This is the central documentation page for the mentorship relationship between the Fulfulde Wikimedia community and the Wikimedia Language Diversity Hub (LDH).

Overview

Mentored Language: Fulfulde (ff)
Mentorship Start Date: March 2025
LDH Mentor(s): Oscar Costero, Oscar .
Primary Community Contacts: Abdulkadir Abdulkadir User: Fulani215
Community Page: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fulfulde_Wikimedia_Community_User_Group
Related Projects:
- Wikipedia: ff.wikipedia.org (Established, independent site)

Midterm Mentorship Check-in: Fulfulde Community

Date: 29 June 2026

Mentor: Abdulkadir Abdulkadir

Mentee: Abdulkadir Abdulkadir

Facilitator: Tochi Precious

Participants

Jon Harald Søby
Oscar Costero
Sadik Shahadu
Tochi Precious

Check-in Summary

The meeting focused on reviewing the progress of the Fulfulde community during the mentorship programme, assessing editor engagement and retention, reviewing content growth and community development, and co-creating a six-month action plan for strengthening the Fulfulde Wikimedia community.

Biggest Wins

The Fulfulde community has recorded significant growth in content, increasing from approximately 15,000 articles to over 18,000 articles.

The community has also experienced stronger editor engagement, with approximately 15 active editors currently contributing to Fulfulde Wikimedia projects.

Another important achievement has been the reduction of dialectal disputes. Since Fulfulde is spoken across several countries in West Africa and has many dialectal variations, the community has made progress in managing linguistic differences and promoting greater collaboration among contributors.

The mentorship programme has also contributed to stronger community organisation. Monthly meetups have helped improve the structure and coordination of the community.

Additional achievements include:

Increased community visibility and partnerships.
Improved editor engagement.
The strengthening of community activities through regular meetups.
Securing a US$500 grant through the Language Diversity Hub.
The development of potential partnerships with language, cultural and academic institutions.

Biggest Challenges

The main challenge remains sustaining editor retention. Although the community currently has approximately 15 active editors, retaining new contributors continues to be a major priority.

Other challenges include:

Sustaining volunteer capacity.
Digital access barriers, including limited access to devices and internet connectivity.
A relatively small number of consistently active editors.
Improving content quality and sourcing.
Managing the linguistic diversity and dialectal variations of Fulfulde.
Irregular community communication and meetings.

What Surprised You Most?

The mentorship programme highlighted the value of peer learning and cross-community collaboration.

The community particularly appreciated the opportunity to learn from other language communities and identified technical support as an important area for future development.

The mentorship also opened opportunities for potential collaboration with linguistic institutions in Nigeria, including the Nigeria Institute for Languages and Folklore at Bayero University Kano.

Recommendations for the Language Diversity Hub

The community suggested the following forms of support:

Organise more regular mentorship check-ins.
Provide advanced technical training and capacity building.
Support the community with Wikidata-related skills, including the use of infoboxes and structured data.
Provide grant mentorship and guidance on fundraising opportunities.
Facilitate partnerships with educational, linguistic and cultural institutions.
Create more opportunities for cross-community collaboration and peer learning.
Provide communication and visibility support to showcase the impact of the Fulfulde community.

Community Health

Overall community morale was described as motivated, optimistic and eager to expand.

The community continues to grow in content and editor engagement. However, editor retention, volunteer capacity and digital access remain important areas requiring continued attention.

Progress Review

Area	Current Status	Assessment
Active editors	The community currently has approximately 15 active editors. Continued growth and retention of contributors remain priorities.	🟡 In Progress
Content growth	The Fulfulde Wikipedia has grown from approximately 15,000 articles to over 18,000 articles, representing significant progress.	🟢 Significant progress
Technical milestones	No major technical milestone was recorded during the mentorship period. However, the community has identified Wikidata, including infobox development, as an important area for future technical support.	🟡 Needs strengthening
Community structure	The mentorship programme helped strengthen the community structure through the development of monthly meetups and improved coordination.	🟢 Positive
Retention	Approximately 40% of new editors are currently retained. Improving editor retention remains one of the community's top priorities.	🟡 Needs strengthening
Partnerships	The community is exploring partnerships with language, cultural and academic institutions, including the Nigeria Institute for Languages and Folklore at Bayero University Kano.	🟡 In Progress
Funding	The community successfully secured a US$500 grant through the Language Diversity Hub.	🟢 Positive
Communication	Community meetings and communication are not yet held regularly. Improving regular communication and engagement is an important priority.	🟡 Needs strengthening

Six-Month Co-Created Action Plan

Priority 1

Strengthen and retain the Fulfulde community across West Africa by improving editor engagement, supporting new contributors and creating stronger community connections.

Priority 2

Expand high-quality Fulfulde content to address local content gaps, with a focus on well-sourced and locally relevant articles rather than content growth alone.

Priority 3

Build technical capacity through advanced training in Wikimedia tools, including Wikidata, infoboxes and other technical areas that can improve the quality and structure of Fulfulde content.

