Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/Rapid Fund/Wiki Loves Africa 2026:Market and Riverine Rituals (ID: 23625390)
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Applicant Details
[edit]- Main Wikimedia username. (required)
Kingaustin07
- 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.
Wiki Loves Africa 2026: Market and Riverine Rituals
- 2. and 3. Proposed start and end dates for the proposal.
2026-03-01 - 2026-04-30
- 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 Africa
- 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)
Rites and rituals form the foundation of Africa’s cultural identity and continuity. They mark important stages of life such as birth, trade, faith, and community renewal showcasing the values that unite people across generations. Despite this rich cultural heritage, much of its heritage remains undocumented, with only a few freely accessible photos, videos, and audio materials available on Wikimedia Commons to represent these living traditions.
This project seeks to bridge that gap by documenting, through photos, videos, and audio recordings, two unique expressions of Nigeria’s living heritage: market rituals in Kogi State and riverine rituals in Benue State.
In Kogi State, the Lokoja Fish Market at the Niger–Benue confluence blends commerce with spirituality, where traders perform libations, prayers, and prosperity rituals before trade begins. The market’s riverside setting showcases the community’s deep ties to water, trade, and belief.
In Abinsi, Benue State, the River Benue shapes daily life through fishing, farming, and ceremonies honoring water deities and marking fishing seasons. These traditions reveal how riverine communities connect livelihood, ritual, and nature.
Through this project, we aim to preserve and share these living traditions by documenting them on Wikimedia Commons, ensuring that Nigeria’s cultural heritage remains openly accessible for learning, research, and use on wikimedia projects.
To achieve this, the project will adopt the following approaches:
1. Wikimedia Commons Training: We will organize hands-on training sessions for local photographers, women and existing Wikimedia editors—our target participants. The training will introduce participants to Wikimedia Commons, open licensing, while also providing practical skills in mobile photography, videography, and audio editing. This will build local capacity and encourage sustained contributions beyond the project period.
2. Photowalks: Guided photowalks will be conducted in Lokoja Fish Market and the riverine community of Abinsi. These sessions are designed to capture the vibrancy of trade, faith, and spiritual connections with water. The emphasis will be on visual storytelling that displays the cultural depth of each setting.
3. Multimedia Content Creation and Upload: Participants will curate, and upload high-quality photographs, videos, and audio recordings obtained from the photowalks to Wikimedia Commons. This will create a freely accessible repository of these rituals.
Through these integrated approaches, this project will not only document these rituals but also enrich Wikimedia Commons with authentic heritage media that celebrates African Rites and Rituals.
- 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.
To achieve the goals of this project, we will implement the following activities:
1. Awareness and Outreach Campaign: The project will begin with an awareness and outreach campaign to announce the theme and participation opportunities. Flyers and posters will be shared across social media platforms and community WhatsApp groups of our target participants to generate early interest. A WhatsApp group will also be created to facilitate communication and coordination among interested participants.
2. Partnership and Community Collaboration: We will collaborate with local custodians, market leaders, and traditional authorities in both the Lokoja Fish Market and the Abinsi community to ensure authentic representation and active community participation in the project. Through these partnerships, we will obtain prior consent and cultural guidance to ensure that all photowalks are conducted respectfully and successfully, with custodians guiding participants on proper conduct. To safeguard participants, promote inclusion, and manage potential risks, we have developed a Safety and Inclusion Policy aligned with the Wikimedia Friendly Space Policy, which can be viewed here. This policy will be strictly observed throughout all project activities.
3. Wikimedia Commons Training (Physical Session): A one day hands on training will be organized to equip participants with the necessary technical skills. The training covers:
- Introduction to Wikimedia Commons: Open licensing, categorization, metadata, and upload procedures.
- Mobile Photography & Videography: Techniques for framing, lighting, composition, and audio capture to create compelling visual stories using mobile devices.
- Basic Audio Editing: Practical skills to clean, trim, and prepare appropriate audio clips for upload.
This session aims to build participants’ confidence and ensure that all contributions meet Wikimedia Commons quality standards.
4. Guided Photowalks: Two carefully planned photowalks will form the core of this project:
- Market Rituals (Kogi): Participants will document daily trade rituals, market blessings, and spiritual practices at the Lokoja Fish Market, showcasing the vibrant intersection of commerce, culture, and faith.
- Riverine Rituals (Benue): In the Abinsi community, participants will document water-centered ceremonies, fishermen’s prayers, and other ritual practices that highlight the deep connection between livelihood, spirituality, and the river environment.
Each photowalk will be conducted in close collaboration with cultural custodians to ensure authentic storytelling.
5. Multimedia Upload Session (Physical): Following the photowalks, participants will take part in a guided upload session. With mentorship support, they will curate, categorize, and upload their photos, videos, and audio recordings to Wikimedia Commons under open licenses. This process will ensure that all media are properly tagged and meet Wikimedia Commons standards for accessibility and reuse.
6. Photo Contest and Recognition: To encourage creativity and celebrate participants’ efforts, a mini photo contest will be organized with gift vouchers awarded in the following categories:
- Best Photo of Market Rituals
- Best Photo of Riverine Rituals
- Best Video Documentation
- Best Audio Documentation
- Best Media Contribution by a Female Participant
- 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.
