Grants:Project/MSIG/The WikiCite South Sudan project
Applications are not required to be in English. Please complete the application in your preferred language.
1. What specific Movement Strategy Initiative does your project focus on and why? Please select one of the initiatives described here.
The WikiCite South Sudan project primarily focuses on "Improve User Experience" and "Innovate in Free Knowledge" initiatives of the Movement Strategy. By collaborating with journalists and training them to incorporate reliable citations in their reporting, the project aims to improve the user experience on Wikipedia by enhancing the quality and credibility of articles related to South Sudan. Additionally, by promoting the use of reliable sources and local knowledge, the project aligns with the initiative to innovate in free knowledge and expand access to accurate information.
2. When do you intend to begin this project and when will it be completed?
The project is scheduled to begin on [start date] and will be completed within a period of [duration in months]. The timeline allows for adequate planning, implementation, and evaluation of project activities, ensuring the successful achievement of objectives within the given timeframe.
3. Where will your project activities be happening?
The project activities will primarily take place in Juba, South Sudan, with a specific focus on engaging journalists from mainstream media houses and collaborating with the Wikimedia community in South Sudan. The project will conduct training workshops, knowledge-sharing sessions, and collaborative activities both in the capital city, Juba, and other relevant regions in South Sudan.
4. Are you collaborating with other communities or affiliates on this project? Please provide details of how partners intend to work together to achieve the project goal.
Yes, the project aims to collaborate with the mainstream media houses and journalists in South Sudan. The collaboration will involve joint planning, resource sharing, and knowledge exchange between the Wikimedia community and the media partners. This collaboration will ensure the successful implementation of training programs, incorporation of reliable citations in news reporting, and the ongoing integration of journalists into the Wikimedia community. The project team will work closely with media partners to coordinate activities, provide training support, and establish mechanisms for long-term collaboration.
5. What specific challenge will your project be aiming to solve? And what opportunities do you plan to take advantage of to solve the problem?
The project aims to address the challenge of inadequate and unreliable citations in South Sudan-related Wikipedia articles. This challenge hampers the acceptance of articles and limits the provision of local knowledge and access to open knowledge in South Sudan. By collaborating with journalists, who have access to reliable sources and expertise in citation practices, the project will leverage their skills and networks to improve the quality and credibility of citations in Wikipedia articles. This collaboration provides an opportunity to bridge the gap between journalism and Wikimedia, ensuring the integration of accurate information and enhancing the visibility of local content.
6. Does this project aim to apply one of the examples shared in the call for grants, and if so, which one?
Yes, the project aligns with the call for grants by focusing on the example of "Capacity development for reliable sources" in the context of South Sudan. By training journalists on citation practices and encouraging the use of reliable sources, the project directly addresses the need for capacity development in sourcing and referencing. This initiative will contribute to the overall improvement of the quality of content on Wikipedia and enhance the capacity of the local Wikimedia community.
7. What specific activities will be carried out during this project? Please describe the specific activities that will be carried out during this project.
The WikiCite South Sudan project will encompass the following key activities:
- Collaboration with mainstream media houses and journalists to establish partnerships and promote the integration of reliable citations in news reporting. - Development and implementation of training workshops for journalists on citation practices, fact-checking, and using reliable sources. - Creation of a guidebook/manual on citation practices and reliable sources, tailored to the South Sudanese context. - Organization of knowledge-sharing sessions between journalists and the Wikimedia community to foster collaboration and understanding. - Ongoing mentorship and support for journalists in the Wikimedia community, ensuring their active participation and contribution to the movement. - Evaluation and monitoring of project activities, including impact assessment and feedback collection from journalists and the South Sudanese Wikimedia community.
8. How do you intend to keep communities updated on the progress and outcomes of the project? Please add the names or usernames of these individuals responsible for updating the community.
Regular updates and communication will be maintained with the Wikimedia community in South Sudan through various channels, including:
- Monthly progress reports shared on the Wikimedia South Sudan user group page, providing updates on project activities, achievements, and challenges. - Timely announcements and discussions on relevant Wikimedia mailing lists and forums, engaging the broader community and seeking feedback and suggestions. - Social media platforms, such as Twitter and Facebook, to share updates, success stories, and engage the community in discussions. - In-person meetings and presentations at Wikimedia events, conferences, or local gatherings to share project progress, outcomes, and lessons learned.
[Insert responsible individuals' names/usernames], who will be part of the project team, will take responsibility for updating the community and ensuring transparency throughout the project duration.
Responsibilities[edit]
9. Who will be responsible for delivering this project, and what are their roles and responsibilities?
The project team will consist of the following members, each with their respective roles and responsibilities:
- [Project Manager]: Overall project management, coordination, and oversight of activities, ensuring timely implementation and achievement of project goals. - [Journalist Trainer]: Responsible for designing and delivering training workshops for journalists, providing guidance on citation practices, reliable sources, and fact-checking. - [Community Engagement Coordinator]: Facilitates collaboration between journalists, mainstream media houses, and the Wikimedia community, organizes knowledge-sharing sessions, and provides ongoing support to journalists in the Wikimedia movement. - [Monitoring and Evaluation Officer]: Responsible for monitoring project progress, collecting data, conducting impact assessments, and ensuring project outcomes are achieved. - [Communications Officer]: Manages project communications, including updates, documentation, and community engagement activities.
Activities[edit]
10. If your activities include community discussions, what is your plan for ensuring that the conversations are productive? Provide a link to a Friendly Space Policy or UCoC that will be implemented to support these discussions.
Community discussions will be an integral part of the WikiCite South Sudan project, fostering collaboration and knowledge-sharing. To ensure productive and respectful conversations, the project will adhere to the Wikimedia Foundation's Universal Code of Conduct (UCoC). The UCoC sets clear guidelines for respectful and inclusive behavior within the Wikimedia community, providing a safe and welcoming space for discussions and collaborations. The project team will actively promote and enforce the UCoC during community discussions and engagement activities.
11. If your activities include in-person events or activities, you will need to complete the steps outlined in the Risk Assessment protocol. Please provide a link to your completed copy of the risk assessment tool.
[Provide a link to the completed Risk Assessment tool.]
12. If your activities include the use of paid online tools, please describe what tools these are and how you intend to use them.
The WikiCite South Sudan project does not involve the use of paid online tools. All project activities, including training workshops, knowledge-sharing sessions, and community discussions, will primarily utilize free and open-source tools and platforms available within the Wikimedia ecosystem. This ensures accessibility and sustainability of the project's activities.
13. Do your activities include the translation of materials, and if so, in what languages will the translation be done? Please include details of those responsible for making the translations.
Yes, the project includes translation activities to facilitate the dissemination of project materials and ensure inclusivity. Translations will primarily be done from English to
[local languages], including [list relevant local languages]. The responsible individuals for translation will be [names/usernames], who are fluent in both English and the target local languages. They will ensure accurate and culturally appropriate translations of project materials.
14. Are there any other details you would like to share? Consider providing rationale, research, or community discussion outputs, and any other similar information that will give more context to your proposed project. [Include any additional details, rationale, research, or community discussion outputs that provide further context and support for the proposed WikiCite South Sudan project.]
By implementing the WikiCite South Sudan project, we aim to address the critical citation challenge faced by the South Sudanese Wikimedia community, empower journalists as reliable sources of information, and improve the quality and accessibility of local knowledge on Wikipedia. The project aligns with the Wikimedia Foundation's goals of promoting free knowledge, ensuring sustainability, and fostering collaboration. We believe this initiative will not only benefit the South Sudanese community but also contribute to the broader Wikimedia movement by setting a precedent for collaboration between journalists and the Wikimedia community in other regions facing similar challenges.
Project Goal[edit]
What will be the outputs of your project and how will those outputs contribute to advancing a specific Movement Strategy Initiative
The outputs of the WikiCite South Sudan project will contribute to advancing the Movement Strategy Initiative of "Improve User Experience" and "Ensure Equity in Decision-making" by:
1. Increased number of reliable citations: The project will result in a significant increase in the number of reliable citations added to South Sudan-related Wikipedia articles. This will enhance the user experience by providing verifiable sources and boosting the credibility of the content.
2. Improved article quality: By training journalists and collaborating with mainstream media houses, the project will help improve the quality of South Sudan-related articles on Wikimedia projects. This will enhance the user experience by providing well-referenced, accurate, and up-to-date information.
3. Strengthened partnerships: The project will foster partnerships and collaboration between the Wikimedia community and journalists/media houses in South Sudan. This collaboration will ensure equitable decision-making by involving diverse stakeholders in the creation and verification of content, promoting a more inclusive and comprehensive representation of local knowledge.
4. Enhanced knowledge sharing: The project will facilitate knowledge-sharing sessions between journalists and the Wikimedia community, creating opportunities for cross-learning and the exchange of best practices. This will contribute to skill development, leadership, and innovation in the Wikimedia movement, furthering the strategic aspiration of investing in skills and leadership development.
5. Increased local knowledge access: By incorporating reliable citations and improving the quality of South Sudan-related articles, the project will enable greater access to local knowledge for the 11 million population in South Sudan. This aligns with the Wikimedia Foundation's goal of providing access to open knowledge and empowering communities with their own information.
Overall, the outputs of the WikiCite South Sudan project will directly contribute to advancing the Movement Strategy Initiatives of improving user experience, ensuring equity in decision-making, investing in skills and leadership development, and promoting access to open knowledge.
Outcomes[edit]
After your activities are complete, we would like to understand the draft implementation plan for your community. You will be required to prepare a document detailing this plan around a movement strategy initiative. This report can be prepared through Meta-wiki using the Share your results button on this page. The report can be prepared in your language, and is not required to be written in English.
In this report, you will be asked to:
- Provide a link to the draft implementation plan document or Wikimedia page
- Describe what activities supported the development of the plan
- Describe how and where you have communicated your plan to relevant communities.
- Report on how your funding was spent
Your draft implementation plan document should address the following questions clearly:
- What movement strategy initiative or goal are you addressing?
- What activities will you be doing to address that initiative?
- What do you expect will happen as a result of your activities? How do those outcomes address the movement strategy initiative?
- How will you measure or evaluate your activities? What tools or methods will you use to evaluate your activities?
To create a draft implementation plan, we recommend the use of a logic model, which will help you and your team think about goals, activities, outcomes, and other factors in an organized way. Please refer the following resources to develop a logic model:
- Overview of logic models on Meta-wiki
- Example logic models for reference for other movement activities (such as partnerships and edit-a-thons)
- Blank logic model template on Google Drive
Please confirm below that you will be able to prepare a draft implementation plan document by the end of your grant:
- ...
Optionally, you are welcome to include other information you'd like to share around participation and representation in your activities. Please include any additional outcomes you would like to report on below:
Budget[edit]
How you will use the funds you are requesting? List bullet points for each expense. Don’t forget to include a total amount, and update this amount in the Probox at the top of your page too!
- Research (time needed to review, perform analysis, or investigate any information needed to support implementation ideas or planning): 3000USD
- Facilitation (facilitation time including facilitator preparation, meeting facilitation time, and debriefing):
- Documentation (document preparation time, time spent documenting of discussion, post-meeting work): 2000USD
- Translation (translation costs for briefs and global materials): 2000USD
- Coordination (coordinator work to manage or support multiple workflows to prepare for meeting): 1000USD
- Online tools or services (subscription services for online meeting platforms, social media promotion): 500USD
- Data (internet or mobile costs for organizers or participants to access or participate in activities): 1000USD
- Venue or space for meeting (costs of renting a physical meeting space): 1500USD
- Transportation costs (costs of supporting organizers or participants to attend the meeting): 2500 USD
- Meals (costs related to refreshments, lunches, or other meals during in-person activities): 2000USD
- Other:
TOTAL AMOUNT REQUESTED USD:
Completing your application[edit]
Once you have completed the application, please do the following:
- Change the application status from
status=drafttostatus=proposedin the {{Probox}} template. - Contact strategy2030
wikimedia.org to confirm your submission, as well as to request any support around your application.
Endorsements[edit]
An endorsement from community members (especially from outside your community) will be part of the considerations when reviewing your application. Community members are encouraged to endorse your project request here!