Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/Rapid Fund/South Sudanese Heritage:Names, Meanings, and Pronunciations on Wikidata (ID: 23478784)/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)
First, we collected high-quality audio recordings of personal name pronunciations from native speakers representing 15 South Sudanese ethnic groups. These recordings captured accurate pronunciation, tonal variations, and dialectal differences, ensuring linguistic authenticity. Community members, including elders and language teachers, actively participated in the recording process, which strengthened trust and cultural accuracy. Second, the collected audio files were uploaded to Wikimedia Commons using Lingua Libre and systematically linked to relevant Wikidata items. Existing name entries were enriched with pronunciation audio, and new name items were created where gaps existed. This significantly improved the accessibility and usability of South Sudanese names across Wikimedia platforms. Third, we conducted community interviews to research and document the cultural meanings, historical origins, and social significance of the names. This qualitative data was carefully documented and used to enrich Wikidata descriptions and references, ensuring that names were not only technically documented but also culturally contextualized. Fourth, related Wikipedia articles and Wikidata entries were improved and expanded using the newly gathered information. This included adding sourced cultural explanations, pronunciation references, and language identifiers, resulting in more accurate, culturally grounded, and well-referenced content. Fifth, we organized capacity-building sessions—both in workshops and online formats—to train local contributors in audio documentation, metadata structuring, and uploading practices. Participants gained hands-on experience with Lingua Libre, Wikimedia Commons, and Wikidata, enabling them to independently continue contributing after the project period. Sixth, we collaborated closely with community elders, language educators, local Wikimedians, and refugee-led organisations, including Reliable Refugee Storytellers. These partnerships supported outreach, helped identify knowledgeable speakers, and strengthened technical and storytelling capacity within refugee and diaspora communities. This collaboration also laid a foundation for long-term sustainability beyond the project timeline.
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
We adapted a new model for our training which was gathered resources and then refine them before uplaod
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 | Agree |
| D. Develop content from underrepresented perspectives | Strongly agree |
| E. Encourage the retention of editors | Agree |
| F. Encourage the retention of organizers | Agree |
| G. Increased participants' feelings of belonging and connection to the movement | 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: Through this project, we hope to learn how audio and cultural context enhance the visibility, accuracy, and engagement with South Sudanese names on Wikidata. Our key learning questions include: (1) How does adding pronunciation audio impact the understanding and usage of South Sudanese names on Wikimedia platforms? (2) What methods are most effective in capturing and preserving oral cultural knowledge in digital formats? (3) How can local contributors be better supported and trained to document intangible cultural heritage sustainably? (4) What motivates communities to engage in documenting their identities on open platforms, and how can this be scaled? These insights will help us refine our approach and contribute to global conversations on decolonizing knowledge and increasing African representation online.
Through the implementation of this project, we gained valuable insights that directly addressed our initial learning questions and strengthened our understanding of how to document and share South Sudanese names and cultural knowledge on open platforms. 1. Impact of pronunciation audio on understanding and usage We learned that adding pronunciation audio significantly improves the accuracy, confidence, and accessibility of South Sudanese names on Wikimedia platforms. Users, including editors and readers unfamiliar with the languages, were better able to understand correct pronunciation and avoid misrepresentation. The audio recordings also validated the authority of native speakers and reinforced the credibility of the content. This demonstrated that audio is not supplementary but essential for representing oral and tonal languages accurately. Future use: We plan to prioritize audio documentation in future projects and advocate for broader adoption of pronunciation audio for African and Indigenous names across Wikimedia projects. 2. Effective methods for capturing and preserving oral cultural knowledge The project showed that community interviews combined with structured digital tools are the most effective way to preserve oral cultural knowledge. Recording names alongside their meanings, origins, and social contexts—rather than in isolation—resulted in richer and more accurate documentation. We also learned that involving elders and language teachers early in the process improves both data quality and cultural sensitivity. Future use: We will continue using participatory documentation methods and develop clear guidelines for ethically recording, contextualizing, and uploading oral knowledge to open platforms. 3. Supporting and training local contributors sustainably We learned that hands-on, practical training—especially learning-by-doing with real uploads—was far more effective than theoretical instruction alone. Contributors were more confident when training was delivered in familiar languages, paced appropriately, and supported by peer mentorship. Providing clear workflows for audio recording, metadata structuring, and uploads helped reduce technical barriers. Future use: Future initiatives will adopt a mentorship-based training model, create reusable training materials, and identify local champions who can continue training others beyond the project period. 4. Community motivation and engagement We learned that communities are most motivated to engage when they see their identities represented accurately, respectfully, and by their own voices. Emphasizing cultural pride, ownership of narratives, and the global visibility of their languages proved to be powerful motivators. Collaborations with trusted community and refugee-led organizations also increased participation and trust. Scaling engagement requires strong local partnerships and clear communication about the long-term value of open knowledge. Future use: We plan to strengthen partnerships with community organizations, integrate storytelling and cultural pride into outreach strategies, and replicate this model across additional ethnic groups and regions.
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)
Yes, several unexpected situations emerged during implementation. On the positive side, community interest and participation especially from elders and youth were higher than anticipated, which improved the quality and depth of the cultural information collected. We also discovered previously undocumented name variations, highlighting gaps in existing Wikimedia content. On the challenging side, inconsistent internet access and varying digital literacy slowed some uploads. From these experiences, we learned the importance of flexible timelines, offline-friendly workflows, and strong community partnerships to ensure both quality and sustainability.
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)
We plan to share our project learnings and results through a combination of online and community-based approaches. We have already begun sharing updates with local Wikimedians and community members through informal meetups, WhatsApp groups, and social media. We will publish a project summary on Wikimedia platforms, share documentation and training materials for reuse, and present our experiences during community calls and Wikimedia-related events. We also plan to work with partner organizations and community leaders to share outcomes locally, encouraging others to replicate and build on the project.
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 | 30 | 30 | Dashboard and attendance |
| Number of editors | 20 | 20 | |
| Number of organizers | 5 | 5 |
| Wikimedia project | Target | Result - Number of created pages | Result - Number of improved pages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia | 30 | 30 | 10 |
| Wikimedia Commons | 750 | 168 | 160 |
| Wikidata | 750 | 168 | 901 |
| Wiktionary | |||
| Wikisource | |||
| Wikimedia Incubator | |||
| Translatewiki | |||
| 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)
390779.91
11. Please state the total amount spent in US dollars. (required)
3000
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/1LOcaEZP_Vx_gfcpxmKng15rdxmbOYJ9ryJPh2_oo-Xw/edit?gid=928458698#gid=928458698
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)