Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/Rapid Fund/Voices of Change:Documenting African Women Activists for International Women’s Day (ID: 23759558)
This is an automatically generated Meta-Wiki page. The page was copied from Fluxx, the web service of Wikimedia Foundation Funds, where the user has submitted their application. Please do not make any changes to this page because all changes will be removed after the next update. Use the discussion page for your feedback. The page was created by CR-FluxxBot.
Applicant Details
[edit]- Main Wikimedia username. (required)
Eunice Ameh
- 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.
Voices of Change: Documenting African Women Activists for International Women’s Day
- 2. and 3. Proposed start and end dates for the proposal.
2026-03-06 - 2026-05-31
- 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 Women
- 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 seeks to increase the visibility and representation of African women activists on English Wikipedia and Wikidata while using International Women’s Day as a strategic moment for knowledge creation. The change we aim to bring is a more inclusive global knowledge ecosystem where African women’s contributions to social justice, education, governance, human rights, and community development are documented, structured, and accessible to the public. By documenting notable African women activists and empowering women contributors, the project will contribute to closing gender and geographic knowledge gaps on Wikimedia platforms.
Main challenges or problems
African women activists are significantly underrepresented on English Wikipedia and Wikidata, and women remain fewer and less visible as contributors across Wikimedia projects. This gender knowledge gap means that the contributions of African women to social change and community development are often not documented on Wikimedia platforms.
Additionally, many women contributors face limited confidence and skills in editing Wikipedia and contributing to Wikidata, and retention remains a challenge without sustained mentorship and follow-up. Access and technical barriers, including unstable internet connectivity and limited access to devices, also affect participation and content creation by women editors.
Main approaches to address these challenges To address these challenges, the project will leverage International Women’s Day as a strategic knowledge campaign to amplify African women’s voices and document their activism. The project will implement:
- Capacity-building workshops to train women and youth in Wikipedia and Wikidata editing.
- International Women’s Day edit-a-thons focused on creating and improving articles about African women activists.
- Wikidata documentation activities to add structured data about African women activists, bridging the knowledge gap.
- Structured mentorship and follow-up activities to support new contributors and improve retention.
- Community engagement and partnerships to strengthen local Wikimedia communities and encourage sustained participation.
Through these approaches, the project will transform International Women’s Day celebrations into sustained digital knowledge production, increase the visibility and recognition of African women activists, and strengthen participation of women contributors in Wikimedia projects.
- 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.
Pre-Campaign Outreach and Community Engagement
- Conduct focused outreach to women using social media platforms, WhatsApp groups, schools, and local Wikimedia community channels to raise awareness about the campaign.
- Register participants and provide a clear introduction to the campaign objectives, Wikimedia projects, and the International Women’s Day 2026 theme, “Give and Gain,” ensuring participants understand the purpose and scope of the project.
- Organize online orientation sessions to prepare participants for the main activities, explain expectations, and provide guidance on how to engage effectively with Wikipedia, Wikidata, and Wikimedia Commons.
Training and Capacity-Building Workshops There will be a one-day physical training in Kwara state Nigeria with Women from Girls2Women Initiative and Youths from YALI KWARA and three virtual sessions for new and experienced Wikimedia women editors’ contributors across Africa to:
- Deliver practical, hands-on workshops for women contributors to build skills in Wikipedia editing, and Wikidata contributions.
- Provide detailed step-by-step demonstrations on creating and improving Wikipedia articles, adding reliable references, and making basic and structured edits on Wikidata.
- Ensure all sessions are conducted in a friendly, inclusive, and supportive learning environment to help new editors feel comfortable, confident, and motivated to contribute.
Editing Events and Content Contribution
- Organize International Women’s Day edit-a-thons focused on creating, enhancing, and expanding content about notable African women activists, particularly in fields such as social justice, education, governance, human rights, and community development.
- Assign clearly defined editing tasks and objectives to participants to facilitate active engagement, ensure quality contributions, and track the impact of their work.
- Encourage collaboration among participants to foster a sense of community and shared purpose during editing sessions.
