Wikimedia Community User Group Tanzania/Annual Report 2019/2020

Introduction

Wikimedia Community User Group Tanzania is a group of Tanzanian volunteers who serve to extend the reach of Wikimedia activities in the country. This is an annual report that covers the main activities which are carried out by the Wikimedia Community User Group Tanzania for the period of May 14th 2019 to May 14th 2020.

Dashboard for Key Activities in 2020

Key Activities from 01st January 2020 to 14th May 2020

Date	Event	Theme	Venue	Key Organizers	Dashboard link
12th February 2020 to 14th May 2020	Universal Code of Conduct Community Consultation	Wikimedia Tanzania members along with other Swahili speaking communities engaged in a discussion on a new emerging projected that was endorsed by the Wikimedia Foundation board of Trustees that the community should partcipate on providing their opinions and feedback about the UCoC, a project that is expected to hep in creating free environment for people to participate in WMF projects without fear of being harassed.	Swahili discussion page and Meta page	Antoni Mtavangu as a Swahili Speaking community Language Facilitator	Universal Code of Conduct-Initial 2020 Consultations-Swahili
15th February 2020	Launched Wiki Loves Africa 2020 in Tanzania	Wiki Loves Africa (WLA) 2020 in Tanzania was an annual contest where Tanzanian Wikimediansa were invited to contribute free media that is relevant to their experience to Wikimedia Commons for use on Wikipedia and other Wikimedia communities (Wikimedia movement), and also make this shared media freely available for the Humankind.	Buni hub	Eid JOhn, Paul Mandele, Ally Kiliwasha, Rasheed Rasheed and Edwin Bakalemwa	Photo showing WLA in Tanzania Launching event
21st March 2020	WikiGap 2020 in Tanzania	WikiGap 2020 in Tanzania was an online campaign that includes a series of Online workshops, editathons and Community engagement that focus to bridge the internet gender gap between Men and Women specifically in Wikipedia. The community members will be provided with internet data support to allow them to online training and discussions with their fellow editors. The event is organized to be done via ZOOM as one of the way to abide with WMF decision that cancelled all physical meetups following the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as to comply with WHO recommendations concerning COVID-19 pandemic.	ONLINE through ZOOM	Aneth David, Alfredina Manila, Clement Makangabila, Pellagia Njau and Alex Method	WikiGap 2020 in Tanzania
25th January 2020	#1Lib1Ref 2020 and WikiForHumanRights Editathon in Tanzania	#1Lib1Ref was a Wikipedia campaign that invited every librarian on Earth particularly from Tanzania to participate in the online encyclopedia project (Swahili and English Wikipedia), specifically not only improving articles by adding citations but also creating new articles that was a part of supporting #WikiForHumanRights campaign by translating few selected articles from the Wiki For Human Rights meta page list.	Buni hub	Jadnapac, Paelmand, Baxito, Olimasy, Belindamakoye, Kipala, Czeus25	1Lib1Ref 2020 and WikiForHumanRights Editathon in Tanzania

