Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/Rapid Fund/WikiForSustainableFutures Ghana Collab 2026 (ID: 23937722)
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Applicant Details
[edit]- Main Wikimedia username. (required)
CoachAni (talk • accounts • contributions • edit count)
- 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)
I'm a group leader of an informal Wikimedia group.
- Describe all relevant roles with the name of the group or organization and description of the role. (required)
I am the leader of the W4SAfrica Wikimedia Community where, i have mainly lead the University of Ghana Partnership with the Wikiforhumanrights campaign now called the Wiki for Sustainable Futures
Main Proposal
[edit]- 1. Please state the title of your proposal. This will also be the Meta-Wiki page title.
WikiForSustainableFutures Ghana Collab 2026
- 2. and 3. Proposed start and end dates for the proposal.
2026-09-01 - 2026-12-15
- 4. Where will this proposal be implemented? (required)
Ghana
- 5. Are your activities part of a Wikimedia movement campaign, project, or event? If so, please select the relevant project or campaign. (required)
Wiki for Sustainable Futures
- 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)
Ghana is facing a growing water crisis that affects different parts of the country in different ways. In recent years, urban areas such as Accra have experienced frequent flooding, disrupting livelihoods and exposing gaps in drainage and urban planning. Source: https://web.facebook.com/TV3GH/videos/when-the-rains-come-accra-does-not-just-flood-it-exposes-years-of-weak-planning-/985615007790403/?_rdc=1&_rdr# At the same time, access to clean water is becoming more difficult. This is not only due to climate variability but increasingly driven by human activities, especially illegal mining (galamsey). Major rivers such as the Pra, Ankobra, and Tano are heavily polluted, forcing some communities to rely on sachet water for daily use. Source: https://www.citinewsroom.com/2026/05/galamsey-residents-resort-to-sachet-water-as-tano-river-pollution-worsens/ In northern Ghana, groundwater is increasingly threatened by environmental degradation, raising concerns about long-term water security and food production systems. Source: https://www.citinewsroom.com/2026/03/galamsey-deforestation-threaten-groundwater-in-white-volta-basin-wrc/ Climate change is also disrupting rainfall patterns, making farming seasons unpredictable. Smallholder farmers—especially in northern Ghana are heavily affected, leading to reduced harvests and rising food insecurity. These impacts are now being experienced across the country, affecting food availability and prices in markets nationwide. Source: https://www.citinewsroom.com/2026/03/galamsey-deforestation-threaten-groundwater-in-white-volta-basin-wrc/ Women are disproportionately affected, as they spend more time collecting water and managing household food needs, resulting in increased “time poverty” that limits their economic and educational opportunities. Source: https://www.citinewsroom.com/2026/03/galamsey-deforestation-threaten-groundwater-in-white-volta-basin-wrc/
These challenges are affecting health, livelihoods, and the cost of living, with women, girls, and vulnerable groups most impacted due to their roles in water collection and household care. Despite the urgency of these issues, there is limited well-structured and locally grounded information about Ghana’s water challenges on Wikimedia platforms. Much of the available knowledge exists in news and policy spaces but is not reflected in global open knowledge systems. This project aims to document stories on water issues in Ghana, address existing visibility gaps, and improve access to reliable, verifiable, and locally relevant information. By strengthening content across Wikipedia, Wikidata, and Wikimedia Commons, we seek to raise awareness, support informed decision-making, and better represent Ghana’s experiences on a global scale. To achieve this, the project will adopt the following approaches: 1. Building the capacity of contributors We will train new and existing Wikimedia contributors, especially young people, students in the climate space and women to document water-related topics through edit-a-thons, training sessions, and mentorship. 2. Identifying and closing knowledge gaps We will map and improve missing or underdeveloped content on key issues such as flooding, river pollution from galamsey, groundwater depletion, and water governance, using reliable sources, food security etc . We have started identifying potential article list for the campaign here - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Xb0mPPnOCKnsKc8BHymZRFZXuUjWeLwCGrrvyInMsUg/edit?tab=t.0. 3. Documenting local knowledge and visual evidence We will support the collection and upload of images and videos of water bodies, affected communities, and local responses to Wikimedia Commons. 4. Strengthening partnerships with experts and institutions We will collaborate with researchers, civil society, and media to improve access to credible data and strengthen content quality. These approaches are based on proven Wikimedia campaign models that combine capacity building, partnerships, and content creation. If successful, the project will improve the representation of Ghana’s water challenges, infrastructure and solutions on global platforms, while empowering communities to contribute to knowledge and support sustainable water management efforts.
