to cover digital archival skills, documentation standards, and culturally sensitive content creation. In fulfilling these engagement, participants will be chanced to visit and tour cultural and historical sites where they will have access to first hand information. This approach will empower youths—especially those studying history, anthropology, and other related fields—to contribute to preserving and digitalizing their heritage.
2. Community Mobilization and Sensitization: Recognizing that knowledge and insights into cultural practices are often held by elders and cultural custodians, NCHP will mobilize local communities to participate in documenting their histories on Wikimedia platforms. This will involve hosting sensitization sessions and consultations with community leaders to collect, verify, and respectably document traditional knowledge.
3. Content Creation and Gap Bridging: The project will focus on creating and enhancing Wikipedia articles and Wikidata entries that cover Nigerian cultural figures, practices, legends, and heroes who lack online presence. By collaborating with Wikimedia, the project will utilize outreach dashboards to track metrics, monitor progress, and ensure the systematic coverage of these topics.
4. Documentation of Oral Traditions: By working with linguists, historians, and cultural custodians, the project will compile oral histories and traditions into written and digital formats. This will include narratives, proverbs, folktales, and indigenous knowledge specific to Nigerian ethnic groups, all of which are essential to preserving the essence of Nigeria’s intangible cultural heritage.
5. Sustainability and Accessibility: The NCHP will aim to make this digital cultural repository accessible to both national and international audiences. Additionally, by equipping participants with Wikimedia skills, the project will foster a sustainable model for ongoing contributions, creating a community of Nigerian editors committed to cultural heritage 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.
The Nigeria Cultural Heritage Project (NCHP) will span over 4 weeks and comprises a series of targeted activities to effectively engage participants build Wikimedia skills, and document Nigeria's cultural heritage. These activities aim to both equip participants and increase visibility of Nigeria's cultural heritage on Wikimedia platforms.
1. Mobilization and Sensitization of Participants:
The project will begin with mobilizing and sensitizing participants on the significance of Wikimedia projects in preserving cultural heritage. Through partnerships with the Students Historical Society of Nigeria, the National Association of History and International Studies, and similar student groups, we will recruit 50 participants (both new and existing). This activity aims to change perceptions and foster appreciation for Wikipedia and Wikidata’s roles in documenting Nigeria’s cultural heritage.
2. Two-Day In-Person Workshop: In the first week, the project will host a in-person workshop that offers hands-on Wikimedia training. Participants will be guided through account setup, basic edits, and key documentation techniques. The second day of the workshop will take place in the third week of the campaign, building on participants' progress with further training and as well as visitation and tour to cultural sites. Skilled facilitators will lead these sessions, ensuring that each participant gains core editing and content creation skills.
3. Two Online Reinforcement Training Sessions: To sustain learning and support skill enhancement, two online reinforcement sessions will be held. Facilitators will conduct these sessions. Starting with the first online session in the second week and the second session of the online training in the fourth week. These online sessions will address challenges, and deepen participants' understanding of Wikimedia tools for creating culturally significant content.
4. Final Review and Feedback Session: At the end of the campaign, a review session will be held to assess participants' contributions, provide feedback, and address any questions. This session will also highlight areas for improvement, future goals, and continuity of engagement. A WhatsApp group will be created to facilitate ongoing communication, where participants can seek guidance, share insights, and encourage one another in future Wikimedia activities.
6. Certification and Recognition: Certificates of participation will be awarded to all contributors, while top editors will receive certificates of excellence and prizes to recognize their contributions. This serves to motivate continued involvement and celebrates participants’ impact on cultural preservation.
7. Partnerships and Support: NCHP will engage with local cultural organizations, student associations, and educational institutions that focus on history and culture to drive mobilization efforts. By partnering with these groups, the project will ensure wider reach and stronger alignment with local interests.
- 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.
Albakry028 (Project Lead): Albakry028 is an experienced Wikimedia editor and a member of the English Wikipedia User group. He was one of the Facilitator for Wikimedia Awareness in Ogbomosho. He served as Special Duties at the Wikimedia Fan Club, University of Ilorin, where he helped in facilitating numbers of projects at the Fan Club which he did diligently. He has successfully participated in many Wikimedia project and campaigns including WikiClimateCampusTour 2021, Wikimedia Awareness in Akure, Afrocreative projects and many others. He is a graduate of History and International Studies. His undergraduate thesis focus on Ilorin Cultural Heritage, this significantly gave him adept understanding of the importance of documenting Nigeria diverse cultural heritage on Wikimedia platforms. Beyond Wikimedia, he's an astute researcher who has familiarized himself with adequate understanding of cultural history. He is a member of the Historical Society of Nigeria (HSN), a premier organization dedicated to the promotion and preservation of Nigeria's rich and diverse history with the primary objective of fostering understanding and appreciation of Nigeria's past, cultural heritage etc.