Kingaustin07 (Project Lead): I am an experienced Wikimedia Commons editor and trainer with a solid record of leading successful campaigns. As the Project Lead for Wiki Loves Africa at the University of Ilorin from 2022 to 2024, I coordinated trainings, photowalks, and upload sessions that significantly increased participation and improved content quality on Commons. My professional background in mobile photography, videography, and audio editing enables me to provide participants with practical, high-quality guidance. For this project, I will oversee overall planning and implementation, and personally facilitate the physical training sessions and photowalks.
Lucy Iwuala (Co-Facilitator and Jury Member): She is an experienced Wikimedia Commons trainer and advocate for indigenous languages. She coordinates the Igbo Wiki Fan Club and serves as Social Media Manager for the Wiki Loves Monuments International Team. With experience facilitating numerous Commons training sessions. Her role will be to co-facilitate the training and photowalks, providing hands on mentorship during the physical upload session.
Ebubechukwu1 (Communications Lead and Jury Member): she is a passionate Wikimedia editor and trainer with a strong focus on community engagement and gender inclusion. She has successfully led several campaigns, such as African Women in Education Wikiquote and SheSaid 2023 (Nigeria). Her exceptional communication skills have helped build valuable partnerships with institutions, educators, and local communities. In this project, she will manage all outreach and publicity activities, ensuring effective engagement with local custodians and market leaders.
- 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 local photographers, women, and existing Wikimedia editors from Kogi and Benue States.
1. Pre-Activity Engagement: Before the project begins, we will launch an awareness campaign by sharing digital flyers and posters on social media, WhatsApp groups, and Wikimedia community platforms of our target participants. In addition, physical visits will be made to markets and riverine communities to introduce the project and gain the support of local custodians. This early engagement will help ensure smooth and well-coordinated photowalk sessions.
2. During the Activities: Participants will take part in hands-on training sessions on mobile photography, videography, and audio documentation, guided by experienced Wikimedia trainers. The photowalks in the selected states will promote collaboration and creative storytelling, helping participants capture the essence and spirit of each ritual.
3. Post-Activity Follow-up: After the project, participants will remain connected through a WhatsApp group for continued mentorship and peer support. Regular check-ins and feedback surveys will sustain their motivation and encourage ongoing contributions to future Wiki Loves Africa campaigns and other Wikimedia projects.
- 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 announcement of this project has been made on the Wikimedia User Group Nigeria discussion page to inform the community about the goals and objectives of this project via this link Wiki Loves Africa 2026: Market and Riverine Rituals
- 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)
By organizing this event, we aim to gain meaningful insights and build practical experience in areas that will strengthen future Wiki Loves Africa events.
1. Improved Documentation Practices: To learn effective and ethical methods of documenting cultural rituals through photos, videos, and audio in ways that reflect authenticity.
2. Community Engagement and Collaboration: To deepen our understanding of how to build trust and sustainable partnerships with local custodians, market leaders, and riverine communities while promoting inclusive participation in open knowledge activities.
3. Enhancing Multimedia and Storytelling Skills: To develop stronger technical and creative skills in mobile photography, videography, and audio documentation improving the quality and diversity of contributions to Wikimedia Commons.
4. Women’s Participation and Leadership: To learn effective strategies for encouraging and supporting more women to take active roles in Wikimedia events such as Wiki Loves Africa and other heritage documentation projects promoting gender balance.
5. Sustaining Community Involvement: To explore models that keep participants motivated beyond the project through mentorship, recognition, and integration into broader Wikimedia campaigns and communities.
- 18. What are your Wikimedia project targets in numbers (metrics)? (required)
| Other Metrics | Target | Optional description |
|---|---|---|
| Number of participants | 25 | New Participants:15
Returning Participant:10 |
| Number of editors | 25 | New Participants:15
Returning Participant:10 |
| Number of organizers | 3 | There will be 3 Wikimedia volunteers facilitating and co-facilitating the event |
| Wikimedia project | Number of content created or improved |
|---|---|
| Wikipedia | |
| Wikimedia Commons | 500 |
| Wikidata | |
| Wiktionary | |
| Wikisource | |
| Wikimedia Incubator | |
| Translatewiki | |
| MediaWiki | |
| Wikiquote | |
| Wikivoyage | |
| Wikibooks | |
| Wikiversity | |
| Wikinews | |
| Wikispecies | |
| Wikifunctions or Abstract Wikipedia |
- Optional description for content contributions.
400 photographs, 50 audio recordings, and 50 videos
- 19. Do you have any other project targets in numbers (metrics)? (optional)
Yes
| Main Open Metrics | Description | Target |
|---|---|---|
| Sustained Women Editor Engagement | Number of new women editors who continue contributing regularly to Wikimedia Commons after the project through uploads or participation in local Wikimedia activities. | 10 |
| Sustained Local Photographer Engagement | Number of new local photographers editors who continue contributing regularly to Wikimedia Commons after the project through uploads or participation in community documentation activities. | 5 |
| 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)
1. Outreach dashboard 2. PTools (Programs & Events Dashboard) 3. Commons category
Financial proposal
[edit]- 21. Please upload your budget for this proposal or indicate the link to it. (required)
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1fs1iqVNpuMwJtNoNVu5Ym474GlYfkCZi4WXNvRFD4Qc/edit?usp=sharing
- 22. and 22.1. What is the amount you are requesting for this proposal? Please provide the amount in your local currency. (required)
1426190 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.
1000 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).