Mentorship and Follow-Up Support
- Establish mentorship groups to provide guidance, encouragement, and technical support to new women editors after the main campaign activities.
- Conduct guided follow-up editing sessions to reinforce skills learned during training, help participants overcome challenges, and encourage continuous contribution to Wikimedia projects.
- Maintain regular communication with participants through online platforms to provide technical assistance, motivation, and opportunities for peer-to-peer learning.
Documentation, Monitoring, and Reporting
- Document all project activities through photographs, event pages, and structured feedback from participants to capture the process and highlight achievements.
- Monitor and track participation, including the number of new editors, edits made, and content contributions across Wikipedia, and Wikidata,
- Prepare comprehensive reports on outcomes, lessons learned, and best practices to be shared publicly on Meta-Wiki, contributing to transparency and knowledge sharing within the wider Wikimedia community.
Partnerships The campaign will be implemented in collaboration with women focused and youth organization. Girls2Women Initiative and YALI Kwara who have women and youth members interested in the training and contributing to open knowledge as part of the International Day Global Theme: Give and Gain.
The Ministry of Women Affairs, KWARA STATE Chapter are partners for a more inclusive and sustained impact.
- 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.
Eunice Ameh (Project Lead and Facilitator) is an experienced project manager trained and certified by IBM and Homentum, with a strong track record in leading community outreaches and supporting Wikimedia initiatives. She has contributed significantly to Wikimedia User Group Nigeria activities, serving as a planning committee member for Wiki Loves Earth Nigeria 2025, where she helped coordinate the campaign, supported participants with technical issues, collaborated with WUGN staff, and contributed to tracking event activities and timelines. She also played a key role in the Nigerian Wikimedia Community Distinguished Awards Ceremony 2025 (NWCDA ’25), coordinating nominations, engaging board members and nominees, and supporting the planning and execution of the physical award ceremony.
She is part of the Support Team for the Africa Wiki Health Fellowship 2025, where she assists fellows with Wikipedia policies, tools, and training through the WikiLearn platform, tracks participant progress, and provides technical and learning support. In addition, Eunice participated as an active contributor in the Anchor Project on advancing and preserving the cultural heritage of Ilorin, where she emerged second place in the Edit-a-thon, demonstrating her commitment to open knowledge and cultural documentation.
She will be in charge of overseeing the success of the project and will guide participants in interactive edit-a-thons to ensure they acquire essential skills aligned with the project's objectives. Additionally, she will oversee the overall success of the project, train editors on English Wikidata and initiate community engagement activities and oversee the jury process.
Fatimah Bello( Co-facilitator) is an active Wikimedian committed to advancing open knowledge and community engagement. She is a member of the Wikimedia User Group Nigeria, the Wikimedia Fan Club, University of Ilorin, and African Wiki Women. Since joining the Wikimedia movement in 2024, she has consistently participated in diverse Wikimedia activities, including competitions, edit-a-thons, trainings, and multi-project contributions across Wikipedia, Wikidata, Wikisource, Wikiquote, and Wikimedia Commons. She will be in charge of communications, publicity and moderating trainings.
Bamjos (Trainer and Jurist) is an experienced Nigerian Wikimedia contributor, editor, and multilingual content creator. He is known for his work across several Wikimedia projects, including Wikipedia, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons, Wikivoyage, and Wikibooks, where he contributes articles, translations, structured data, and open-license media. Through his cross-project activities, he supports open knowledge initiatives and collaborative editing within the Wikimedia ecosystem.
Bamjos contributes to improving women content through the African women campaigns emerging as a top contributor. As a user with over 16000 edits on across Wikimedia platforms is committed to creating and improving articles to expand access to free knowledge. He will be in charge of Jury and facilitate trainings on Wikipedia.
- 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 campaign will be implemented in collaboration with women-focused and youth organizations, specifically Girls2Women Initiative and YALI Kwara, which have active women and youth members in training and contributing to open knowledge. This partnership aligns with the International Women’s Day 2026 global theme, “Give and Gain.” The project will include a one-day in-person training in Kwara State, Nigeria, bringing together women from Girls2Women Initiative and youth members from YALI Kwara, alongside three virtual sessions for new and experienced Wikimedia women contributors across Africa. The objectives of these training sessions are to:
- Deliver practical, hands-on workshops for women contributors to build skills in Wikipedia editing, Wikimedia Commons, and Wikidata contributions.
- Provide step-by-step demonstrations on creating and improving Wikipedia articles, adding reliable references, and making both basic and structured edits on Wikidata.
- Ensure that all sessions are conducted in a friendly, inclusive, and supportive learning environment, allowing new editors to feel comfortable, confident, and motivated to participate fully.
Through these partnerships and blended in-person and virtual sessions, the project will reach a wide audience of women and youth contributors while fostering collaboration, skill-building, and long-term engagement in Wikimedia projects.
- 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.
As part of our commitment to youth safety, we recognize the importance of protecting young people participating in our activities. This project involves working directly with youth aged 18–35, who are legally recognized as adults in Nigeria. Therefore, our primary engagement does not involve minors or children under the age of 18.
We will adopt and strictly adhere to the Wikimedia Foundation’s Youth Safety Policy framework[1]. This policy will be shared with all participants during every session.
- 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.
We discussed the idea with members of our local Wikimedia community and experienced women contributed in the Wikimedia space. The members of the university of Ilorin fan club are aware and provided feedback and insights into the project.
- 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)
Content Gender gap
- 13. Does your proposal include any of these areas or thematic focus? Select one option that most applies to your work. (required)
Gender and diversity
- 14. Will your work focus on involving participants from any underrepresented communities? Select one option that most apply to your work. (required)
Gender Identity
- 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, we aim to learn how to effectively increase the visibility of African women activists on Wikimedia platforms and support women contributors to participate confidently and sustainably. The main learning objectives are: 1. Content Creation and Quality
- How does pre-research, source curation, and structured support affect the quality, completeness, and notability of Wikipedia articles on African women activists?
- What types of content (biographies, structured data, media files) are most successfully created and maintained by participants?
2. Participant Engagement and Capacity
- How do training workshops, mentorship, and follow-up support influence new and existing women contributors’ confidence and skills in Wikipedia and Wikidata editing?
- Which strategies are most effective for retaining women contributors after the main activities, especially for participants with limited prior experience?
3. Impact of International Women’s Day as a Campaign Anchor
- How does linking content creation to International Women’s Day affect participation, motivation, and community engagement?
- Does framing the campaign around a global event help participants connect local knowledge (African women activists) to broader public awareness and recognition?
4. Inclusion and Accessibility
- How effective are the inclusive approaches (small groups, online support, assisted editing, mentorship) in enabling participation of women with special needs or from underrepresented communities?
- What additional barriers do women participants face, and what interventions are most effective in addressing them?
5. Community and Partnership Models
- How do partnerships with women-focused and youth organizations influence recruitment, participation, and sustained contribution?
- Which collaboration models generate the strongest engagement and long-term knowledge contributions?
Collecting and analyzing data on these questions, through participant feedback, monitoring edits, tracking contributions, and documenting experiences will help us understand what works, identify gaps, and improve future campaigns for bridging gender and geographic knowledge gaps on Wikimedia platforms.
- 18. What are your Wikimedia project targets in numbers (metrics)? (required)
| Other Metrics | Target | Optional description |
|---|---|---|
| Number of participants | 45 | |
| Number of editors | 45 | |
| Number of organizers | 3 |
| Wikimedia project | Number of content created or improved |
|---|---|
| Wikipedia | 300 |
| Wikimedia Commons | |
| Wikidata | 100 |
| 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)
Wikimedia dashboard and meta page
Financial proposal
[edit]- 21. Please upload your budget for this proposal or indicate the link to it. (required)
https://1drv.ms/x/c/0e017c2cfaf3154e/IQBLswce6AMmTpeoW5CFFRdAAUr39uVBigNz0DOpXK4TM0k?e=mAxvMS
- 22. and 22.1. What is the amount you are requesting for this proposal? Please provide the amount in your local currency. (required)
2017500 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.
1514.28 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).