Taofeeq Abdulkareem (Trainer- Online and Offline): Taofeeq Abdulkareem is an experienced Wikimedia editor and the Project Lead for Wikimedia Awareness in Ogbomosho. He was one of the Facilitator for Wikimedia Promotion in Akure and also a facilitator for Wikimedia Promotion in Lead City University. He held leadership positions in Wikimedia, most notably as a two-time Special Duty Officer, and also the immediate Vice President, Training and Development of the Wikimedia Fan Club at the University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Kwara State. He has participated in many Wikimedia Projects and Campaigns such as Wiki Loves SDGs 2021 where he participated as an active editor, he has also participated in Campaigns like WikiForHuman Rights Nigeria; WikiClimateCampus Tour Nigeria; Afrocreatives Wikiprojects; Wiki Pages Wanting Photo (WPWP) Project; Wikiloves Library Nigeria among others where he has contributed actively. He has proven talents in event management and planning in leadership positions, particularly at Wikiclimatecampustour Nigeria, University of Ilorin Physical Training, and Wikimedia Fan Club, Unilorin, Arts + Feminism 2023 Campaign.
Beyond Wikimedia, he is a graduate and astute researcher of the Department of History and International Studies in University of Ilorin, where he learned and familiarized himself with historical developments and Nigerian Figures with their contributions to the country. He is a member of the Historical Society of Nigeria. He was President of the Owo Local Government Area Students' Union, erstwhile Vice President of the Institute of Sound Education, Relationship, and Health's Associate Ambassador at the University of Ilorin, where he assisted in the organization's event planning and demonstrated coordination, planning, and team planning skills.
Ayyuha Sideeq (Trainer- Online and Offline): He is a Wikimedia editor and active member of the Wikimedia English User Group. He has dedicated himself to contributing to various Wikimedia projects, demonstrating notable involvement in initiatives such as Wikimedia Awareness in Oyo State, where he emerged as the highest photo contributor and the third top editor for the project. He also achieved the position of the 2nd top editor in Arts and Feminism at the University of Ilorin, the third top Wiki Commons contributor at Wiki Loves Africa Unilorin 2024, the 4th top editor at Feminism and Folklore Ilorin 2024, and the 3rd top Wiki Commons contributor at Wiki Loves Earth Ilorin 2024. Notable contributions extend to projects like the WikiClimateCampusTour at the University of Ilorin, Wikidata's 11th Birthday at the University of Ilorin, Wikimedia Awareness in Ogbomosho, Every Book Its Reader 2024, and Afroliterature. Additionally, he facilitated one of Wikimedia's individual projects, the Wiki Health Project, as a volunteer.
Tesleemah (Trainer- Online and Offline): Tesleemah is an Article For Creation (AFC) reviewer and new page reviewer on English Wikipedia, she has created over 110 articles on English Wikipedia. She is an host on Wikipedia Teahouse, a platform to help newcomers on Wikipedia. She was the project lead of Wiki and Health articles in Nigeria 1.0, the project lead of Wikimedia Awareness in Akure. She was one of the core organizers of the Wikiclimate Campus Tour Nigeria project, One of the participants of African growth pilot organized by the Wikimedia Foundation, she is a Certified Organiser for the organizer lab Outside Wikipedia
Taoheedah (Communication and Logistics Manager): Taoheedah is a certified Wikimedia project organizer who participated in the Organizer Lab V2. She is an experienced Wikimedia Project Facilitator who facilitated sessions at various Wiki projects, mentoring new editors who are retained in the Wikimedia movements. Currently, Taoheedah is the project lead of Preservation of Owo Cultural Heritage on Wikimedia, where Owo cultural heritage, artefacts, sculptures are being documented on Wikipedia and Wikicommon.
Pmanofficial (Special Duties): Pmanofficial is a Nigerian Wikipedian, an entrepreneur and an SDGs advocate. He studied History and International Studies in the University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria and also a member of the Historical Society of Nigeria (HSN). He enjoys contributing to Wikimedia especially Wikipedia, Wikidata, WikiCommons. He is experienced in editing and articles creations, with a focus on improving wiki linking, referencing, citations, and translating articles to his indigenous language (Yoruba). He is passionate about reliable information and aim to improve article quality through accurate citations and references. He has contributed to many Wikimedia projects including Wikiclimate Campus Tour at the University of Ilorin, Wikidata's birthday at the University of Ilorin, Wikimedia Awareness in Ogbomosho, Arts and Feminism in the University of Ilorin and Wiki Loves AfroDemics where he translated Wikipedia articles from English to his local language(Yoruba), and many others. He also facilitated as a volunteer in the Wiki Health project in Ilorin.
