Grants talk:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/General Support Fund/Tanzania University Students Wikimedians 2024/2025

Feedback

This looks like a solid proposal, aligned with the strategy of the group, clear timeline, and coherent budget. Anthere (talk) 21:48, 27 March 2024 (UTC)

Feedback from the Middle East and Africa Regional Funding Committee on your proposal

Dear Tanzania University Students Wikimedians:

Thank you very much for your proposal, describing your activities and projects in support of the Wikimedia projects and the Wikimedia movement. The Regional Funds Committee has initially reviewed the proposal, and wishes to offer some initial feedback and questions for your review.

The committee appreciates that this program focuses on youth, with clearly articulated goals and objectives and a desire for growth.

It would be supportive of the Committee’s understanding of your plans if you’d be so kind as to  elaborate on our following specific few questions:

• Community engagement and feedback. Could you clarify further about how you included your community of volunteers in the planning of your proposal? And how do you plan on incorporating the community in your work throughout the year?
• Partnerships. May you please share further on how the partnerships with other groups will be utilized to strengthen your activities and impact?
• Metrics. The committee would like to learn more about the current metrics of your implemented projects in 2023, in terms of number of participants, editors and organizers in your activities, as well as contributions on Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons?
• Wiki Travel Diary 2024. The committee is eager to know more on how you plan on implementing this project, in terms of: activities, targeted participants and number of organizers? Where will the event be located? Could you share the same about Bantu Trails in Tanzania?
• Budget-related questions. After reviewing the budget, the committee had a couple of questions with regards to your budget for your elaboration:
  • Training of Trainers and mentors. It appears that there is an incomplete budget item. See line item 4.6 Accommodation
  • Contest. It appears that there is a duplication for Merchandise and Gifts (2.4 and 2.8). May you share the difference between both?
• Cooperation with Universities and Schools. The committee recommends that you consider cooperating with universities and schools to implement your activities in their spaces.
• Multi-year grant considerations. The committee recommends that since you are applying for a multi-year grant, you may consider categorizing your programs under two main buckets depending on urgency: immediate and long-term initiatives. This may help push the long-term initiatives further to focus on programs addressing immediate needs.
• Target participants. According to the committee’s understanding of the annual and strategic plans, there is a target for non-student groups. Although the user group’s main target participants are students, may you share your rationale for this?
• Outcomes. Where can the committee or the community follow the outcomes and contributions of your user group’s activities’ participants? Do you use an Outreach Dashboard to track project outcomes?
• Partnerships. May you share more on the work with internal and external partners? How will you collaborate with them to achieve your activities’ outcomes?
• Collaborating with the local Wikimedia user group. How have you been collaborating with the local Wikimedia user group?

Regarding the schedule for our review process, please complete your review and responses to committee feedback by the 1st of May 2024. After this time, the Regional Committee will begin a final review of the proposal to make a formal decision.

Thanks again for your work on the proposal and for supporting our review.

On behalf of the Regional Committee, User: FElgueretly-WMF (talk) 10:56, 15 April 2024 (UTC)

Responses to the Middle East and Africa Regional Funding Committee Feedback.

Hello @FElgueretly-WMF,

Kindly find below our responses towards the feedback provided.

• Community engagement and feedback. Could you clarify further about how you included your community of volunteers in the planning of your proposal? And how do you plan on incorporating the community in your work throughout the year?

: Our community is driven by the active participation of our student volunteers. When developing our annual proposal, we made sure to gather input and feedback from our members through open online meetings, surveys, and clubs discussions. This allowed us to ensure our plan aligned with the interests and needs of the broader community.

Throughout the year, we will continue to involve our volunteers in meaningful ways. Each of our project teams has student leads who help coordinate the work and serve as the voice of the community. We also host regular meetings and events where all members can share ideas, provide updates, and collaborate on initiatives.

Additionally, we have communication channels like Telegram groups and WhatsApp where our volunteers can stay connected, ask questions, and provide real-time input. This helps us be responsive to the evolving needs and priorities of our community.

• Partnerships. May you please share further on how the partnerships with other groups will be utilized to strengthen your activities and impact?

: A key part of our strategy is to collaborate closely with other student groups, campus organizations, and educational institutions across Tanzania. These partnerships allow us to amplify our reach, share resources, and tackle projects in a more coordinated manner.

For example, we have established a strong relationship with the Tanzania Library Services Board, which has helped us gain access to valuable reference materials and archives. This has been instrumental in improving the quality and depth of the Wikipedia articles we create about Tanzanian history, culture, and natural resources.

We also work closely with the Tanzania Colleges and Universities to align our training programs and edit-a-thons with the digital literacy initiatives happening at the national level. This coordination ensures our Wikimedian activities are complementing, rather than duplicating, the efforts of other stakeholders.

Moreover, we have forged connections with other civil society organizations, NGOs and institutions. These partners have provided funding support, mentorship opportunities, and connections to international Wikimedia communities that have further strengthened our capacity.

By leveraging these diverse partnerships, we are able to tap into a wider pool of expertise, resources, and networks. This collaborative approach allows us to have a more meaningful and sustainable impact within our local communities and on the Tanzanian Wikipedia landscape as a whole.

• Metrics. The committee would like to learn more about the current metrics of your implemented projects in 2023, in terms of number of participants, editors and organizers in your activities, as well as contributions on Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons?

: Kindly find our 2023 statistics below:-

: Number of Participants: 345+

: Number of editors: 301

: Number of organizers: 47 (included internal and external facilitators)

: Wikipedia: 4,575+

: Wikidata: 10,188+

: Wikimedia Commons: 305+

: For more reference kindly view our outreach dashboard via this link: https://outreachdashboard.wmflabs.org/campaigns/university_students_wikimedians/overview

• Wiki Travel Diary 2024. The committee is eager to know more on how you plan on implementing this project, in terms of: activities, targeted participants and number of organizers? Where will the event be located? Could you share the same about Bantu Trails in Tanzania?

Wiki Travel Diary 2024:

1.   Activities:

• Training Workshops: Organize workshops to train university students on how to contribute effectively to Wiki Voyage by creating and editing travel guides. These workshops will cover topics such as writing style, sourcing information, and using Wikimedia tools.

• Edit-a-thons: Host edit-a-thons where students can come together to update and improve travel information on Wiki Voyage. Provide guidance and support to ensure that the edits are accurate and adhere to the platform's guidelines.

• Webinars and Guest Talks: Arrange webinars and guest talks by experienced Wikimedians and travel experts to inspire and educate students about the importance of open knowledge and the impact of their contributions to Wiki Voyage.

• Community Engagement Events: Organize meetups and networking sessions to foster collaboration among students, encourage knowledge sharing, and build a sense of community within the Tanzanian University Students Wikimedians community.

2.   Targeted Participants:

• University Students: Target undergraduate and graduate students from various disciplines (mostly the tourism disciplines) who are interested in travel, writing, and digital content creation. Encourage participation from students across different universities in Tanzania to ensure diversity and representation within the community.

• Faculty Advisors: Engage faculty members who can provide guidance and support to student participants, integrate Wikimedia projects into academic curricula, and promote the project within their departments.

• Wikimedia Enthusiasts: Reach out to existing Wikimedians and Wikimedia user groups in Tanzania to collaborate on the project and leverage their expertise and experience to enhance the impact of the activities. Also, we will establish contact with Wikimedia Communities focused and experienced in Wiki Voyage contributions.

3.   Number of Organizers:

• Core Organizing Team: Form a core team of dedicated organizers consisting of student leaders, faculty advisors, and experienced Wikimedians to oversee the planning and execution of the Wiki Travel Diary 2024 project. Assign specific roles and responsibilities to each member to ensure smooth coordination and implementation of activities. We envision having a total of 10 members in the C.O.T.

• Campus Ambassadors: Recruit enthusiastic students as campus ambassadors to promote the project within their universities, mobilize participants, and facilitate on-campus events and activities. We anticipate having 3 ambassadors in each institution that we will be working with on this project

• Volunteer Contributors: Encourage active participation from volunteers within the Tanzanian University Students Wikimedians community who can assist with event coordination, content creation, and outreach efforts. All members in our communities will have a chance to participate.

4.   Location:

• The Wiki Travel Diary 2024 project will be primarily located on university campuses across Tanzania, where the Tanzanian University Students Wikimedians community is based (i.e Arusha, Morogoro, Dodoma and Iringa). However, virtual platforms will also be utilized to facilitate online workshops, edit-a-thons, and webinars, allowing students from different locations to participate remotely and contribute to Wiki Voyage.

