Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/Rapid Fund/WikiFemme Learning Lab In Bauchi (ID: 23749475)
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)
Hauwa'u lawal ardo
- 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.
WikiFemme Learning Lab In Bauchi
- 2. and 3. Proposed start and end dates for the proposal.
2026-04-01 - 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)
The Change We Are Trying To Bring
The project aims to address the low participation of women in Wikimedia projects and the limited availability of digital skills training opportunities for women in Bauchi State, Nigeria. Also the project seeks to bring the creation of a supportive and inclusive learning environment where women can gain digital skills, confidence, and practical experience in contributing to Wikimedia projects such as Wikipedia, Wikidata, and Wikimedia Commons. The project will empower women to become active knowledge creators rather than only consumers of information. One of the key challenges is the gender content gap on Wikimedia projects, especially the lack of articles and structured data about notable women, local culture, and community knowledge from Bauchi State. Many existing articles related to women and local topics are either missing or underdeveloped. Additionally, potential female contributors often feel discouraged by the technical nature of editing and by limited mentorship opportunities after initial training. Although Wikimedia projects provide open access to knowledge creation, women in Bauchi remain significantly underrepresented as contributors due to barriers such as limited digital literacy, lack of awareness about Wikimedia projects, cultural constraints, and absence of safe and supportive learning spaces. The main approach to achieving this change is through organizing a structured learning lab consisting of hands-on training workshops, edit-a-thons, and mentorship sessions designed specifically for women. Participants will be trained on the basics of Wikimedia editing, content creation about women and local topics, and digital safety. The project will also establish a small local community of female Wikimedia contributors in Bauchi through follow-up support using online communication channels and peer mentorship. By building capacity, increasing participation, and strengthening retention of female editors, the project will contribute to reducing the gender gap on Wikimedia projects while expanding locally relevant content and creating long-term impact within the Bauchi community.
- 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 project will begin with preparation and community outreach activities, including creating a public Meta-Wiki project page, developing training materials , and partnering with local women associations and educational institutions in Bauchi State to recruit female participants. These activities will be designed to provide a safe, supportive, and inclusive learning environment for women participants. The main activities will consist in-person training workshops and guided edit-a-thon sessions. Participants will receive hands-on training on Wikimedia projects, including Wikipedia editing, Wikidata contributions, Wikimedia Commons uploads, and digital safety. During the edit-a-thon sessions, participants will create and improve articles about notable women and local topics from Bauchi State with support from experienced facilitators. After the physical events, the project will focus on follow-up mentorship and community building through the creation of a WhatsApp support group and online follow-up sessions. Contributions will be tracked using the Wikimedia Dashboard, and all activities will be documented on the project’s Meta-Wiki page. Feedback will be collected from participants, and a final report will be submitted to the Wikimedia Foundation.
- 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.
The project will be implemented by a four-member team of experienced Wikimedia volunteers committed to promoting women’s participation in knowledge creation. All team members are aware of their involvement in this project and have agreed to support its implementation.
- User:Hauwau lawal ardo - I'm the Project Lead and an organizer, I'm an experienced Wikimedia contributor who has actively contribute to Hausa Wikipedia and other Wikimedia projects for several years. I have previously organized and facilitated Wikimedia training sessions, edit-a-thons (Mini Grants), and women-focused initiatives in Bauchi State. As project lead, I will coordinate all activities, communicate with partners, and ensure the project meets its objectives.
- User:Hauwau sulaiman - She has contributed to Hausa Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons, focusing on content creation about local culture and women in Northern Nigeria. She will lead training workshops, mentor participants during hands-on editing sessions, and provide guidance on Wikimedia best practices.
- User:Aisha Yahuza - She is an active Wikimedia editor with experience in content improvement, article translation, and structured data contributions to Wikidata. She will handle documentation, monitor participants’ contributions, and assist during practical edit-a-thon sessions.
- User:Santa MMD - He has contributed to Hausa Wikipedia, focusing on content creation and technical support. He will assist participants during training and edit-a-thons, provide technical guidance, and support logistics during project activities.
All team members are volunteers from the Hausa Wikimedia community and are not salaried staff. The team will work collaboratively with local partners, including women associations and educational institutions in Bauchi State, to ensure effective implementation of the project.
- 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 for this project are women from Bauchi State, including female students, teachers, and young women interested in digital skills and knowledge sharing. The project focuses on engaging women from underrepresented communities in the Wikimedia movement and building their capacity to contribute to Wikimedia projects.
Before the activities, participants will be engaged through community outreach in partnership with local women associations and educational institutions. Information about the project will be shared through community networks and social media, and selected participants will receive orientation and preparation materials. During the activities, participants will take part in interactive training workshops and guided edit-a-thon sessions with continuous support from facilitators. After the activities, participants will be followed up through a WhatsApp support group and online mentoring sessions to encourage continued participation. Contributions will be tracked using the Wikimedia Dashboard, and feedback will be collected to strengthen future activities.
- 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 for the project was developed through discussions with members of the Hausa Wikimedia community and women-focused contributors. The project concept was shared publicly on the Hausa Wikipedia Community Discussion Page to inform community members, gather feedback, and encourage collaboration. In addition to the on-wiki discussion, the project idea was discussed with experienced female Wikimedia editors and local community organizers through online communication channels such as WhatsApp group used by the Hausa Wikimedia community. Feedback from these discussions helped shape the project focus on hands-on training, mentorship, and content creation related to women and local knowledge from Bauchi State. The project has also been aligned with existing community efforts on women inclusion and digital literacy by consulting with local women associations and educational institutions in Bauchi State. These groups expressed interest in supporting participant mobilization and providing a safe and supportive learning environment for women.
- 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)
Improve User Experience
Learning and metrics
[edit]- 17. What do you hope to learn from your work in this project or proposal? (required)
Through this project, we hope to learn how effectively structured training and mentorship can increase women’s participation in Wikimedia projects and strengthen local knowledge representation. We aim to understand how women in Bauchi engage with Wikimedia projects after hands-on training and mentorship, and which outreach strategies are most effective in recruiting and retaining participants. We also hope to learn the extent to which participants create or improve content about women, local culture, and community knowledge on Wikipedia, Wikidata, and Wikimedia Commons, and which types of content are most likely to be successfully contributed by new editors. Another key focus is assessing how participants’ digital skills, confidence, and ability to independently edit Wikimedia projects improve during and after the activities. We will examine how follow-up mentorship sessions and online support groups help sustain new female editors’ contributions over time, and which approaches encourage long-term engagement. Finally, we hope to learn how collaborations with local women associations, educational institutions, and community groups influence participation, learning outcomes, and overall project success. Data collected from contributions, attendance records, feedback surveys, and mentorship interactions will provide insights to guide future initiatives aimed at increasing women’s participation and improving the quality and relevance of local knowledge on Wikimedia projects.
- 18. What are your Wikimedia project targets in numbers (metrics)? (required)
| Other Metrics | Target | Optional description |
|---|---|---|
| Number of participants | 60 | Participants |
| Number of editors | 35 | Editors |
| Number of organizers | 4 | Organisers |
| Wikimedia project | Number of content created or improved |
|---|---|
| Wikipedia | 900 |
| Wikimedia Commons | 100 |
| Wikidata | 100 |
| Wiktionary | |
| Wikisource | |
| Wikimedia Incubator | 200 |
| 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 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)
2690000 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.
1922.04 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).