Project Justification Wikipedia is one of the world’s most visited platforms and a key source of information on environmental issues and public policy. However, many of Ghana’s water challenges—such as flooding, galamsey-driven river pollution, and groundwater depletion—remain under-documented on Wikimedia platforms, limiting global understanding and visibility of local realities. This project aims to close this gap by improving content on Wikipedia, Wikidata, and Wikimedia Commons to better reflect Ghana’s water challenges and responses. In doing so, it will bridge knowledge gaps, expand access to reliable environmental information, highlight local solutions, support informed decision-making, and promote knowledge equity in global digital spaces. Alignment with Wikimedia Strategy
The project also aligns with Wikimedia Movement Strategy priorities by focusing on high-impact sustainability topics and strengthening free knowledge through multilingual and open collaboration across Wikimedia platforms.
- 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.
Building on this effort for the past 3 years, we plan to implement a 3 month program to document and raise awareness about Ghana’s water challenges and sustainable water systems on Wikimedia platforms. The program will engage students from the Center for Climate Change and Sustainability Studies (C3SS), University of Ghana, and experienced Wikimedians from Northern Ghana (thus the Tamale Wiki Hub and Walewale wiki hub ensuring inclusivity in underserved communities to channel their voices), particularly those working in local language Wikipedias such as Ghana Pidgin, Dagbani, Twi, and Hausa. The project combines research, capacity building, content creation, multimedia documentation, and public awareness activities using wikimedia projects such as Wikipedia, Wikimedia commons, wikidata to strengthen the visibility of Ghana’s water realities.
Key Activities
1. Knowledge Gap Mapping on Wikimedia Projects We have begun a mapping exercise to identify missing or underdeveloped content on Wikipedia, Wikidata, and Wikimedia Commons related to Ghana’s water challenges, including flooding, galamsey water pollution, groundwater depletion, and water governance.
2. Capacity Building for Contributors We will organize a structured set of activities to build contributor capacity: One virtual campaign launch event to introduce the project and recruit participants Engagement of stakeholders and experts in water and environmental governance, including institutions such as: Water Resources Commission (WRC) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA-Ghana) NGOs and climate/water-focused CSOs Training sessions: 4 virtual training sessions 4 in-person training sessions (2 at the University of Ghana, Tamale, Walewale) Participation from experienced Wikimedians in Northern Ghana and C3SS students 2 photowalks across northern and southern Ghana 1 online writing and content improvement contest Training topics will include: Wikipedia editing and translation (water, climate, and sustainability topics) Identifying and verifying reliable sources Wikimedia Commons (photo and video uploads) Wikidata basics and item creation Participants will contribute in English, Twi, Dagbani, Hausa, and Ghanaian Pidgin.
3. Content Creation and Improvement Participants will work on a curated list of Wikipedia and Wikidata topics identified through the mapping exercise. Activities include: Creating and improving Wikipedia articles on water/flood and food security issues in Ghana Translating content into local languages Creating Wikidata items on rivers, water infrastructure, policies, and institutions Improving content on flooding, galamsey pollution, groundwater depletion, and water governance A mini content improvement contest will encourage quality contributions and participation across different language communities.
4. Photowalk and Multimedia Documentation We will collaborate with experienced Wikimedians and photographers across Ghana to document water-related realities, including: Flood-affected communities Polluted rivers and water bodies impacted by galamsey Water treatment plants and infrastructure Community water access points (boreholes, wells) Women and girls collecting water (highlighting time burden) Climate impacts on rural and urban water systems All media will be uploaded to Wikimedia Commons under a dedicated category.
5. Awareness and Outreach Campaign We will run an online awareness campaign using curated images, short videos, and stories from the photowalks to highlight: Water insecurity and climate impacts Community resilience and local solutions Gendered impacts such as time poverty for women and girls The importance of open knowledge in addressing water challenges We will also collaborate with partners such as: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA-Ghana) Water Resources Commission (WRC) Selected civil society and environmental organizations These partnerships will support content dissemination and amplify public awareness.
