Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/Rapid Fund/Wiki Loves Folklore 2025 In Ghana (ID: 23633396)
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Applicant Details
[edit]- Main Wikimedia username. (required)
Ato Quamina Ceo
- 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 Folklore 2025 In Ghana
- 2. and 3. Proposed start and end dates for the proposal.
2026-02-01 - 2026-02-28
- 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 Loves Folklore
- 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 is to document, preserve, and promote the diverse folklore, cultural heritage, and traditional practices of communities in Ghana through visual storytelling on Wikimedia Commons.
Across many parts of Ghana, especially in the northern sector, valuable aspects of our oral traditions, folklore, rituals, and indigenous knowledge are gradually fading due to modernization, lack of documentation, and limited digital representation. Younger generations are increasingly disconnected from these cultural roots, while much of this heritage remains undocumented or inaccessible online for educational and cultural reference.
The main challenges we aim to address include:
1.Loss of intangible cultural heritage due to lack of proper documentation and archiving.
2.Limited awareness and participation of local communities in open knowledge platforms like Wikimedia Commons.
3.Low digital visibility of Ghana’s folklore and traditions on global information platforms.
Our approach to achieving this change includes:
1.Community-based photography and storytelling: Training local photographers and Wikimedians to capture authentic images and narratives of cultural practices, festivals, crafts, and folklore.
2.Capacity building through Wikimedia Commons workshops: Empowering participants to document, upload, and license their works freely for global access.
3.Photo contests and outreach campaigns: Encouraging participation and recognition to sustain community interest.
4.Partnership with local cultural custodians: Ensuring authenticity, respect, and inclusivity in documentation.
Through these approaches, the project will revive pride in local traditions, preserve cultural knowledge for future generations, and ensure that Ghana’s folklore is represented in the global digital space.
- 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.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hm3X6iLS8bRGO2GcjNR8UGeOIJgL29F2EcgyVDgXGbc/edit?usp=sharing
- 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.
1.Ato Quamina Ceo: Lead Organizer of the Campaign .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
Jury for Wikilovesearth 2025 in Ghana
Jury for African Wiki Challenge 2025 in Ghana
2.Kwameghana(Bright Kwame Ayisi):Co-lead and Project advisor. Bright Kwame Ayisi is an Accra-born professional photographer and experienced Wikimedian with over 12 years of active contribution to the open knowledge ecosystem. Passionate about visual storytelling and free knowledge, he dedicates much of his time to photographing diverse subjects and editing visual content that enriches Wikimedia platforms.
As a volunteer editor on Wikipedia and volunteer photographer on Wikimedia Commons, Bright has played a vital role in documenting Africa’s cultural, natural, and historical heritage. His work has earned both national and international recognition, including being ranked 9th in the Wiki Loves Africa 2019 competition.
He has served in multiple leadership and jury roles across Wikimedia’s global photography campaigns:
Organiser (Ghana) – Wiki Loves Africa Project
Lead (Ghana) – Wiki Loves Earth 2023 & 2024
Project Lead (Ghana) – Wiki Loves Monuments 2023 & 2024
Jury Member – Wiki Loves Earth (Philippines), Wiki Loves Monuments (Ukraine), Wiki Loves Monuments 2024 (UAE), Wiki Loves Folklore 2024, and Africa Wiki Challenge 2024 & 2025
Winner – Africa Wiki Challenge 2024 & 2025
Organiser (Ghana) – Wiki Loves Monuments 2025
International Organising Team Member – Wiki Loves Monuments
Advisor – Commons Photographers User Group
Beyond his volunteerism, Bright’s commitment to promoting African visibility through free knowledge exemplifies his belief in the power of photography as a tool for education, documentation, and global connection.
- 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 Wiki Loves Folklore – Ghana 2026 project aims to engage a diverse group of participants drawn from various communities across the country to ensure an inclusive and culturally rich documentation of Ghana’s folklore and heritage. The primary target participants include active Wikimedians, professional and amateur photographers, cultural enthusiasts, students, and community cultural leaders. These groups represent individuals who have a shared interest in visual storytelling, cultural preservation, and open knowledge contribution through Wikimedia Commons.
Participants will be drawn from all regions of Ghana, with particular focus on the Northern, Middle, and Southern sectors to reflect the country’s cultural diversity. In the Northern sector, participants will document traditional architecture, crafts, and festivals such as the Damba, Kobine, and Fire Festivals. In the Middle Belt, participants from the Ashanti, Bono, and Ahafo regions will focus on folklore-related crafts, myths, and traditional ceremonies. In the Southern sector, including the Greater Accra, Central, Western, and Volta regions, attention will be given to festivals, oral traditions, performing arts, and attire. This national representation ensures that the project captures a comprehensive visual narrative of Ghana’s folklore.
