Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/Rapid Fund/Wiki Loves Folklore in Kenya 2026 (ID: 23714308)
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)
Almaddy2022
- 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 in Kenya 2026
- 2. and 3. Proposed start and end dates for the proposal.
2026-02-01 - 2026-03-31
- 4. Where will this proposal be implemented? (required)
Kenya
- 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)
We are working to preserve and promote Kenya’s rich intangible cultural heritage — including traditional dances, music, rituals, storytelling, crafts, festivals, dress, and other local folklore — by documenting it through free media (photos, video, and audio) and making it openly available on Wikimedia Commons for global use. Wiki Loves Folklore is a worldwide campaign focused on capturing folk culture from every country and sharing it under free licenses so that it can be used in Wikipedia and educational resources everywhere In Kenya, many unique cultural traditions — especially those of communities such as in Lamu and other regions — are at risk of being overlooked or lost due to rapid modernization, limited digital documentation, and a lack of easily accessible archives. The project directly addresses this gap by empowering local photographers, youth, and community stakeholders to document and share these traditions in ways that increase global visibility and appreciation.
Main challenges we are addressing:
1. Under-representation of Kenyan cultural heritage online:
Kenya’s extensive intangible heritage is rarely captured in free digital media repositories, leaving significant gaps in open knowledge about Kenya’s cultures. Wikimedia projects currently have limited high-quality visual and audio documentation of many Kenyan traditions
2. Limited access to equipment and training:
Many potential contributors — especially in rural areas and among youth — lack access to quality cameras, audio recorders, or digital skills to document cultural practices properly. This limits participation and the number and quality of uploaded media
3. Community engagement and awareness:
Without targeted outreach, many communities are unaware of how they can contribute to global heritage documentation or why it matters. This leads to fewer participants and a missed opportunity to build long-term cultural preservation efforts.
Approaches to achieve this change:
Organize community photo walks, workshops, and heritage documentation events to train and support local participants on how to capture and upload high-quality media about folklore traditions. Mobilize photographers, youth groups, and cultural institutions (e.g., museums, community organizations) to participate actively in the Wiki Loves Folklore 2026 campaign in Kenya. Raise awareness and digital literacy about cultural documentation and the value of open knowledge, emphasizing that all contributions are free to use and can help educate the world about Kenyan cultures. Provide support for equipment access and technical guidance — helping participants improve the quality of their contributions and increasing the volume of documented heritage.
Together, these efforts will help bridge the heritage documentation gap for Kenya’s folklore, contribute to global cultural preservation, and empower communities to tell their own stories.
- 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.
Planned Activities (Event at Lamu Museum, Kenya) Project Launch & Awareness
Announce the Wiki Loves Folklore 2026 Kenya campaign with a special focus on Lamu’s cultural heritage.
Share invitations with the Lamu Museum, local community groups, photographers, and Wikimedia communities.
Training Workshop at Lamu Museum
Conduct an in-person workshop at Lamu Museum to train participants on:
How to document folklore, cultural practices, crafts, and traditional events
Proper photography techniques
Uploading files to Wikimedia Commons
Licensing and categorization
Support beginners and first-time contributors.
Heritage Photo Walks in Lamu Old Town
Organize guided cultural photo walks around:
Lamu Old Town (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
Museum surroundings
Local craft markets
Cultural performance areas
Document Swahili traditions, crafts, architecture, festivals, dress, and daily heritage activities.
Collaboration with Lamu Museum Staff
Work with museum staff and cultural officers to identify key cultural elements to be documented.
Ensure respectful engagement with local communities and cultural custodians.
Upload & Contribution Support
Provide on-the-spot help sessions at the museum for participants to upload:
Photos
Short videos
Audio recordings of songs or storytelling
Offer direct support with licensing, captions, and categories.
Monitoring & Quality Review
Track and review uploaded content to ensure quality, accuracy, and proper descriptions.
Help contributors improve their uploads where needed.
Social Media & Community Engagement
Share updates, cultural highlights from Lamu, and reminders to encourage continuous participation.
Showcase documented heritage to raise awareness of Lamu’s unique folklore.
Closing Session at Lamu Museum
Host a short wrap-up event to:
Appreciate participants
Share outcomes
Celebrate contributions
Discuss future heritage documentation activities in Lamu
Strengthen relationships with the museum and local community.
Project Reporting
Prepare a full report that includes results, number of participants, media uploaded, lessons learned, and recommendations for future contests.
Share findings with the Wikimedia community.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Wiki_Loves_Folklore_2026_in_Kenya
- 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.
Khadija Issa Twahir( username: Almaddy2022): Principle applicant( Volunteer), Project led
1. Khadija Issa Twahir (Username: Almaddy2022)
Role: Project Lead Khadija will lead the overall coordination of the Wiki Loves Folklore 2026 project in Kenya. She will manage planning, communication with partners, supervision of activities in Lamu, and ensure the project meets its objectives. She will also oversee reporting and documentation of outcomes.
Ester Nganga( Ngangaesther): Co-Applicant( Volunteer), Physical and virtual Training
2. Esther Ng’ang’a (Username: Ngangaesther)
Role: Community Mobilizer (Nairobi) Esther will support planning and implementation of the project. She will take the lead in mobilizing participants in Nairobi, coordinating outreach with librarians,, and cultural groups. She will also assist with training, mentoring new contributors, and supporting uploads to Wikimedia Commons.