6. Public Documentation and Timeline
Create a dedicated Meta-Wiki project page (https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/WikiForHumanRights_2025_in_Ghana/Topic_lists) to publicly document:
Timeline of activities
Mapped article lists
Training schedules
Partner acknowledgements
Learning and impact updates
- 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.
CoachAni: Lead Organizer of the campaign. CoachAni is a dedicated Wikimedian and the Founder and Executive Director of Women for Sustainability Africa. Within the Wikimedia movement, she plays an active role as an organizer and mobilizer of community activities. Anita has led several Wikimedia projects, including Art+Feminism 2024, Women in Red 2023, WikiForHumanRights 2023,2024 and 2025, Wikipedia 101 workshops, and Wikidata Game training for volunteers and local community members.
She has also collaborated with various Wikimedia groups to host impactful campaigns and workshops, such as the Inspire Inclusion Campaign 2024, and has actively participated in numerous other Wikimedia initiatives. Known for her convening power, Anita specializes in building strategic partnerships that create lasting impact within and beyond the Wikimedia movement.
Frank Sedor w4safrica community -Logistic coordinator
Vera Asante- Administrator and programs assistant
Lois -Community engagement and social media manager
Barrister: Student Coordinator
Winnie Kanbinte- Advisor : Africa Regional Coordintor for the Wikiforsustainable Futures campaign.
Coordinators and Trainers
Ato Quamina Ceo: In this campaign Ato will be leading coordinations and training in Walewale. Ato Quamina Ceo is a Ghanaian born at Tarkwa in the western region. He is a photographer,a writer and a proud wikimedian.He enjoys travelling,writing and taking photos, which are his fun qualities. He is the hub lead for Walewale Wiki hub and also one of the organizers of the wikiforhumanrights 2024 Campaign which seeked to use wikimedia as a tool to tackle climate change in Africa and beyond.
Coordinating Wiki for Human Rights Campaign in Walewale, Ghana-2024
Organising monthly Wiki projects trainings in Walewale since January 2024
Participated in the Shine her Light writing contest by Open foundation west Africa and emerging as the winner of the first prize.
Participacted in the Africa Wiki Challenge 2024
Knowledge and philosophy In this campaign Abdul-Rahim Ziblim will be leading coordination in Tamale. with wiki name as “Knowledge and philosophy” is the Tamale Wiki Hub lead, a wikimedia user group in Ghana Under Open Foundation West Africa(OFWA) . As an enthusiastic free knowledge advocate,he has actively contributed to Wikimedia projects such as English wikipedia, wikidata, wikimedia commons, Wikiquote and Dagbani wikipedia. With great passion, he implemented initiatives, mentored community members, and organized numerous training sessions to support the goal of making knowledge freely accessible to all. He has been contributing to Wikimedia projects since 2021.
Some of his VOLUNTEER ROLES AND EXPERIENCE includes;
Wikipedia training for volunteers
Co-organized Wikimania 2022 in person program in Tamale, Ghana-2022
Implemented Kiwix4Schools project Ghana-2022&2023
Served as a mentor for Kiwix4schools Africa Mentorship Program-2023
Coordinating Wiki for Human Rights Campaign in Tamale, Ghana-2024
Coordinated Wiki Loves Earth campaign in Tamale, Ghana-2024
Facilitated Wiki Skills training for librarians in Northern Ghana - 2024
Organising monthly Wiki projects trainings every month in Tamale since February 2024 till date
User:Jwale2: In this campaign Jwale2 will be supporting with advisory and be a guest trainer for Wikipedia. is a dedicated Ghanaian Wikipedian passionate about using Wikipedia and its sister projects as tools for positive change. Since joining the movement in 2015, he has contributed significantly to various Wikimedia initiatives, particularly in promoting African content. Jwale2 was a top contributor to the "Months of African Cinema" Global Edit-a-thon, earning recognition as the editor with the highest number of created articles for both Ghana and Nigeria, and receiving several awards for his outstanding contributions. A participant in the Wiki Education's Scholars & Scientists Program and a graduate of the Wikimedia & Education Greenhouse online course, Jwale2 has demonstrated commitment to advancing Wikimedia’s educational goals through project planning, evaluation, and storytelling. His tireless efforts in content creation and volunteerism continue to strengthen representation of African narratives on the global Wikimedia platforms.
