Grants talk:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/Rapid Fund/Wiki Loves AfroDemics (Nigeria) 2023 (ID: 22270023)

Endorsment from FuzzyMagma (talk)

1. Why the proposal is important for your community and why you think the strategies chosen will achieve the results that are expected?

Ibjaja055 mentioned in the proposal some African scientist that we wrote there articles together, who, among many, shaped science and science education in the African history. A good example of these hidden gems is Pius Nwankwo Okeke, the Father of Astronomy in Nigeria and the man responsible of inspiring an educating a generation of physicist. Another example is Mohamed El-Amin Ahmed El-Tom who tried to shape education in Sudan after the Sudanese revolution. A prolific math educator and truly a hidden figure in math education in Sudan.

Given these examples, I think this project will help enrich Wikipedia content about scientist who shaped the African science landscape to inspire a new generation of African scientist. As Marian Wright Edelman puts it "You can't be what you can't see"

2. Could you highlight any aspects that you think are particularly well developed: for instance, the strategies and activities proposed, the levels of community engagement, outreach to underrepresented groups, addressing knowledge gaps, partnerships, the overall budget and learning and evaluation section of the proposal, etc?

Ibjaja055 has a very good experience in running these activities and details the provided an excellent range of activities that designed to enable engagement from a very underrepresented community with aim to expand the work across other african Wikipedia projects, especially us from Wikipedia Sudan Project, and leverage future funding from this project activities

3. Could you highlight if the proposal focuses on any interesting research, learning or innovation, etc. Also if it builds on learning from past proposals developed by the individual or organization, or other Wikimedia communities?

The project is built on my previous collaboration with Ibjaja055 to write Wikipedia entries about the founders of the African Academy of Sciences and his extensive experience in organising Wikipedia-related campaigns that brings the African community back to Wikipedia.

4. Do you think the proposal is going to contribute in any way to important developments around specific Wikimedia projects or Movement Strategy?

English Wikipedia has a well documented racial, geographical and gender problem, and Nigeria is at the heart of this bias intersectionality. Thus by focusing on enriching Wikipedia content about African female scientist we are bond to address and remedy many of these biases

5. Do you think if the proposal is coherent in terms of the objectives, strategies, budget and expected results (metrics)?

Yes. The proposed milestones, work, and measurement metrics list in 17 are very on point and succinct, and will by answering these questions at the end of the project we will be able to evaluate where to improve and where we exceeded expectation. I truly cannot wait for this project to start so we can ease others to Wikipedia editing and just feel the joy of being part of this great movement.

--FuzzyMagma (talk) 08:56, 4 September 2023 (UTC)

Impact and sustainability

This initiative is not just about increasing representation but also about acknowledging the rich tapestry of knowledge and expertise that Africa offers to the global community. By highlighting the achievements and contributions of African scholars, we empower the continent's voices to be heard worldwide. This endeavor aligns perfectly with the principles of knowledge sharing and diversity that Wikimedia stands for. It's a crucial step towards a more inclusive and accurate representation of African perspectives in the digital realm.

Also, the project aimed at creating a long term impact on the African Wikipedian community with the use of collaboration, regional campaign and Wikipedian In Residence. The above approaches would ensure the sustainability of the project.

Lastly, I would also be participating in the program to offer my mental and physical support for its success. Tesleemah (talk) 14:35, 6 September 2023 (UTC)

Endorsement fromOjewuyib (talk) 14:13, 8 September 2023 (UTC)

The project's impact is measurable. The project has both short and long impact. For the short impact, it will bring together editors that will improve articles related to African Academics and scientists from Nigeria. According to pet scan, there are less than 100 academics who currently have articles on English Wikipedia out of the thousands of notable academics.

For the long impact, the project aim to be creating an annual regional campaign that would be focusing on these categories.

On impact, the project would use collaboration and WIR across Africa to retain Wikimedia editors.

Lastly, I have been informed of the project and my roles and I will be available to offer my support. Ojewuyib (talk) 14:13, 8 September 2023 (UTC)

The AfroDemics Project

With a little research, I discovered that project is part of | The AfroDemics Project.

A project that tends to focus on increasing the visibility of African Scientists and Academics. The future impacts of the projects are •Collaborations: It would involve different editors across different countries in Africa to work together in order to increase the visibility of African scholars

•Retaining editors: The project would retain editors through WIR that would continue to work on the project which is part of the aims of Wikimedia Foundation

•Increasing the sustainability of Wikimedia Movement: The project would be focusing on two categories that are mostly underrepresented on Wikimedia Foundation projects and annual training and edit-a-thon would increase its sustainability.

