Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/Rapid Fund/Wiki Loves Monuments 2026:A photo walk on The Old Fort (Ngome Kongwe) in Tanzania (ID: 23645407)/Final Report
Application type: Standard application
Part 1: Project and impact
1. Describe the implemented activities and results achieved. Additionally, share which approaches were most effective in supporting you to achieve the results. (required)
The project Wiki Loves Monuments 2026: A Photo Walk at The Old Fort (Ngome Kongwe) was successfully implemented in Tanzania as part of the global Wiki Loves Monuments campaign. The initiative aimed to document Tanzanian cultural heritage and expand visual content related to national monuments on Wikimedia platforms.
The main activity of the project was a photo walk and documentation session at Old Fort (Ngome Kongwe) in Stone Town, Zanzibar, one of the oldest historic structures in Zanzibar and an important cultural heritage landmark. Participants included photographers, Wikimedia contributors, and heritage enthusiasts who worked together to capture high-quality images of monuments and historic architecture.
The project was implemented through several stages:
Awareness and Outreach
The campaign began with an online awareness campaign conducted through social media platforms and Wikimedia community channels. Announcements invited participants from the Global WikiEducation Initiative, Wikimedia Community Zanzibar, photographers, and students interested in heritage documentation.
Commons Training Workshop
Participants attended a Wikimedia Commons workshop where they learned:
- How to upload images to Wikimedia Commons
- Copyright and free licenses (CC BY-SA)
- Metadata and categorization practices
- How images contribute to Wikipedia articles
Photo Walk and Documentation
Participants conducted a guided photography walk focusing on:
Old Fort (Ngome Kongwe) historic architecture within Stone Town, Zanzibar
In addition to the main event site, participants also documented or identified other Tanzanian heritage landmarks that could be photographed and documented on Wikimedia platforms, including:
- Arusha Declaration Museum – Arusha
- Mashujaa Monument Tower – Dodoma
- Uhuru Torch Monument – Arusha
- Nyerere Tower – Dar es Salaam
- Makumbusho Village Museum – Dar es Salaam
These locations represent important national heritage sites and public monuments that reflect Tanzania’s historical and cultural identity.
Upload and Contribution Session
After the photo walk, participants conducted hands-on uploading sessions where they:
- Uploaded images to Wikimedia Commons
- Added metadata and categories
- Improved related Wikipedia articles.
Results and Impact
The project produced several important outcomes:
- Increased documentation of Tanzanian heritage monuments online
- Improved public awareness about cultural heritage preservation
- Built Wikimedia editing and photography skills among participants
- Strengthened collaboration between Wikimedia volunteers and heritage communities
The most effective approach was combining practical photography activities with immediate Wikimedia training, allowing participants to apply their knowledge directly
2. Documentation of your impact. Please use space below to share links that help tell your story, impact, and evaluation. (required)
Share links to:
- Project page on Meta-Wiki or any other Wikimedia project
- Dashboards and tools that you used to track contributions
- Some photos or videos from your event. Remember to share access.
You can also share links to:
- Important social media posts
- Surveys and their results
- Infographics and sound files
- Examples of content edited on Wikimedia projects
1. Project Page on Meta-Wiki
2. Project page on Wiki Commons
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Wiki_Loves_Monuments_2026_in_Tanzania
3. Outreachdashboard used to track contribution
4. Social Media posts can be found in instagram
https://www.instagram.com/global_wikieducation
Additionally, share the materials and resources that you used in the implementation of your project. (required)
For example:
- Training materials and guides
- Presentations and slides
- Work processes and plans
- Any other materials your team has created or adapted and can be shared with others
3. To what extent do you agree with the following statements regarding the work carried out with this Rapid Fund? You can choose “not applicable” if your work does not relate to these goals. Required. Select one option per question. (required)
| A. Bring in participants from underrepresented groups | Strongly agree |
| B. Create a more inclusive and connected culture in our community | Strongly agree |
| C. Develop content about underrepresented topics/groups | Agree |
| D. Develop content from underrepresented perspectives | Neither agree nor disagree |
| E. Encourage the retention of editors | Agree |
| F. Encourage the retention of organizers | Strongly agree |
| G. Increased participants' feelings of belonging and connection to the movement | Strongly agree |
| F. Other (optional) |
Part 2: Learning
4. In your application, you outlined some learning questions. What did you learn from these learning questions when you implemented your project? How do you hope to use this learnings in the future? You can recall these learning questions below. (required)
You can recall these learning questions below: 1. How did hosting the 2026 campaign in Zanzibar, at The Old Fort (Ngome Kongwe), influence participation and inclusivity among local communities, youth, and women compared to previous editions on the mainland?
2. To what extent did the campaign increase participants’ and the public’s awareness and appreciation of Tanzania’s cultural heritage, particularly Zanzibar’s monuments?
3. Which aspects of the training (e.g., Commons uploads, copyright understanding, or article editing) most effectively enhanced participants’ digital literacy and confidence in contributing to Wikimedia projects?
4. How did partnerships with local cultural institutions, Wikimedia affiliates, and innovation hubs contribute to the success of the campaign? What lessons can be learned for future collaborations in heritage documentation?
5. How many participants continued contributing to Wikimedia Commons or Wikipedia after the campaign ended, and what motivated or limited their sustained engagement?
Hosting the 2026 campaign in Zanzibar at Old Fort (Ngome Kongwe) significantly improved participation and inclusivity compared to previous mainland editions by attracting local youth, first-time contributors, and members of the Wikimedia Community Zanzibar who had not been actively engaged before. The culturally rich environment of Stone Town created a strong connection between participants and heritage content, increasing awareness and appreciation of Tanzanian monuments not only at Ngome Kongwe but also at sites such as Arusha Declaration Museum, Mashujaa Monument Tower, Uhuru Torch Monument, Nyerere Tower, and Makumbusho Village Museum. The most effective training components were hands-on sessions on Wikimedia Commons uploads and copyright (CC BY-SA), which directly improved participants’ digital skills and confidence, while article editing was less impactful for beginners. Partnerships with Wikimedia communities, local photographers, and cultural stakeholders contributed to successful mobilization, knowledge sharing, and execution, although limited formal collaboration with some heritage institutions highlighted the need for earlier engagement.
We also learned that while a good number of participants contributed actively during the campaign, only a portion continued contributing afterward, mainly on Wikimedia Commons, driven by interest in photography and the skills gained. However, sustained engagement was limited by factors such as internet access, lack of continuous mentorship, and technical challenges for new users. Additional challenges included restricted photography policies at some sites, high fees for taking photos, and difficulties accessing remote heritage locations, which affected documentation coverage. Moving forward, we plan to strengthen follow-up engagement through continuous training, mentorship, and community activities, while also building stronger partnerships with cultural institutions to secure permissions and improve access, ensuring more sustainable contributions and broader heritage documentation across Tanzania.
5. Did anything unexpected or surprising happen when implementing your activities? This can include both positive and negative situations. What did you learn from those experiences? (required)
During the project implementation, several unexpected challenges were encountered.
One challenge was restricted photography policies at some heritage sites and museums, where photography was either not allowed or required additional permission and fees. This limited the ability to capture images at certain locations.
Another challenge involved accessing some remote heritage locations, where transportation and logistics were difficult for participants.
In addition, some participants were new to Wikimedia platforms and required additional guidance when uploading images and adding metadata.
Despite these challenges, the team adapted by providing extra mentorship and identifying alternative heritage sites that allowed photography.
These experiences highlighted the importance of:
- Early coordination with heritage site authorities
- Budgeting for photography permits where necessary
- Providing extended training for new contributors.
6. What is your plan to share your project learnings and results with other community members? If you have already done it, describe how. (required)
We plan to share the project learnings and results through multiple Wikimedia and community channels to ensure broad accessibility and impact. First, the full documentation, including outcomes, metrics, and reflections, will be published on the Meta-Wiki event page for the Wiki Loves Monuments 2026 campaign, allowing other contributors to review and learn from the experience. We have also shared highlights, photos, and key achievements through social media platforms such as Instagram and community WhatsApp/Telegram groups used by the Global WikiEducation Initiative and Wikimedia Community members. Additionally, the Outreach Dashboard has been used to transparently display contributions and participant activity, supporting open learning and accountability.
Beyond online sharing, we plan to engage directly with community members by presenting the project outcomes in local Wikimedia meetups and discussions, particularly with the Wikimedia Community Zanzibar and other Tanzanian contributors. These sessions will focus on sharing practical lessons, challenges faced (such as site access restrictions and technical barriers), and recommendations for future heritage documentation projects. Moving forward, we also aim to integrate these learnings into future training sessions and campaigns, ensuring continuous knowledge transfer, improved participation, and stronger collaboration across Wikimedia communities.
Part 3: Metrics
7. Wikimedia Metrics results. (required)
In your application, you set some Wikimedia targets in numbers (Wikimedia metrics). In this section, you will describe the achieved results and provide links to the tools used.
| Target | Results | Comments and tools used | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of participants | 20 | 33 | |
| Number of editors | 15 | 26 | |
| Number of organizers | 4 | 4 |
| Wikimedia project | Target | Result - Number of created pages | Result - Number of improved pages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia | 70 | 82 | 43 |
| Wikimedia Commons | 200 | 239 | 29 |
| Wikidata | |||
| Wiktionary | |||
| Wikisource | |||
| Wikimedia Incubator | |||
| Translatewiki | |||
| MediaWiki | |||
| Wikiquote | |||
| Wikivoyage | |||
| Wikibooks | |||
| Wikiversity | |||
| Wikinews | |||
| Wikispecies | |||
| Wikifunctions or Abstract Wikipedia |
8. Other Metrics results.
In your proposal, you could also set Other Metrics targets. Please describe the achieved results and provide links to the tools used if you set Other Metrics in your application.
| Other Metrics name | Metrics Description | Target | Result | Tools and comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
9. Did you have any difficulties collecting data to measure your results? (required)
No
9.1. Please state what difficulties you had. How do you hope to overcome these challenges in the future? Do you have any recommendations for the Foundation to support you in addressing these challenges? (required)
Part 4: Financial reporting
[edit]10. Please state the total amount spent in your local currency. (required)
4946360
11. Please state the total amount spent in US dollars. (required)
1899.35
12. Report the funds spent in the currency of your fund. (required)
Provide the link to the financial report https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1RuNq7a_6rAUIx_oFCq_qZ-GivP8Mh0Rzwr3oAqICTnU/edit?gid=928458698#gid=928458698
12.2. If you have not already done so in your financial spending report, please provide information on changes in the budget in relation to your original proposal. (optional)
13. Do you have any unspent funds from the Fund?
No
13.1. Please list the amount and currency you did not use and explain why.
N/A
13.2. What are you planning to do with the underspent funds?
N/A
13.3. Please provide details of hope to spend these funds.
N/A
14.1. Are you in compliance with the terms outlined in the fund agreement?
Yes
14.2. Are you in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations as outlined in the grant agreement?
Yes
14.3. Are you in compliance with provisions of the United States Internal Revenue Code (“Code”), and with relevant tax laws and regulations restricting the use of the Funds as outlined in the grant agreement? In summary, this is to confirm that the funds were used in alignment with the WMF mission and for charitable/nonprofit/educational purposes.
Yes
15. If you have additional recommendations or reflections that don’t fit into the above sections, please write them here. (optional)