Support Requested from the Language Diversity Hub

The community requested:

Advanced technical training and capacity building.
Continued mentorship and peer-learning opportunities.
Support in facilitating partnerships with educational, linguistic and cultural institutions.
Communication and visibility support to showcase community achievements and impact.
Technical support in Wikidata and related Wikimedia tools.
Grant mentorship and support in identifying and applying for future funding opportunities.
More regular mentorship check-ins.

Success Indicators (Next Six Months)

The community considers the next phase successful if the following outcomes are achieved:

The Fulfulde community becomes more active and better connected across West Africa.
Editor retention improves beyond the current estimated 40%.
The community maintains and grows a strong base of active editors.
More high-quality, well-sourced and locally relevant Fulfulde content is created.
Technical capacity in Wikidata and other Wikimedia tools is strengthened.
Regular community meetups and communication are sustained.
Strong partnerships are established with educational, linguistic and cultural institutions.
The community secures additional funding and develops more sustainable growth strategies.
The Fulfulde Wikipedia develops into a thriving Wikimedia project supported by an active and sustainable editor community.

Action Plan

Period	Planned Activities	Target/Outcome
July–August 2026	Reactivate and engage existing editors, strengthen community communication and continue monthly meetups.	Improved editor engagement and stronger community coordination.
August–September 2026	Organise advanced technical training on Wikidata, infoboxes and other Wikimedia tools.	Improved technical capacity among contributors.
September–October 2026	Develop and strengthen partnerships with linguistic, educational and cultural institutions, including potential institutional partners in Nigeria.	New institutional partnerships and expanded community visibility.
October–November 2026	Conduct content improvement activities focused on high-quality, well-sourced local content and identified content gaps.	More high-quality Fulfulde content and improved sourcing.
November–December 2026	Review editor retention, assess community growth and develop grant applications and fundraising strategies.	Improved retention and stronger financial sustainability.
December 2026	Conduct a six-month community review and evaluate progress against the action plan.	Assessment of achievements and development of the next community action plan.

Community Assessment Summary

(Based on initial diagnostic call)

Current Status & Strengths

Stage: Established Wikipedia — Independent site, not Incubator-based. Originally initiated in Burkina Faso, currently sustained primarily by a Nigerian editor base.
Active Contributors: ~15 active editors, mainly based in Nigeria.
Governance: Monthly coordination meetings (virtual preferred); 105 members in WhatsApp groups for communication and mentoring.
Resilience: Despite challenging conditions, the community has maintained an independent Wikipedia and demonstrated long-term commitment to language preservation.
Recruitment Capacity: Existing pipelines through monthly campaigns, community associations, and social media outreach. The primary issue is retention, not recruitment.

Geographic & Sociolinguistic Context

Geography: Fulfulde is spoken across multiple West and Central African countries (Nigeria, Gambia, Burkina Faso, and beyond) with strong dialectal variation.
Demographics: Many speakers are nomadic or semi-nomadic, living outside major urban centers with limited access to electricity, stable internet, or personal computing devices.
Dialect Landscape: Significant regional differences in vocabulary and orthography create ongoing content disputes requiring admin mediation.

Primary Goals

Sustain and grow the Fulfulde Wikipedia with a stable core of contributors.
Reduce editor dropout through motivation, data support, and skill development.
Manage dialect diversity constructively without fragmenting the community.
Strengthen vandalism response and onboarding workflows — delivered in Fulfulde, not English.
Expand institutional partnerships to support long-term capacity building.

Identified Challenges & Support Needs

Challenge	Severity	Description
Contributor Retention & Community Fragility	Critical	With only ~15 active editors, the loss of even one or two contributors has disproportionate impact. Retention requires continuous motivation, data support, and reinforcement.
Dialect Variation & Content Disputes	High	Regional dialect differences cause regular disagreements over vocabulary and orthography. No authoritative written resources exist; admins must mediate.
Lack of Reference Materials	High	Scarcity of dictionaries, academic references, or standardized written resources. Editors rely on elder speakers and informal experts, slowing content creation and dispute resolution.
Vandalism Management	High	Vandalism creates additional burden, especially when onboarding new editors. Community needs step-by-step guidance in Fulfulde, not English.
Technology Access & Connectivity	Medium	Editors face challenges with electricity, mobile data costs, and inconsistent connectivity. Equipment support must be carefully matched to nomadic/semi-nomadic living conditions.
Partnership Limitations	Medium	Recent partnership with Institute for Language Development is promising, but broader academic/institutional partnerships remain limited, especially across northern Nigeria.
Recruitment Capacity	Low	Recruitment pipelines exist; retention is the core problem, not attracting interest.

Mentorship Action Plan

Phase 1: Stabilization & Retention (Months 1-3)

Objective: Support existing contributors through data access, mentorship, and clearer workflows to reduce dropout.

