Grants:Wikimedia UG Nigeria Grants/Wikimedia User Group Nigeria Community Support Fund/Capturing the Cultural Heritage of Akwa Ibom through Wiki Loves Africa 2026

Project summary

Briefly summarize your project proposal.

The Capturing the Cultural Heritage of Akwa Ibom through Wiki Loves Africa 2026 project aims to engage and train participants from the Akwa Ibom State Network to contribute high-quality photographs and media that document the rich cultural heritage, traditions, lifestyle, and environment of Akwa Ibom State to Wikimedia Commons as part of the Wiki Loves Africa 2026 campaign.

The project will include an introductory training session on Wikimedia Commons, photography techniques, and open licensing, followed by a guided photo walk and a local media upload campaign to support participants in contributing their work. Through this initiative, we aim to increase the visibility of Akwa Ibom’s cultural identity on Wikimedia platforms while recruiting and retaining new contributors within the local Wikimedia community.

Wikimedia Project

Please state the Wikimedia project your project will focus majorly on (e.g. Tyap Wikipedia, English Wikiquote, etc). It is advisable to focus on one Wikimedia project, but a maximum of two projects is allowed.

Wikimedia commons

Contact person and Location

Please state the contact details of the contact person(s) for this project including email(s) and location. For more than one contact person, indicate same details for everyone

Full name: Joel Ephraim Orok
Email address: joelorok4@gmail.com
Address: Uyo, Akwa Ibom State
Location of Project: Uyo, Akwa Ibom State

Project class

Please state if you are applying as an individual or a network/club

Start date: 2nd March,2026.

End date: 31st April,2026.

Project Goal

Choose one or more of the following goals. Feel free to add or delete goals as required by your project.

recruit new editors
photo uploads

Project Plan

Activities

Tell us how you'll carry out your project. Be sure to answer the following questions:

1. Are you doing one editathon or training or a series of editathons or trainings?

Training and edithathon

2. How have you let relevant Wikimedia communities know about this proposal? You may also provide information about external social media channels you may be using.

The members are fully aware of the project

3. How will you let participants know about the edit-a-thon? In what ways will you be communicating with them?
For example, these can include on-wiki spaces, social media channels, mailing lists, messaging apps, or physical/online gatherings.

Through the community WhatsApp group

4. Do you have experienced Wikimedia editors to lead/assist the event? Please provide links to the usernames of these individuals. (NOTE: all experienced Wikimedia editors MUST endorse and sign your proposal as proof of availability)
For example: User:Kaizenify

User: Andikan Efiok Eduok

5. Do participants have the equipment or skills needed to participate and contribute high quality content? If not, how will you support them?

Most participants have access to smartphones with cameras, which are sufficient for contributing quality images to Wikimedia Commons. However, not all participants currently possess the technical skills required for producing high-quality photographs or understanding Wikimedia Commons upload processes and licensing requirements.

To address this gap, the project will provide hands-on training sessions covering basic photography techniques, image composition, lighting, file quality standards, and an introduction to Wikimedia Commons, including account creation, uploading procedures, and the use of free licenses. During the photo walk and contribution phase, participants will receive practical guidance and mentorship from experienced Wikimedia volunteers to ensure they produce and upload quality content successfully

6. How will you engage participants after the event(s)?

After the event, participants will be engaged through continuous community support and follow-up activities to encourage sustained contribution to Wikimedia Commons. A dedicated communication channel (WhatsApp)will be use to provide mentorship, share opportunities, answer questions, and support participants as they continue uploading media beyond the project period.

In addition, participants will be introduced to other Wikimedia activities within the Akwa Ibom State Network, creating pathways for them to join future campaigns and other wikimidia programs.

7. Is there anything else you want to tell us about this project?

This project represents an important opportunity to highlight the unique cultural identity and everyday life of Akwa Ibom State, which is currently underrepresented on Wikimedia Commons and other Wikimedia platforms. By focusing on local participation, the initiative will not only generate valuable visual content but also build the skills and confidence of new contributors within the community.

The project will leverage the growing momentum of the Akwa Ibom Wikimedia Network and the experience of the organizing team in implementing Wikimedia-related activities to ensure effective coordination and successful outcomes. We are committed to creating an inclusive and supportive learning environment that encourages participation from diverse groups, including youth and first-time contributors. Beyond the immediate outputs, this initiative aims to contribute to long-term community growth, strengthen local capacity for open knowledge contribution, and inspire continued participation in future Wikimedia campaigns and programs.

Impact

How will you know if the project is successful and you've met your goals? Please include the following targets (only those applicable to your project):

Number of events - 1
Number of participants - 25
Number of new editors - 5
Number of of articles created -
Number of of articles improved -
Number of of images uploaded -240
Number of repeat participants (for projects that include a series of events) -

Metrics tracking

How do you plan to track your project metrics? (do not create a metrics dashboard until your project has been approved for funding)

Through the Wikimedia Outreach Dashboard

Contest & prize-giving events

How would decide the winners of your contest (If you are going to have a contest, what is your scoring criteria)

The project will include a local photo contest as part of the Wiki Loves Africa 2026 campaign to motivate participants and encourage high-quality contributions. Winners will be selected based on clear, transparent scoring criteria that reflect both Wikimedia standards and cultural impact.

The jury will also consider the following criteria in selecting the event winners.
Relevance to Akwa Ibom culture and heritage (40%)
How well the image captures local traditions, festivals, attire, landmarks, or daily life.
Technical quality and creativity (35%) – Composition, lighting, framing, sharpness, and the ability of the image to tell a compelling story.
Adherence to Wikimedia Commons standards (25%) – Correct licensing, proper file format, accurate metadata, and appropriate categorization

1st place - 20k
2nd place - 15k
3rd place - 10k
4th place - 5k

Resources

What resources do you have? Include information on who is organizing the project, what they will do, and if you will receive support from anywhere else (in-kind donations or additional funding).

We do not have any Financial resources for this project

What resources do you need? For your funding request, list bullet points for each expense as a unit amount and include a total amount.

Hall rental —— 60k
Projector ——20k
Graphics design —— 15k
Photowalk —— (logistics) = 100k
Contest prize —— 50k
Facilitator's welfare __20k
Logistics support —— 30k
Contingencies —— 20k
Refreshment —— #3000(20)= 50k
Total __383k

Endorsements

Community members are encouraged to endorse your project request here!

I Andikan Efiok Eduok (talk) 18:37, 16 February 2026 (UTC) endorse the Wiki Loves Africa project in the WUGN - Akwa Ibom Network.

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