3. Faith Mwanyolo: ( Username: FaithMwanyolo)Wikimedia Foundation in Kenya), Physical and virtual Training
Role: Advisor Affiliation: Wikimedia User group Kenya Faith will offer guidance on community engagement, ensure alignment with Wikimedia movement practices, and support communication and Wikimedia Commons trainings within the Wikimedia community in Kenya. She will also help in promoting the contest and strengthening partnerships with cultural institutions.
- 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)
GLAM in Kenya. We shall organize campaign to create awareness about our project and dashboard to review participants contribution during the activity. Facebook page, WhatsApp group and Telegram. we will create Wiki loves folklore group while by we shall discuss about the project. Our participants will be as follows
Lamu Community and Kenya at large, We shall organize campaign to create awareness about our project and dashboard to review participants contribution during the activity.
Lamu Community: Local cultural practitioners, artisans, performers, and residents with knowledge of Swahili folklore and traditions.
Kenya at large: Photographers, youth groups, cultural enthusiasts, and Wikimedia contributors from across Kenya.
Engagement Before the Activities: Conduct awareness campaigns through social media, community networks, and local institutions to invite participants.
Share clear guidelines, project objectives, and instructions on how to participate.
Organize brief orientation sessions for participants, especially new contributors, on cultural documentation and uploading to Wikimedia Commons.
Engagement During the Activities:
Provide hands-on guidance during workshops, photo walks, and field documentation.
Use a dashboard to review participants’ contributions in real-time, offering feedback and support as needed.
Ensure participants are actively involved in uploading media, categorizing content, and documenting cultural context.
Follow-Up After the Activities:
Continue supporting participants with questions about uploads and improving media quality.
Share a summary report highlighting contributions, achievements, and next steps.
Maintain connections through Wikimedia community channels to encourage ongoing participation in future 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.
We discussed the Wiki Loves Folklore 2026 project with our GLAM channel, Lamu Museum, local cultural institutions, and Wikimedia community members to gather input and ensure alignment with ongoing initiatives. The discussion included:
Project Introduction: Presented the objectives of documenting Lamu’s folklore and promoting Kenyan cultural heritage on Wikimedia Commons. Shared the planned activities, including workshops, photo walks, and contribution support.
Community Feedback: Collected suggestions from GLAM members, museum staff, and local stakeholders on which cultural practices, heritage sites, and events to prioritize. Adjusted the project plan to ensure respectful engagement with communities and proper documentation practices.
Collaboration & Alignment:
Coordinated with ongoing Wikimedia and GLAM initiatives in Kenya, including previous Wiki Loves Folklore campaigns and cultural documentation projects, to avoid duplication and strengthen partnerships. Lamu Museum staff are actively involved in planning, identifying key cultural elements, and guiding participants during the activities. Librarians in Nairobi support outreach and mobilization of participants.
On-Wiki Discussions: All discussions and planning have been shared on the GLAM channel for transparency and community input. GLAM Channel Discussion on Wiki Loves Folklore Kenya (replace with actual link if available)
This approach ensures the project is community-driven, inclusive, and aligned with local heritage institutions, especially Lamu Museum, to strengthen cultural documentation in Kenya.
- 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)
Identify Topics for Impact
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:
Community Engagement:
How effective are our strategies in mobilizing local communities (Lamu and Nairobi) to participate in cultural documentation? Which outreach methods best encourage sustained involvement in Wikimedia projects?
Content Gaps & Coverage: To what extent does the project help fill knowledge gaps about underrepresented Kenyan cultural heritage, including folklore, crafts, and traditions? Which types of cultural content are most in need of documentation and open access?
Capacity Building: How well do participants, including librarians and youth, gain the skills needed to document and upload high-quality media? Which training approaches are most effective for skill transfer and long-term Wikimedia engagement?
Sustainability & Impact: How does the project influence ongoing contributions to Wikimedia platforms after the campaign? What strategies can ensure long-term preservation and use of the documented cultural heritage?
These learning questions will guide data collection and evaluation, helping us improve future cultural documentation initiatives and strengthen participation in Wikimedia projects.
- 18. What are your Wikimedia project targets in numbers (metrics)? (required)
| Other Metrics | Target | Optional description |
|---|---|---|
| Number of participants | 50 | |
| Number of editors | 50 | |
| Number of organizers | 3 | Khadija
Ester Faith |
| 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.
The number of the uploads will be uploads from Lamu and Nairobi Kenya at Large. We shall upload content on Wiki loves Folklore 2026 and Wiki Loves Feminism 2026
- 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 primarily use a dashboard to track and measure project metrics in real time. The dashboard will allow us to: Monitor participants engagement during workshops, photo walks, and uploads.
Track the number and quality of media contributions on Wikimedia Commons.
Review skills development and support needs by noting which participants require guidance during uploads.
Follow up on long-term participation by analyzing ongoing contributions after the campaign.
Additional tools, such as Google Forms for surveys or sign-in sheets for workshops, may also be used to complement the dashboard. We are open to guidance from the Rapid Fund team to optimize measurement and reporting
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)
227500 KES
- 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.
1751.2 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).