Action Item	Lead	Status	Deadline
1. Co-create Fulfulde-Language Onboarding & Anti-Vandalism Guide	Community Lead + LDH Mentor	Pending	4 weeks
Step-by-step, visual where possible. Delivered in Fulfulde, not English.
2. Map Dialect Areas & Agree on Dispute-Resolution Principles	Community Leadership	Pending	3-4 weeks
Document current editor dialect representation and establish basic content norms.
3. Formalize Bi-Weekly Saturday Mentorship Meetings	Mentor + Community Lead	Pending	Immediate
Regular capacity-building sessions with clear agenda and learning objectives.
4. Assess Connectivity Support Feasibility	LDH Coordinator + Community	Pending	3 weeks
Explore small, consistent data stipends to reduce dropout among active editors.

Success Indicators (End of Phase 1):

Reduced contributor dropout compared to baseline
Consistent attendance at weekly/bi-weekly mentorship meetings
Faster response time to vandalism incidents
Onboarding guide published and in use

Phase 2: Capacity & Governance (Months 4-6)

Objective: Develop internal norms around dialect use and empower more editors with moderation and technical skills.

Establish lightweight dialect documentation — community-validated terminology references or glossaries.
Empower mid-level editors with anti-vandalism and moderation skills through targeted workshops.
Introduce Wikidata integration to enrich Fulfulde content and connect dialect variants.
Document dispute-resolution case studies for future reference and training.

Success Indicators (End of Phase 2):

Reduced conflict escalation to admins
Shared terminology references actively used by editors
Increased confidence among mid-level editors in handling moderation tasks
Clearer community norms around dialect representation

Phase 3: Partnership & Growth (Months 7-12)

Objective: Leverage institutional partnerships to support modest, sustainable growth without destabilizing the fragile community.

Activate Institute for Language Development partnership for venue, organizational support, and potential reference development.
Cultivate academic partnerships with northern Nigerian universities (linguistics, language preservation programs).
Facilitate peer learning with other small, established Wikipedias facing similar retention and vandalism challenges.
Develop a retention playbook documenting successful strategies for other fragile language communities.

Success Indicators (End of Phase 3):

One or more active academic partnerships with documented activities
Gradual, sustainable increase in active editors beyond the current ~15 core
Stronger community resilience against contributor loss
Retention strategies documented and shared with LDH network

Resource Needs Identified

Need	Priority	Notes
Connectivity & Data Support	High	Small, consistent data stipends would significantly improve retention and reduce personal financial burden on editors.
Capacity-Building Funds	Medium	Focused on skills development, not large events. Targeted workshops, training materials.
Reference Development	Medium	Support for compiling basic glossaries or community-validated terminology lists to reduce dialect disputes.
Fulfulde-Language Documentation	High	Technical guidance, anti-vandalism workflows, and onboarding materials translated into Fulfulde, not English.
Peer Learning	Medium	Connection to other small Wikipedias facing similar challenges.

Workshop Topics Most Relevant

Anti-Vandalism Strategies for Small Wikipedias
Editing and Moderation Workflows in Low-Connectivity Contexts
Managing Dialect Diversity in Multinational Language Communities
Contributor Retention for Small Communities (Not Recruitment)
Wikidata for Language Wikipedias with Dialect Variation

Collaboration Opportunities

Partner	Purpose
Institute for Language Development	Venue, organizational support, reference development (starting 2026)
Northern Nigerian Universities	Linguistics programs, language preservation research, student editor pipelines
WMF Language Team	Technical guidance, peer learning with other small Wikipedias
Regional User Groups (Nigeria, Burkina, Gambia)	Cross-border collaboration, dialect coordination, shared resources
Other Small-Language Wikipedias	Peer exchange on retention, vandalism management, and editor motivation

Communication Plan

Element	Details
Meeting Cadence	Weekly mentorship meetings (Saturdays); Monthly community coordination meetings
Primary Channels	WhatsApp (primary coordination), Facebook (outreach)
Languages	Fulfulde and English
Documentation	Key resources to be produced in Fulfulde first, English second

Success Indicators (Long-Term)

Dimension	Indicator
Retention	Reduced editor dropout rate; stable or growing active contributor count.
Dialect Governance	Documented norms for handling dialect variation; reduced admin burden in dispute resolution.
Capacity	Mid-level editors confidently handling vandalism and onboarding tasks without direct admin intervention.
Localization	Technical guidance and workflows available in Fulfulde and actively used.
Partnerships	At least one active institutional collaboration supporting reference development or capacity building.
Resilience	Community demonstrates ability to absorb loss of 1-2 contributors without destabilization.
Recognition	Fulfulde Wikipedia recognized as a model for retention-focused, small-language sustainability.

Meeting Notes & Logs

November 2025

Initial Assessment & Planning Discussed the community's deep commitment and the structural fragility of a ~15-editor Wikipedia operating under challenging conditions. Agreed that the priority is not expansion, but stabilization: retention, dialect governance, and localized capacity building. Immediate focus on Fulfulde-language onboarding materials and consistent mentorship rhythm.

Contact

On-wiki: Oscar Costero
Community Lead: Abdulkadir Abdulkadir User: Fulani215
Regional Partners: Institute for Language Development; Wikimedia Nigeria User Group; Wikimedia Burkina Faso User Group
Peer Learning Contacts: [Other small Wikipedia community leads]

This page is maintained collaboratively by the Fulfulde Community and the LDH team. Please feel free to add updates, notes, and reflections below.