Bantu Trails in Tanzania:

1.   Activities:

• Documentary Filming: Organize documentary filming expeditions to different regions of Tanzania to document various aspects of Bantu culture, including traditions, rituals, folklore, music, dance, and craftsmanship.

• Storytelling Workshops: Conduct workshops with community members to collect oral histories, folktales, and legends, and train them in storytelling techniques to preserve and pass down cultural knowledge to future generations.

• Cultural Heritage Documentation: Collaborate with local historians, anthropologists, and cultural experts to research and document the historical and cultural significance of Bantu traditions, artefacts, and landmarks.

• Multimedia Production: Produce multimedia content such as videos, photographs, articles, and audio recordings to create a comprehensive digital archive of Bantu culture in Tanzania.

2.   Targeted Participants:

• Local Communities: Engage with members of Bantu communities across Tanzania, including elders, artisans, performers, and storytellers, to involve them in the documentation process and ensure their cultural heritage is accurately represented and preserved.

• Students and Researchers: Provide opportunities for university students and researchers to participate in fieldwork, archival research, and multimedia production, fostering collaboration between academia and local communities in documenting Bantu culture.

• Cultural Preservationists: Partner with cultural preservation organizations and heritage institutions to raise awareness about the importance of preserving Bantu traditions and support initiatives aimed at safeguarding intangible cultural heritage.

3.   Number of Organizers:

• Documentary Team: Form a multidisciplinary team of filmmakers, photographers, writers, and cultural researchers to lead the documentation efforts and oversee the production of multimedia content for Bantu Trails in Tanzania.

• Community Liaisons: Recruit community liaisons and cultural ambassadors from Bantu communities to facilitate access, build trust, and ensure respectful collaboration between documentary teams and local residents.

• Technical Support Staff: Employ technical specialists such as editors, sound engineers, and digital archivists to provide technical expertise and support throughout the production process and ensure the quality and accessibility of the documentary content.

4.   Location:

• Bantu Trails operates across various regions of Tanzania, including popular tourist destinations such as the Ngorongoro Crater and others. Activities are designed to showcase the diverse history, traditions and cultures of Tanzania while promoting sustainable tourism practices and supporting local communities.

• Budget-related questions. After reviewing the budget, the committee had a couple of questions with regards to your budget for your elaboration:
  • Training of Trainers and mentors. It appears that there is an incomplete budget item. See line item 4.6 Accommodation

: Rectified! Thank you for the heads-up

• Contest. It appears that there is a duplication for Merchandise and Gifts (2.4 and 2.8). May you share the difference between both?

: We have merged the two items and now it is in one

• Cooperation with Universities and Schools. The committee recommends that you consider cooperating with universities and schools to implement your activities in their spaces.

: We are already in collaboration with some Schools, Colleges and Universities in implementing some of our activities.

• Multi-year grant considerations. The committee recommends that since you are applying for a multi-year grant, you may consider categorizing your programs under two main buckets depending on urgency: immediate and long-term initiatives. This may help push the long-term initiatives further to focus on programs addressing immediate needs.

: Thank you for this, currently all of our activities are long-term initiatives

• Target participants. According to the committee’s understanding of the annual and strategic plans, there is a target for non-student groups. Although the user group’s main target participants are students, may you share your rationale for this?

: The stated non-student participants are community members who have graduated from school, college or university and are not on campus anymore. At first, we noticed these members we being left out when there was no plan to accommodate them in our campaigns unless they were from a region where there is a Wikimedia community. This strategy is tailored to make sure that we keep them in the movement even after completing their studies.

• Outcomes. Where can the committee or the community follow the outcomes and contributions of your user group’s activities’ participants? Do you use an Outreach Dashboard to track project outcomes?

: We have a dashboard where all the outcomes of our programs can be accessed and where most of our conducted programs can be found. Find the dashboard via: https://outreachdashboard.wmflabs.org/campaigns/university_students_wikimedians/overview

• Partnerships. May you share more on the work with internal and external partners? How will you collaborate with them to achieve your activities’ outcomes?

Internal Partnerships:

1.   Educational Institutions:

• We've established strong partnerships with educational institutions, which have played a significant role in providing financial, resources, and technical support to our community. For instance, these institutions have supported our Wiki Student Summit events, such as the upcoming Wiki Student Summit 2024 in Arusha, but also supported the Wiki Student Summit 2023 in Dodoma.

