Hi everyone,
It’s time for the fifth edition of the Coolest Tool Award!! 🎉
Tools play an essential role at Wikimedia, and so do the many volunteer
developers who experiment with new ideas, develop & maintain local & global
solutions, and enhance the experience for Wikimedia communities.
We’d like to invite you all to nominate your favourite & most used tools
and help us celebrate the people who create them!
To nominate your favourite tools, simply follow this link:
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Coolest_Tool_Award#Coolest_Tool_Award_2024.
Feel free to submit multiple nominations by completing the form as many
times as you'd like. The deadline for Nomination is* May 10th 2024.*
For further details on the nomination and selection process, the Coolest
Tool Award Academy, and the upcoming award ceremony, please visit
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Coolest_Tool_Award.
The award is organized & selected by the Coolest Tool Academy. We plan to
award the coolest tools in a variety of categories (see last year’s
categories for an example). Excitingly, we're returning to an in-person
event for the first time since 2019, with winners set to be unveiled at
Wikimania 2024.
Thank you immensely for your participation and recommendations. Together,
let's celebrate innovation and collaboration within the Wikimedia community!
Regards,
On behalf of the Coolest Tool Academy 2024
Hello everyone,
I hope this email finds you well. Today, I am writing to inform you about a
significant change within our community. With mixed emotions, we are saying
goodbye to our esteemed Programs Officer, Ruby D-Brown.
Ruby has been an invaluable member of our team, contributing her time,
energy, and expertise to the success of numerous programs and initiatives
during her time at Open Foundation West Africa. Her dedication and passion
have left a lasting impact on our community, and we are truly grateful for
the positive influence she has had on all of us.
As Ruby embarks on a new chapter in her career, we want to take this
opportunity to express our deepest gratitude for her outstanding
contributions. Her commitment to excellence and unwavering enthusiasm have
been instrumental in the success of many of our programs.
Thank you for your understanding and continued support as we navigate
through this transition. We remain committed to delivering exceptional
programs to our community.
Kind regards
Eugene Makafui Masiku,
Communications Officer
Open Foundation West Africa
Chère communauté,
Wikimedia Côte d'Ivoire est heureux de vous annoncer l'ouverture des
candidatures pour Fotamana 2024, notre programme spécial d'immersion dédié
aux leaders de communauté et porteurs de projets. Nous vous encourageons
vivement à postuler avant le *20 mars 2024, à 23 h 59*, en remplissant
le formulaire
disponible ici
<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfzyID_xlTaTJvPFB4vOtpK4qTZ0oZ1PXK…>
.
Initié par le groupe d'utilisateurs de Côte d'Ivoire, Fotamana
<https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fotamana,_programme_d%27immersion_p…>
a pour ambition de partager notre fonctionnement, la dynamique de notre
communauté, et de mettre en avant nos expertises et acquis. Le programme
propose des formations sur les techniques d'organisation d'activités, des
ateliers de partage d'expériences et de renforcement des compétences des
participants.
Au-delà de son volet éducatif, Fotamana vise à favoriser la collaboration
entre les différentes communautés participantes. En encourageant le partage
de bonnes pratiques, le programme aspire à créer une dynamique où
l'ensemble du mouvement Wiki bénéficie de l'expérience collective
renforçant ainsi l'écosystème Wiki dans son ensemble.
Nous espérons vivement recevoir votre candidature et vous accueillir dans
le cadre de Fotamana,
--
Pauline *TRAORÉ*
*Communication. Marketing. Projets.*
Cultur'Ivoir <https://www.facebook.com/CulturIvoir> | Les jus d'Aby
<https://www.facebook.com/lesjusdaby> | Wikimedia Côte d'Ivoire
<https://wikimedia.ci>
00225 07 08 84 95 31
Greetings all,
Briefly:
If you are interested in Wikifunctions.org, the newest Wikimedia project,
we invite you to join us! There are many ways to contribute, and many ways
to learn more about the project.
There is also a video-meeting on Monday where you can ask questions and
learn about recent updates.
In detail:
We invite you to visit the wiki - https://www.wikifunctions.org/
There you can:
* read more about the project,
* create new functions, contribute to existing functions, and suggest new
functions,
* participate in discussions about content and about policy,
* share feedback about anything you find confusing in the system or
documentation, or requests for new features.
Your perspectives, contributions, and feedback are needed to help make this
a useful and global resource.
We also invite you to join the next edition of the Wikifunctions & Abstract
Wikipedia Volunteers’ Corner – a monthly 30 minute video meeting – that
will take place online on 4 December at 18:30 UTC,[1] on Google Meet.[2]
In this meeting we will give a quick update on the development and upcoming
changes, offer space for questions from you, and, if time permits,
collaboratively create a new function. Bring ideas for a new function along!
Please reach out to us if you have any questions or suggestions.
Best wishes,
Nick “Quiddity” Wilson and Luca “Sannita” Martinelli
Community Relations Specialists for Wikifunctions & Abstract Wikipedia
[1] https://zonestamp.toolforge.org/1701714600
[2] http://meet.google.com/xuy-njxh-rkw
Hello everyone,
The African Knowledge Initiative
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Africa_Knowledge_Initiat…>
(AKI), seeks to leverage the Wikimedia tools and platforms to breed
innovative solutions to bridging the content gap on global digital
knowledge networks.
This year Open Foundation West Africa’s <http://ofwafrica.org> annual
writing contest the Africa Wiki Challenge was used as an avenue to help
achieve AKI’s goal.
The campaign was named the Africa Day Campaign
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Africa_Day_Campaign_2023> and themed "Africa
Free Continent Trade" to align with the Africa Union Day 2023 theme.
From the Campaign's Program Dashboard
<https://outreachdashboard.wmflabs.org/campaigns/africa_day_campaign_2023/ov…>,
we tracked a total of 20 Programs, with 473 editors, from 13 countries
contributing to 4000 articles
After months of intense and rigorous reviews by the Africa Day Contest
Jury, we are elated to announce the winners of the Africa Day Campaign 2023.
Congratulations to the winners of the campaign.
Winners
Winner- User:Muhammed Idriss Criteria from Nigeria- 502 new articles in
Hausa Wikipedia
2nd Winner - User:Gwanki from Nigeria- 183 new articles in Hausa Wikipedia
3rd Winner- User:Charbel1719 Benin - 75 new articles in French Wikipedia
Top Female Contributor- User:Mercyjamb123 - 66 new articles in Igbo
Wikipedia
We are super grateful to our international jury team who worked
effortlessly to ensure that the winners were identified.
International Jury
User: Azogbonon - Benin
User: Yaw Tuba - Ghana
User: Anani A. George- Ghana
User: Bile_rene - Cameroon
User: Justine Msechu -Tanzania
User: Memoriesghana -Ghana
User: Kwaku Berko- Ghana
To all our partners, local organizers, and editors, we appreciate your
efforts in making this campaign a success.
[image: Africa Day Campaign 2023 (2).png]
[image: AFRICA DAY CAMPAIGN STATS.png]
Kind Regards,
Eugene Masiku
--
Eugene Makafui Masiku,
Communications Officer
Open Foundation West Africa
Greetings comrades,
Just a quick update on the Africa Growth Pilot application
<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd_RMweV7xPQmkuFgRc2bRq8Z1i35bC8wC…>.
Only a few slots remain, and I wanted to inform or remind anyone who may
have missed the announcement or the opportunity to apply. The deadline for
application is August 16
<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd_RMweV7xPQmkuFgRc2bRq8Z1i35bC8wC…>
.
Sending emails around this time might be a bit much, considering it's an
important period for those traveling to Singapore for Wikimania and for
remote participants 😃. However, there is one more crucial thing to note.
The Africa Growth Pilot Team will be presenting at Wikimania
<https://wikimania.wikimedia.org/wiki/2023:Program#Room_324_3>. Join us (in
person or online) for our session on August 17 at 2:20 UTC
<https://wikimania.wikimedia.org/wiki/2023:Program#Room_324_3>.
Happy Wikimania Week!
On Fri, Aug 4, 2023 at 11:40 PM Mutegeki Cliff <mutegekicliff(a)gmail.com>
wrote:
> Dear Felix,
> Thanks for sending this through.
>
> Mutegeki Cliff Agaba
> Digital Adoption Consultant
> Member Internet Society, AFRALO, ICANN, UASG and IGF - WGWSP
> +256 701 800 679
> +256 776 800 679
>
> www.mutegekicliff.com
> [image: facebook icon] <http://www.facebook.com/mutegekicliffagaba> [image:
> linkedin icon] <https://www.linkedin.com/in/mutegekicliff/> [image:
> instagram icon] <http://www.instagram.com/mutegekicliff>
>
>
> On Fri, 4 Aug 2023 at 18:21, Felix Nartey <fnartey(a)wikimedia.org> wrote:
>
>> *Tl;dr: *Are you from Africa and looking for other opportunities to
>> contribute your knowledge and skills to Wikimedia or learn how to make
>> valuable contributions to Wikipedia? Join the Africa Growth Project Pilot
>> on WikiLearn to grasp the basics of contributing to Wikipedia and explore
>> the various contribution options within the movement! Applications are
>> accepted from August 4 - 16, 2023
>> <https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd_RMweV7xPQmkuFgRc2bRq8Z1i35bC8wC…>
>> .
>>
>>
>> Dear Wikimedians,
>>
>> About a month ago, the Wikimedia Foundation announced the idea of an
>> Africa Growth Project and initiated a curriculum consultation
>> <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Africa_Growth_Pilot/Live…>
>> which concluded on 21 July 2023. The pilot project, as highlighted in the
>> original email, seeks to enhance community efforts by creating a more
>> effective online learning experience to improve the retention of new
>> volunteers.
>>
>> Why the Africa Growth Project?
>>
>> