[Foundation-l] Development in Africa

Sun Sep 17 08:11:30 UTC 2006

Anthere wrote:
> Since I am on it 
> (http://mail.wikipedia.org/pipermail/foundation-l/2006-September/010021.html), 
> I'd like us to think along what we could more or less easily do to push 
> our visibility and participation in African countries (may be the the 
> same in other parts of the world as well).
>
> I have identified the following solutions. Are they others ?
>
> 1. Increase awareness in the project
>   
OLPC could have been extremely relevant here, sadly they only use the 
Wikipedia content and provide it in a different format. There is a Yahoo 
group called "Afrophonewikis" where many of the issues to do with 
African languages are discussed. At Kasahorow work is done on a project 
proposal to support MediaWiki in the Ghanaian languages. WiktionaryZ is 
slowly but surely building portal pages for both countries and 
languages; this is to make people feel that every language is considered 
relevant.

For the Wikimedia Foundation it is absolutely essential that every 
officer and employee supports the idea of our projects being 
multilingual. This being a core value of what we do means that there is 
no room to express the opinion that the English language is to be 
preferred over "native" languages.
> 1.1 Identification of conferences where our participation might be 
> relevant (focused on ICT, Education, Sustainable development, Culture)
> Contact with organisers and proposal to participate and make presentations
>   
This would mean coordination of people who have something to contribute 
here and making sure that there is a budget for people to go there. I 
can effectively explain how many of the parts come together, I have 
effectively involved NGO's and we are working on projects to create 
content in (for Wikipedia) less developed languages.
> 1.2. Identification of big media group (make a list).
> Contact and proposition of articles. Language focus: english, french, 
> arab, portuguese.
> Of course, include them in the list of press release.
>   
I take it that you want to engage the media in the countries themselves, 
this is more effectively done by local people. They will be able to do 
so effectively when they know themselves empowered to do so. This means 
that local chapters may be really relevant here. They are because they 
can handle money and they provide a front to the people who do things on 
the ground. If you want to stimulate local languages, learn how it is 
done by others, what is done in Neapolitan is one good example but there 
are more like it.
> 1.3. Identification of specialized press (make a list)
> Focus: Linux fanatics :-) Contact and proposition of articles
>   
I think the Linux fanatics are overrated, they have many of the concepts 
right, they have the fanatism wrong. We should reach out to everyone we 
do not want to be associated and identified with a fanatic fringe. I 
understand and appreciate the wink, but some of these people are fringe 
and are more of a burden than of a help.
> 1.4. Identification of major NGO working on education and woman groups.
> Contact. Provide them with a bit of "advertisment".
>   
When you want to get NGO's to work on our projects, you do not only want 
to inform them, you also want to engage them. It means that a 
substantial amount of time will be involved. The time frame in which 
they operate is quite different, they work with budget cycles, 
deadlines. NGO's are often really enthusiastic but for them wikis and 
their methodology are new; they have to be initiated in the wiki way. It 
takes time and perseverance.
> 1.5. Contact of all major universities.
> propose them teleconference (if they are equipped) or irl presentation 
> (if that fit well with a formal conference or a trip)
>   
I have not done that systematically yet, but it is extremely likely that 
I will get many more contacts in universities soon.
>
> 2. Favor production of content in languages already developped
> Cases such as RAFT or Wiki voices. If necessary, find money and someone 
> to help coordinating this to ensure success.
>   
It is helpful if there is a place where these things are coordinated. A 
language subcommittee of the SPC could do many of these things.. It is 
just for this subcommittee to be allowed to start. Finding money is not 
that hard. It just needs a plan that needs implementation. Approving 
plans for funding and incorporation in the WMF would be a step towards 
the notion of "donations, putting your money where your mouth is" 
(details on Meta).
> 3. Favor production of content in local languages
>
> * Help Beta Wiki
> * Contact local NGOs for help in translation interface
> * Identification (now) of major languages (according to read/write 
> coverage)
>
>   
There is agreement between Brion and Nikerabbit that Beta Wiki will be 
hosted on a more convenient place. This is an extremely important thing 
and I am grateful to Brion to help out on this one.

Translating the User Interface only for our projects is a missed 
opportunity. MediaWiki is extremely powerful software. When the 
localisation is also seen as an opportunity to have this great tool 
available, it becomes something that has relevance to an organisation 
for itself. This is an extremely powerful argument. It also underlines 
why the localisation in a wikipedia is not such a great idea; it's scope 
is only that project and there is no added benefit.
> Here are some thougts. Are they others ?
> Who feel like helping take care of some of those points ?
>   
It is important to be enthusiastic about what we do and it is as 
important to have a good understanding what the WMF does and what it's 
projects are. It is however also really relevant to tell that the WMF is 
part of a growing ecosphere with many other projects like Wikitravel, 
Yellowiki, Wikia being part of it. This shows that the wikiway is not 
only the Wikipedia way.

I have been taking care of some of these points because it helps 
WiktionaryZ. For WiktionaryZ it is relevant that we are part of this 
whole wiki thing. The strength of what we do is achieved in the many 
different things we do, try and achieve. We would be better served if we 
cooperated more and bickered less.

Thanks,
     GerardM

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/afrophonewikis/ - Yahoo group on 
supporting African language
http://www.kasahorow.org/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page - Wiki for a 
project plan for supporting Ghanaian languages
http://wiktionaryz.org - Pre alpha project to do lexicology, terminology 
and ontology has both language and country portals
http://nike.users.idler.fi/dev/index.php?title=ISO-639-3/gil