• They contribute resources such as venue space, equipment, and administrative support, enabling us to organize successful events and activities. Additionally, they provide access to a pool of talented students and faculty who can contribute their expertise and knowledge to our initiatives.

2.   Wikimedia User Groups:

• Collaboration with other Wikimedia user groups, both locally and globally, has been instrumental in amplifying our impact and expanding our reach. By partnering with these groups, we have exchanged best practices, shared resources, and coordinated efforts to achieve common goals.

• For example, we've collaborated with Wikimedia user groups in Arusha, Tabora, Kilimanjaro, and elsewhere in Tanzania to implement joint projects, organize events, and support each other's initiatives.

External Partnerships:

1.   NGOs and Civil Society Organizations:

• We've engaged with NGOs and civil society organizations that share our mission and values, particularly those working in areas related to education, culture, and technology. These partnerships allow us to leverage their networks, expertise, and resources to enhance the impact of our activities.

• For instance, we have collaborated with NGOs focusing on education or cultural preservation to co-organize workshops, outreach events, or collaborative projects that align with our community's objectives.

2.   Government Agencies:

• Partnering with government agencies at the local, regional, or national level has provided opportunities for advocacy, resource mobilization, and policy engagement. These partnerships have helped us raise awareness about the importance of open knowledge and secure support for our community's initiatives.

Collaborative Approach:

To collaborate effectively with our partners and achieve our activities' outcomes, we employ several strategies:

• Regular Communication: We maintain open lines of communication with partners through meetings, email updates, and collaborative platforms to ensure alignment of goals and activities.
• Clear Roles and Responsibilities: We define clear roles and responsibilities for each partner to avoid duplication of efforts and ensure efficient use of resources.
• Mutual Support: We provide support to our partners when needed and seek their assistance in areas where they can contribute expertise or resources.
• Flexibility and Adaptability: We always remain flexible and adaptable in our approach to collaboration, recognizing that partners may have different priorities, constraints, and working styles.
• Evaluation and Feedback: We perform regular evaluations on the effectiveness of our partnerships and solicit feedback from partners to identify areas for improvement and ensure mutual benefit.

• Collaborating with the local Wikimedia user group. How have you been collaborating with the local Wikimedia user group?

we've fostered strong collaboration with local Wikimedia user groups, enhancing our collective impact and advancing our shared goals. Here's how we've been working closely with these groups:

1.   Collaboration with Wikimedians of Arusha.

• We've joined forces with the Wikimedians of Arusha in implementing various projects. This collaboration involves the exchange of facilitators and volunteers, pooling resources, and sharing expertise to maximize the effectiveness of our initiatives.

2.   Engagement with Tabora Wikimedians.

• We've actively supported the Tabora Wikimedians, a newly established community, by providing financial and technical assistance for their events and activities. Through this support, we aim to nurture their growth and empower them to contribute meaningfully to the Wikimedia movement.

3.   Partnership with Jenga Wikipedia ya Kiswahili.

• We've forged a partnership with Jenga Wikipedia ya Kiswahili, a community comprised of Swahili Wikipedia administrators. Our collaboration involves close monitoring of contributions from community members and organizing joint meetups where they provide training and mentorship to our members.

4.   Involvement with Wikimedia Tanzania Community.

• We've collaborated with members of the Wikimedia Tanzania Community user group to implement several of our activities. By leveraging their expertise and networks, we've been able to enhance the reach and impact of our projects within the Tanzanian Wikimedia community.

5.   Support for Kilimanjaro User Group.

• We've extended our support to the Kilimanjaro user group, a burgeoning community, by collaborating on projects such as the Swahili Climate Voices initiative. Through this partnership, we aim to amplify our efforts in addressing important issues and promoting content creation in Swahili on Wikimedia platforms.

Through these collaborative efforts, we've fostered a spirit of unity and mutual support within the Tanzanian Wikimedia community, driving forward our mission of promoting open knowledge and empowering contributors across the region.

Thank you again for the constructive feedback provided towards our proposal, we hope the clarification given meets the committees needs towards making decisions!

Regards,

Magotech (Open Space Tanzania) (talk) 01:37, 1 May 2024 (UTC)