- 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 Nigeria Cultural Heritage Project (NCHP) targets individuals with more focus on Nigeria's cultural and historical heritage, particularly university students studying History, International Studies, Anthropology, and other individuals that have interest in promoting the proliferation of Nigeria cultural heritage, as well as members of cultural organizations and associations such as the Students Historical Society of Nigeria and the National Association of History and International Studies. No prior experience with Wikimedia platforms is required, making it accessible to a broad range of participants passionate about cultural preservation.
Participant Engagement Before and During the Activities To engage participants before the project begins, NCHP will collaborate with relevant student associations, cultural organizations, and educational institutions to publicize the project through flyers, social media campaigns, and direct outreach. Partnerships with local cultural leaders and institutions will also help in mobilizing interest and fostering trust. During the project, participants will undergo cultural sites visitation and intensive training through in-person workshops and online sessions, ensuring they acquire the necessary skills for documenting Nigeria’s cultural heritage on Wikipedia, Wikidata, and Wikimedia Commons. To maintain engagement, facilitators will provide real-time support during training and as well monitoring contributions to ensure compliance with Wikimedia policies and standards. After the project, participants will be integrated into an existing and active WhatsApp group focused on Wikimedia awareness and cultural preservation. This group will be repurposed to support ongoing discussions, provide updates on future Wikimedia activities, and encourage participants to continue contributing to the project’s goals. Trained participants will also act as advocates for Nigerian legends, heroes, and cultural heritage and practices, inspiring others to contribute to Wikimedia projects and ensuring the campaign’s vision remains active and sustainable. Additionally, certificates and recognition awards will be given to motivate participants and celebrate their contributions to preserving Nigeria's rich cultural heritage.
- 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 space policy for Wikimedia events will be summarized and to be read at the beginning of each event. The event will adhere to the Wikimedia-friendly space policy during the event. 1. The Wikimedia-friendly space policy and UCoC will be distributed to participants before the event starts. The event also promises to be safe and conducive. 2. People of age 14 or younger will not be allowed register for the training since the target participants are youths who are Adults (18 years and above). 3. Mature content such as violent or sexually explicit imagery will not be displayed in public areas of the venue. 4. will make the copies of the youth safety plan available for event attendees. 5. I will ensure the physical events comply with all local laws and regulations that apply to the young attendees.
The Youth Safety Policy can also be found here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ci-_BaRi549Htve4LO6M2sx7GGd0dsh5V32O2wqFbn0/edit
- 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.
I have informed the Wikimedia Nigeria User Group through their meta page Below is the link: https://meta.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/Talk:Wikimedia_User_Group_Nigeria#Nigeria_Cultural_Heritage_Project_(NCHP)
- 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)
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)
Ethnic/racial/religious or cultural background
- 15. In what ways do you think your proposal most contributes to the Movement Strategy 2030 recommendations. Select one that most applies. (required)
Innovate in Free Knowledge
Learning and metrics
[edit]- 17. What do you hope to learn from your work in this project or proposal? (required)
1. How effectively did the project promote the preservation of Nigeria rich cultural heritage on Wikimedia platforms? 2. Did the training sessions equip participants with the skills needed to contribute to Wikipedia, Wikidata, and Wikimedia Commons? 3. Were participants satisfied with the knowledge and skills acquired during the project? 4. How much content was added or improved on Wikimedia platforms as a result of the project? 5. Did the project significantly address content gaps related to Nigerian cultural heritage? 6. How sustainable is the impact of the project in fostering continued contributions to cultural preservation?
- 18. What are your Wikimedia project targets in numbers (metrics)? (required)
| Other Metrics | Target | Optional description |
|---|---|---|
| Number of participants | 56 | These are the total number of people that will be available for both the online and offline events, including organizers, editors and institution representatives. |
| Number of editors | 50 | These are the total number of editors including returning editors, who already have a wikimedia account and understood the basis, and new editors, that will create new accounts and will be guided on how to effectively and positively contribute to Wikimedia Foundation Projects. |
| Number of organizers | 6 | These are the number of the organizers saddled with organizing and facilitating throughout the projects. This include project lead and other facilitators. |
| Wikimedia project | Number of content created or improved |
|---|---|
| Wikipedia | 80 |
| Wikimedia Commons | 100 |
| Wikidata | 60 |
| 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)
To measure and monitor participants activities and contributions, an outreach dashboard will be created which will serve as means to keep tap with the project metrics such as number of participants, number of articles created and improved, numbers of references/citations added to articles, articles view, etc. The use of hashtag tool will as well be included.
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)
1694000 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.
1003.91 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).