User:Esthee2010: In this campaign Esthee2010 will lead photowalk and wikimedia commons training.He is a Ghanaian Wikimedian and photographer passionate about telling Africa’s stories through the power of the lens. He contributed extensively to Wikimedia Commons and Wikipedia, using images to document the continent’s rich history, environmental challenges, and cultural heritage. In 2024, he led the WikiForHumanRights Campaign project in Ghana, producing photo and video content to raise awareness about environmental and ocean pollution. His work included a beach cleanup documentary (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:WikiForHumanRights_2024_in_Ghana) in collaboration with Plastic Punch. In 2023, he spearheaded the Archiving History of Ghana: Case Study of Forts and Castles project, capturing and uploading over 350 images and videos of historic forts and castles to Wikimedia Commons under Creative Commons licensing, making Ghana’s heritage more visible and accessible to the world.
Kwadwo Owusu 2020: In this campaign, Kwadwo Owusu will provide technical support and lead Twi translation reviews on Wikipedia. An expert in Twi language translations, he has contributed extensively to Twi documentation during events such as the Wiki Mentor Africa Hackathons in 2024 and 2025. Kwadwo is also an active member of the Africa Wikimedia Technical Community and the Wiki4SustainableAfrica (W4SAfrica) community..
- 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)
Target participants include experienced Wikimedians from Women for Sustainability Africa, Experienced volunteers in Northern Ghana from Walewale wiki hub, Students from the University of Ghana Center for Climate Change and Sustainability Department, and other Wikimedians from different communities in Ghana. We also will be inviting other stakeholders for various aspects of the campaign including launch and online training session.
- 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.
In 2024, we established a long-term partnership with the Center for Climate Change and Sustainability Studies (C3SS), University of Ghana to host this campaign annually. The program achieved strong impact, with about 30% of new student participants remaining active in Wikimedia communities such as Accra Wiki Hub, Tamale and Walewale Wiki Hubs, Africa Wiki Women, Open Inclusive Initiative, and various “Let’s Connect” groups. Building on this success, we have re-engaged the community through an active WhatsApp group of nearly 200 members, originally formed during the previous campaign cycle since 2024. Participants have expressed strong interest in the 2026 Wiki for Sustainable Futures campaign and are eager to contribute again. We have also engaged key Wikimedia community members and stakeholders, including Walewale Wiki Hub coordinators, Francis (photowalk lead), Women for Sustainability Africa, and the leadership of C3SS, University of Ghana, to support the development of the program. Discussions have also been held with Winnie Kabinte (Africa Regional Coordinator) and Ruby (former WikiForHumanRights coordinator) to strengthen collaboration and alignment for the 2026 campaign. To ensure visibility and coordination, all activities will be documented on the Wiki for Sustainable Futures 2026 Meta-Wiki Events page (https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wiki_for_Sustainable_Futures_2026/Events), and shared through Wikimedia community channels, Telegram groups, and partner networks.
- 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)
Climate Change and sustainability
- 14. Will your work focus on involving participants from any underrepresented communities? Select one option that most apply to your work. (required)
Geographic
- 15. In what ways do you think your proposal most contributes to the Movement Strategy 2030 recommendations. Select one that most applies. (required)
Identify Topics for Impact
Learning and metrics
[edit]- 17. What do you hope to learn from your work in this project or proposal? (required)
How effective are our photowalks and multimedia activities in improving coverage of water issues in Ghana?
What gaps still remain in Wikipedia and Wikidata after the campaign? How do partnerships with experts and institutions improve the quality of content produced? How does participation in the campaign influence participants’ skills and confidence in contributing to Wikimedia projects?
- 18. What are your Wikimedia project targets in numbers (metrics)? (required)
| Other Metrics | Target | Optional description |
|---|---|---|
| Number of participants | 120 | 120 participants |
| Number of editors | 80 | |
| Number of organizers | 15 |
| Wikimedia project | Number of content created or improved |
|---|---|
| Wikipedia | 800 |
| Wikimedia Commons | 200 |
| Wikidata | 500 |
| Wiktionary | |
| Wikisource | |
| Wikimedia Incubator | |
| Translatewiki | 250 |
| 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)
We will use the Programs and event dashboard, google form, event metrics and Event registration 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)
54400 GHS
- 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.
4861 USD
- By submitting your proposal/funding request you confirm that you have read and agree to the Application Privacy Statement, WMF Friendly Space Policy, and the 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).