The present impacts of the projects are;

•Prepare the ground for the future one •Increase the visibility of Nigerian academics and scientists •Train and recruit new editors •And create a community that would be needed for the future projects Taoheedah (talk) 18:15, 10 September 2023 (UTC)

Endorsement

This proposal demonstrates significant potential to make a substantial impact and aligns well with Wikimedia Movement strategies, and exhibits a well-thought-out approach that addresses several key aspects effectively.

The proposal is of paramount importance to bridging the Knowledge Gap about Nigeria in academia and Africa at large. It aims to bridge crucial knowledge gaps by focusing on Africans in academia, a domain often underrepresented on Wikimedia platforms, largely due to a lack of deliberate efforts to promote their visibility and representation on open knowledge initiatives. The selected strategies, including edit-a-thons, workshops, and partnerships with academic institutions, are well-suited to achieve the desired outcomes. They prioritize active community engagement and outreach to underrepresented groups, ensuring that knowledge from this domain is made accessible to all.

After a thorough perusal of the proposal, I strongly believe the following are well-developed aspects:

a. Strategies and Activities: The proposal outlines a comprehensive set of activities, ranging from content creation to capacity building. This holistic approach will help create a sustainable impact.

b. Community Engagement: The proposal demonstrates a strong commitment to community involvement, fostering collaboration among editors, institutions, and potential newcomers.

c. Partnerships: The inclusion of partnerships with academic institutions is a commendable approach to leveraging existing resources and expanding the Wikimedia footprint.

d. Budget: The budget is well-structured and realistic, ensuring efficient utilization of funds.

e. Learning and Evaluation: The proposal incorporates robust mechanisms for monitoring progress and evaluating the project's impact, facilitating continuous improvement.

Focus on Research and Innovation: The proposal acknowledges the importance of research by highlighting the need to incorporate AfroDemics-related content. This innovative approach contributes to the broader Wikimedia goal of enhancing the quality and depth of content.

Contribution to Wikimedia Projects and Movement Strategies: "Wiki Loves AfroDemics (Nigeria) 2023" aligns with Wikimedia's strategic goals of increasing the diversity of content, especially in the Global South. It actively addresses underrepresented knowledge domains and fosters community growth in Nigeria. Furthermore, by expanding partnerships with academic institutions, this proposal supports the Movement's efforts to engage with educational organizations.

Coherence and Objectives: The proposal is coherent and aligns its objectives, strategies, budget, and expected results effectively. It clearly defines its mission, the steps to achieve it, and the resources required to succeed. This clarity is vital for ensuring project success.

This project is a well-structured and compelling proposal that has the potential to significantly address knowledge gaps, foster collaboration, and align with broader Wikimedia Movement strategies. I strongly recommend supporting this grant, and I would be more than glad to volunteer my experience and time to achieve the project's aims and objectives, as it reflects a genuine commitment to advancing the Wikimedia mission. Atibrarian (talk) 07:40, 11 September 2023 (UTC)

Funded

Hello @Ibjaja055 thank you for applying for the rapid fund grant. We reviewed and approved the grant in the amount of 1,600,000 NGN (2,060 USD) with the following comments:

It is good to see a clear articulation of the projects goals; to bridge the content gender gap, focusing on notable academics and scientists in Africa, especially in Nigeria. The objective is specific and addresses a significant knowledge inequity issue. We appreciate that the project explicitly addresses the underrepresentation of African academics and scientists, emphasizing both gender and regional diversity. By focusing on forgotten or overlooked figures, the project contributes significantly to knowledge equity.

Below are a few recommendations to consider for addressing weaknesses and improving the overall quality and feasibility of the project proposed.

• We recommend the team reviews the budget line items realted to internet costs.

• While the project duration is mentioned (one month), a detailed timeline outlining specific dates for each activity is missing. Having a clear timeline helps in planning and ensures that activities are conducted efficiently.

• While the proposal mentions metrics, it lacks specific details on how these metrics will be measured and evaluated. Providing information on the tools and methods that will be used to track participant contributions and project impact would enhance the evaluation process.

Best regards, (On behalf of the Middle East and Africa regional funds team) ~~~~ YPam (WMF) (talk) 03:21, 26 October 2023 (UTC)

@YPam (WMF) Thank you very much for your response. The budget has been aligned to meet the approved fund, the timeline of the activities has been uploaded and the tools that would be used to measure the contributions and the impacts of the project too has been added. Thank you very much once again. Ibjaja055 (talk) 12:35, 26 October 2023 (UTC)

w:en:Wikipedia:OABOT

I see you plan to make new users edit Wikipedia. Have you considered making them start with some assisted editing? For example OAbot is a tool to quickly edit references. It's educational on multiple fronts (templates, reliable sources, systemic bias, copyright) and can make the participants feel some sense of accomplishment quite quickly. Nemo 20:22, 20 November 2023 (UTC)