Dashboard for Key Activities in 2019

Key Activities from May 14th to December 2020

Date	Event	Theme	Venue	Key Organizers	Dashboard/Meta link
21st December 2019	Afrocine Project 2019-Tanzania	Afrocine Project 2019-Tanzania is an editathon that aims to bridge the huge African continent content gap by getting and improving real African stories and viewpoints into one of the most visited website in the world, Wikipedia. This will be achieved by making articles, citations, images, videos, and data, about the historical and contemporary African cinema, theatre and arts, to be readily available and easily accessible online in Swahili and English Wikipedia."	Buni hub	Antoni Mtavangu and Edwin Bakalemwa	Afrocine Project 2019-Tanzania
08th-10th November 2019	Wikiindaba 2019-Abuja, Nigeria	The Wikimedia Community User Group Tanzania was priveledged to have two representatives Antoni Mtavangu and Edwin Bakalemwa who attended all of the Wikiindaba sessions and were able to bring back to the community all the key learnings from the event	Abuja, Nigeria	Antoni Mtavangu and Edwin Bakalemwa	Tanzanian Wikimedians at Wikiindaba 2019
06th-08th Sept 2019	East Africa Strategy Summit in UGANDA	Wikimedia Tanzania was able to send 10 participants at this event and the main goals of this event was 1. To strengthen the collaboration of Wikimedians in East Africa to be able to participate actively in Wikimedia activities and free knowledge projects 2. To provide a common understanding of the Movement Strategy Process to all participants and how they can contribute to the process back in their communities. 3.To provide a platform for East African voices to be heard and included in the development of recommendations to include perspectives of emerging Wikimedia communities. 4.To discuss the common challenges East Africa (and nearby Wikimedian) communities normally face in implementing Wikimedia projects and identify national, regional, and global solutions for their redress and 5. To build a sense of regional identity and strengthen the communication and relational infrastructure among leaders and volunteers in the free knowledge movement in East Africa, which can be used to enhance future regional collaboration and empower emerging voices in the region.	Protea Hotel Kampala, Uganda	10 Active Wikimedians from Wikimedia Tanzania participated (led by Antoni Mtavangu)	East Africa Strategy Summit in UGANDA
03rd August 2019	Wikimedia 2030ːYouth Strategy Salon Tanzania	Youth Strategy Salon Tanzania was an event that was done on 3rd August 2019 at Buni Innovation hub to allow for meaningful and creative discussions about the future of Wikimedia movement.The event was attended by youth from organizational entities including Buni Innovation Hub, Creative Commons Chapter of Tanzania, Aga Khan University and University of Dar es Salaam .The event gave strategic direction through discussion on two thematic topics which Capacity Building as well as Product & technology. Moreover the event was an opportunity for the Wikimedia Community User Group Tanzania to affiliates to strengthen relationships and deepen engagement with its members as well as other organizational entities supporting free knowledge movement.	Buni hub	Antoni Mtavangu, Clement Makangabila, Edwin Bakalemwa, Pellagia Njau, Elizabeth Kaduma, Ally Kiliwasha	Wikimedia 2030ː Movement Strategy Salon Tanzania Wikimedia 2030ː Movement Strategy Salon Tanzania
06th July 2019	Wikimedia 2030ː Movement Strategy Salon Tanzania	The Wikimedia Community User Group Tanzania hosted a one day Wikimedia 2030 Movement Strategy Salon on 6th July 2019 at Buni Innovation Hub at Dar es Salaam.This was an inclusive gathering by which volunteers, contributors and users of different Wikimedia projects from Wikimedia Community User Group Tanzania, Buni Innovation Hub, Jenga Wikipedia ya Kiswahili User Group, Creative Commons Chapter of Tanzania(CC Tanzania), Astronomy Association of Tanzania (ASSAT), Liberty Sparks, Zaina Foundation and other free knowledge enthusiasts from different institutions were under the same roof and had a deeper discussions about two strategy themes (1.Community Healthy 2.Resource Allocation) hence came up with constructive answers, suggestions, recommendations, ideas and advice to the scoping questions henceforth helping Wikimedia Movement Strategy to attain its 2030 goals.	Buni hub	Antoni Mtavangu, Clement Makangabila, Edwin Bakalemwa, Pellagia Njau	Wikimedia 2030ː Movement Strategy Salon Tanzania

General Report Summary

General Achievements

• Increased regional cooperation among Wikimedia Affiliates
• Increase of women participation in WMF movement
• Increased awareness of WMF projects within the country
• Increase in capacity of contributing to WMF projects among the Wikimedians
• More experience to host regional and International events and conferences
• Increase of Swahili Wikipedia contributors as well as increase in content on Swahili Wikipedia(and other WMF projects)
• Increase in ability of Wikimedians to participate in different WMF policy making discussions such as during Strategy Salons and during UCoC community consultation process.

Challenges

• COVID-19 pandemic hindered some of the Wiki activities locally hence caused lagging behind in some areas such as reporting activities
• Some members have no useful tools to contribute to WMF projects regularly
• The challenge of Wikimedians to be periodic contributors

Future Plan

• Explore new potential projects the group can engage with
• To become an Organizational entity (not for profit /non-profit status)
• Facilitate the creation of Wiki clubs in different areas of Tanzania
• Do more outreach programs to different areas of the country for purpose of raising more awareness on WMF projects
• To participate in international Wiki conferences such as Wikiindaba and Wikimania

Conclusion

• These successful programs achieved are because of great support the community gets from WMF, hence we would like to thank and appreciate the invaluable support WMF offered to us and we hope to do more in future.

Miscellaneous

For the past Wikimedia Community User Group Tanzania annual reports, you may Click here to see ALL Reports and for our different activities you may find it through Our Facebook Page or You may visit Our Meta Page