Before the commencement of the main activities, participants will be engaged through extensive awareness and outreach efforts. These will include the use of social media platforms, Wikimedia mailing lists, and community radio announcements to promote the call for participation. Orientation sessions will be held both virtually and in person to introduce participants to the goals of the campaign, photography guidelines, and Wikimedia Commons upload procedures. Partnerships with existing regional Wikimedia hubs and local coordinators will be instrumental in mobilizing participants and ensuring grassroots participation. Additionally, the distribution of promotional materials such as flyers and branded content will help raise visibility and attract new contributors.
During the project implementation phase, participants will take part in a series of training workshops and field photography trips across selected cultural sites and communities. These workshops will focus on building participants’ capacity in visual documentation, copyright licensing, and Wikimedia Commons uploads. Field activities will include capturing various aspects of folklore such as traditional dances, festivals, attire, crafts, oral storytelling, and sacred natural sites. To motivate participants, a photo upload challenge will be organized, allowing individuals to compete based on creativity, storytelling quality, and cultural relevance. Continuous mentorship will be provided by regional leads and experienced Wikimedians to guide new participants through the technical and creative aspects of the contest.
After the contest period, deliberate efforts will be made to maintain engagement and ensure sustainability. A post-activity evaluation and feedback survey will be conducted to assess participants’ experiences, challenges, and learning outcomes. Outstanding contributors and winners will be recognized through an award ceremony to celebrate their achievements and encourage future participation. Beyond the competition, ongoing mentorship and community support will continue through local Wikimedia hubs, ensuring participants remain active contributors to Wikimedia Commons and other open knowledge platforms. The project team will also monitor the participants’ contributions over time, offering guidance where needed and highlighting exceptional work through social media and Meta-Wiki publications.
Through this comprehensive engagement strategy, the project seeks to not only document Ghana’s folklore but also build a sustainable community of culturally aware Wikimedians who are dedicated to preserving and sharing Ghana’s intangible heritage. By connecting visual storytelling with open knowledge, the initiative will empower participants to become long-term advocates of cultural preservation and digital inclusion.
- 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 Wiki Loves Folklore Ghana 2026 was developed through open discussions with members of the Ghanaian Wikimedia community. The planning team engaged community members through WhatsApp and Telegram groups, where people shared ideas and emphasized the importance of documenting Ghana’s rich folklore and traditional heritage, especially from areas in the northern part of the country that are often underrepresented.
Further conversations were held online with members from different Wikimedia hubs in Accra, Kumasi and walewale. These discussions helped shape the project into a nationwide effort that includes photography training, mentorship, and community participation. The collective feedback and collaboration ensured that the project truly reflects the community’s shared vision to preserve and promote Ghana’s cultural identity through visual storytelling.
- 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)
Through the Wiki Loves Folklore Ghana 2026 project, we hope to learn how documenting folklore through photography can help build stronger Wikimedia communities and preserve Ghana’s rich cultural heritage. We want to understand what truly motivates people to take part in cultural documentation and how we can keep them engaged even after the project ends.
Some key questions we hope to explore include:
How can local outreach and hands-on training encourage more people across Ghana to join and contribute to Wikimedia projects?
What are the best ways to photograph and document folklore respectfully and accurately, while keeping community traditions at the center?
How can mentorship and capacity building improve the quality of contributions to Wikimedia Commons?
What keeps participants motivated to continue sharing knowledge after the contest?
How can our experiences and lessons be shared with other Wiki communities to inspire similar projects across Africa?
In the end, we want this project to teach us how storytelling and collaboration can keep Ghana’s living traditions visible and accessible to the world.
- 18. What are your Wikimedia project targets in numbers (metrics)? (required)
| Other Metrics | Target | Optional description |
|---|---|---|
| Number of participants | 26 | |
| Number of editors | 26 | |
| Number of organizers | 5 |
| Wikimedia project | Number of content created or improved |
|---|---|
| Wikipedia | |
| Wikimedia Commons | 1000 |
| Wikidata | |
| 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)
We will use the Wikimedia Programs and Events Dashboard to track all project activities. It will help us monitor the number of participants, new accounts, photo uploads, and edits made during the campaign. Each participant will be added to the dashboard at the start so we can easily follow their contributions.
We will also use simple online registration and feedback forms to understand participants’ experiences. WhatsApp and Telegram groups will help us stay connected, share updates, and gather quick feedback.
Together, these tools will help us measure both the numbers and the real impact of learning and collaboration through the project.
Financial proposal
[edit]- 21. Please upload your budget for this proposal or indicate the link to it. (required)
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1vimDcLgTNo2fQbJlxAkleZC29tREwFjEs9mJgyiy2Qc/edit?gid=0#gid=0
- 22. and 22.1. What is the amount you are requesting for this proposal? Please provide the amount in your local currency. (required)
53530 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.
4918.21 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).