Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/Rapid Fund/Preserving the Folklore of Northeast Nigeria through Wiki Loves Folklore 2026 (ID: 23641682)
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Applicant Details
[edit]- Main Wikimedia username. (required)
Mr. Snatch, Mlamido
- 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.
Preserving the Folklore of Northeast Nigeria through Wiki Loves Folklore 2026
- 2. and 3. Proposed start and end dates for the proposal.
2026-10-18 - 2026-02-28
- 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)
Wiki Loves Folklore
- 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 main change I am trying to bring is to preserve and promote the rich but under-documented folklore and cultural heritage of Northeast Nigeria through Wikimedia projects. Many traditions, music, dances, crafts, and oral stories from communities in Borno, Yobe and Bauchi States are disappearing due to modernization, insecurity, and lack of digital documentation.
The problem is that these unique cultures are rarely represented on Wikimedia Commons or Wikipedia, especially in English and Hausa languages. People around the world know little about the Bura-Pabir, Gwoza, Kilba, Fulani, Kare-Kare, and Ngamo traditions.
This project will change that by collecting and uploading photographs, videos, and audio recordings that reflect the real folklore of the region. The project will also create and improve Wikipedia articles related to these traditions.
The main approach is community engagement and capacity building. Local volunteers and photographers will be trained to capture and share their heritage in an ethical and open way. This approach works because local participation increases authenticity and ownership, and it builds new Wikimedia contributors who can continue the work after the project ends.
By implementing this project, people from these communities will see their identity represented globally, and future generations will have free access to their cultural history online.
- 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 main activities planned for this project include:
1. Planning and Coordination: Identify cultural sites, communities, and traditions to be documented in Borno, Yobe and Bauchi States. Establish contact with local experts, guides, and photographers.
2. Training Workshop: Conduct a one-day workshop in each State. The session will focus on how to take cultural photographs, upload to Wikimedia Commons, and write related Wikipedia articles.
3. Field Documentation: Travel to the four target states to document dances, crafts, festivals, traditional attire, food, music, and oral stories. The project will involve local guides and photographers who understand the culture.
4. Wiki Loves Folklore Contest Participation: Upload all documented media to Wikimedia Commons under the Wiki Loves Folklore 2026 campaign, ensuring each file has accurate descriptions and categories.
5. Wikipedia Editing Session: Organize an editing session to create and expand Wikipedia articles in English and Hausa related to the uploaded media.
6. Reporting and Evaluation: Collect feedback, summarize results, and share a final report on Meta-Wiki.
Partnerships: We will collaborate with local photographers and tourism experts in each state to ensure cultural accuracy and high-quality documentation.
The project details will be published on Meta-Wiki.
- 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.
Team Members:
1 Mr. Snatch – Project Lead He will coordinate the entire project, manage logistics, supervise documentation and uploads, and ensure reporting. He has led several Wikimedia projects in Northeast Nigeria, including this recently completed ones:
He will also make sure that all activities follow the Wiki Loves Folklore global campaign rules and Wikimedia Commons guidelines. In addition, he serves as a jury member for Wiki Loves Africa 2025 in Nigeria and Wiki Loves Earth 2025.
2. A Sulaiman Z – Facilitator and Trainer He is an experienced Hausa Wikipedia administrator and editor. He will lead the training sessions, guide participants on editing and article creation, and provide mentorship during the project. His knowledge of Wikimedia policies and technical editing will help ensure quality contributions.
3. Mlamido – Media and Logistics Coordinator She has strong experience in photography and Wikimedia photo upload campaigns. She will oversee field documentation, ensure correct metadata entry, and assist new contributors during the upload phase. She will also help with communication and event organization.
4. Hamza DK - Technical Support He will be responsible for managing all equipment and tools used during the project, ensuring that everything functions properly for the successful completion of the project.
Support Partners:
Local cultural experts, tour guides, and photographers from each of the four target states will provide cultural insight and help identify key folklore elements for documentation.
- 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 target participants are local photographers, students, cultural enthusiasts, and new volunteers from the four Northeastern states: Borno, Yobe and Bauchi.
Before the activities, we will reach out to them through social media announcements, Wikimedia Nigeria channels, and personal invitations. We will also contact community leaders and cultural experts to gain local support.
During the project, participants will attend a training session to learn documentation and uploading skills. They will then join field trips to photograph and record local folklore practices.
After the project, participants will be added to a WhatsApp and Meta-Wiki group where they will receive continuous mentorship. They will be encouraged to keep contributing to Wikimedia Commons and Wikipedia, and we will follow up with monthly online check-ins to support their ongoing work.
- 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 was discussed informally with some members of the Wikimedia User Group Nigeria and with other experienced Wikimedians from the Northeast region. Feedback from community members encouraged the focus on documenting folklore and heritage in underrepresented states.
A message introducing the project idea will be shared on the Fulfulde Wikipedia Discussion Page and Hausa Wikipedia Discussion page and their Wikimedia User Group Meta-Wiki talk pages for open community feedback and collaboration.
The project also aligns with previous regional efforts such as “Exploring Hidden Heritage in Borno State ensuring collaboration instead of duplication.
- 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)
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)
Through this project, I hope to learn the most effective ways to document and share local folklore using Wikimedia platforms. The main learning questions include:
1. How can local communities be better engaged to preserve their heritage through open knowledge projects? 2. What are the best approaches to train new contributors in rural areas with limited internet access? 3. How much impact can visual documentation have on improving online visibility of underrepresented Nigerian cultures? 4. How can this model be expanded to other regions in future Wiki Loves Folklore campaigns?
The lessons learned will guide future documentation projects in Nigeria and help improve strategies for engaging local communities in Wikimedia activities.
- 18. What are your Wikimedia project targets in numbers (metrics)? (required)
| Other Metrics | Target | Optional description |
|---|---|---|
| Number of participants | 75 | We will train 75 participants, 25 from each targeted state. |
| Number of editors | 25 | We hope to have 25 editors each state |
| Number of organizers | 4 |
| Wikimedia project | Number of content created or improved |
|---|---|
| Wikipedia | 1000 |
| Wikimedia Commons | 400 |
| Wikidata | 400 |
| Wiktionary | |
| Wikisource | 100 |
| Wikimedia Incubator | |
| Translatewiki | |
| MediaWiki | |
| Wikiquote | |
| Wikivoyage | 200 |
| 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)
We will use the Wikimedia Foundations Dashboard Tool
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)
2142465 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.
1500 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).