Grants talk:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/General Support Fund/ Indigenous Language revitalization through Wikimedia Movement - A pilot for Gondi and Kolami.

Proposal Feedback and Invite for Response

Thank you for submitting your application. After the review process please find the feedback - comments and questions below for your response;

• Would you more context on the languages selected to focus on.
• We see it important for you to start small and then scale up after you have a clear certaiblyt that your approach to achieving the objectives set actually works.
• What are the action and cognitive outcomes you have identified that will support you in identifying the change you hope to achieve.
• Is there any relationship with the Kolami Wikimedians UG and their work?

Expert reviewer;

• This looks pretty interesting but I think it would be good for the group to do a smaller pilot activity initially. It would be good to do some research to understand the needs of the language communities. It might not be a practical first step to focus on creating Wikipedia for these languages, rather building small communities with Wiktionary or Commons might be a better approach. Also, 5 FTEs for a first-time grantee working on a pilot project might be a lot.

• In short, let’s support them in doing some first interventions but definitely a lot scaled down. It would be great to pair them with some existing affiliates or partners in the region.

We highly recommend you get in touch with the regional program officer to support you in understanding the questions raised or if you find it useful to meet with the committee as well, please let them know and they can organize a conversation meeting.

Thank you and we look forward to receiving your responses to support us in the next steps. On behalf of the South Asia Regional Committee and Staff - VThamaini (WMF) (talk) 13:41, 31 October 2023 (UTC)

Hello VThamaini (WMF),

I've emailed to ask for clarification on the feedback given here because I'm not quite sure who is in charge and who isn't to help me. Would you kindly help me in comprehending the comments so that I may respond to it and make the necessary adjustments to the proposal to move it forward. Thank you Nskjnv (talk) 16:00, 15 November 2023 (UTC)

Hello VThamaini (WMF),

Here is our response to the questions and suggestions from the Grants committee:

1) Would you more context on the languages selected to focus on.

India is home to 1600+ mother tongues as per the Ministry of Education (Census 1961 & Nigam 1972: p. xv), Government of India. India has about 453 living languages and is fourth by most number of languages spoken in a country across the world. Although India has great linguistic diversity, sustaining this linguistic diversity is challenging work for the communities and researchers in the hour of modernization and universalization.

There are several initiatives by the Government of India and civil society organizations for preserving and revitalizing Indian languages, but the alarming rate of language extinction brings us to an understanding that more and more individuals and organizations need to pledge to work on the cause.

Gondi and Kolami are three indigenous languages from India. While Gondi is an institutional language as per Ethnologue, Kolami is at threatened phase of existence as per Endangered Languages Programme. Working on the revitalization and preservation of these languages are crucial and currently, We are building Open knowledge projects such as Wikipedia and Wiktionary in Gondi and Kolami languages on the Wikimedia incubator. (https://incubator.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wp/wsg, https://incubator.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wp/nit ,https://incubator.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wt/wsg ).

Numerous institutional players and civil society organizations are actively engaged in language documentation efforts for the Gondi and Kolami languages. The local government and literary bodies of these respective communities have undertaken commendable initiatives, including the compilation of dictionaries, and publishing books in their languages which have proven invaluable resources for scholars and language enthusiasts.

What sets our work apart is our commitment to not only documenting these languages but also ensuring their sustained vitality and accessibility to a broader audience through digital platforms and open knowledge repositories. We are leveraging digital platforms and open knowledge dissemination to make language materials more widely available. Our approach goes beyond preservation; it aims to breathe new life into these languages by making them accessible to a global audience, thereby fostering a deeper appreciation and understanding of the linguistic and cultural richness of these communities.

2)We see it important for you to start small and then scale up after you have a clear certaiblyt that your approach to achieving the objectives set actually works.

We have made some adjustments to the proposal as per the suggestions from the committee,

Briefing the context on why we considered working on a project of this scale, we are working on the Gondi and Kolami language Wikimedia projects from past 1 year and even before starting with Kolami Wikipedia Awareness(supported by WMF) we have had community consultations meetings, even we hosted some training workshops to help the community members understand the importance of building open knowledge projects like Wikipedia and Wiktionary in Gondi and Kolami Languages.

Most of this events and consultations are taken with the support from local government authorities from ITDA, Utnoor and Honourable member of the Telangana Legislative Assembly from Asifabad constituency has supported our Gondi Wiktionary training workshop in his personal capacity to promote the Wikimedia projects in Gondi and Kolami languages.

Given our previous understanding of the Gondi and Kolami language speaking communities, we would like to take this work forward building open knowledge in these languages.

3)What are the action and cognitive outcomes you have identified that will support you in identifying the change you hope to achieve.

Action Outcomes:

a. Increased Community Engagement:

• Conduct awareness drives, workshops, and seminars to involve the community actively,
• Organize edit-a-thons and content-building projects to encourage participation.

b. Content Building:

• Develop content related to the cultural significance of tribes in Adilabad, focusing on Gondi and Kolami languages.
• Collaborate with local literary and community bodies for authentic content.

c. Collaboration:

• Collaborate with local organizations, educational institutions, and government agencies for sustained support.
• Strengthen partnerships with Utnoor Sahiti Vedika, Raj Gond Sewa Samithi, and Integrated Tribal Development Agency.

d. Oral History Collection:

• Conduct oral history interviews to gather authentic information about the traditions, rituals, and stories of Northern Telangana tribes.

e. GLAM Project:

• Implement GLAM projects to document the cultural heritage of tribes in Northern Telangana.
• Collaborate with Kumuram Bheem Tribal Museum for heritage documentation.

f. Access to Digital Mediums:

• Conduct crowdfunding drives through Boli Cheto to improve access to digital mediums.
• Manage internet components through grant funds to overcome economic barriers.

g. Identifying Proficient Speakers and Writers:

• Work with collaborators to identify proficient speakers and writers for Wikimedia projects.
• Facilitate training and support for contributors from the Gondi and Kolami communities.

h. Building Sustainable Community Leadership:

• Develop enduring and friendly leadership models to ensure long-lasting community involvement.
• Foster stable and sustainable communities through leadership development.

Cognitive Outcomes:

a. Increased Awareness:

• Raise awareness about the importance of preserving indigenous languages and culture.
• Educate communities about the Wikimedia movement and its role in language revitalization.

b. Knowledge Dissemination:

• Disseminate knowledge about Gondi and Kolami languages on Wikimedia platforms.
• Empower communities with access to a broader range of information in their native languages.

c. Cultural Preservation:

• Contribute to the preservation of tribal cultures through the documentation of oral histories.
• Document cultural heritage in digital formats for wider accessibility.

d. Digital Literacy:

• Improve digital literacy within Gondi and Kolami-speaking communities.
• Enable community members to contribute actively to Wikimedia projects.

e. Community Empowerment:

• Empower tribal communities by creating livelihood opportunities through digital mediums.
• Support sustainable development goals by leveraging technology for community advancement.

f. Inclusive Representation:

• Ensure inclusive representation of marginalized communities in Wikimedia projects.
• Promote gender diversity and marginalized voices in content creation.

By achieving these action and cognitive outcomes, the project aims to bring about tangible and sustainable changes in the preservation and revitalization of Gondi and Kolami languages, fostering a sense of cultural pride and identity within the communities involved.

4)Is there any relationship with the Kolami Wikimedians UG and their work?

Initially, we were working independently, for the Gondi and Kolami languages. In later phases, we have understood that registered bodies can enhance our work in terms of community mobilization, managing activities, generating resources, and liaisoning with local government and similar interest groups.

Kolami Wikimedians UG (currently renamed to Ko-Go Wikimedians UG) is a group founded to work on advancing development in Kolami and Gondi languages. Boli Cheto is a larger umbrella that is a recognized body, registered as a non-profit organization in India. We will be working in close coordination with Ko-Go Wikimedians UG to implement the project activities.

As per the suggestions from the expert reviewer, we have made some changes to the proposal and we are happy to pair with any existing affiliate in the Indian sub-continent to take up this work.

Thank you

Best, Nskjnv (talk) 07:44, 18 November 2023 (UTC)

General Support Fund Approved at USD 11,917.40

Dear Boli Cheto The Language and Livelihood Foundation,

Thank you for submitting your application seeking General Support Funds - Wikimedia Community Fund. The South Asia Regional Committee and Staff have reviewed, discussed and deliberated upon your application and made the decision to fund you at 11,917.40 USD inclusive of fiscal partner fees for the grant period 1st January 2024 to 31st December 2024.

Here are a few points to note:

• Kindly review the scope of your project to align with the funded amount.
• We see the opportunity to benefit from working with experienced Wikimedians who have worked on language projects in the past.
• We see it important to include a linguistic expert in your project.

We hope to continue having regular conversations over the course of your grant implementation. Do set up a regular schedule to connect with your South Asia  Programme Officer based on your needs. The reporting requirements for the grant will shared in your grant agreement and on Fluxx. All reports are to be completed and submitted via Fluxx.

Once again, Congratulations! We thank you for your participation in the grant application process and hope to continue to journey with you as you embark on a new year of project implementation. VThamaini (WMF) (talk) 12:01, 15 December 2023 (UTC)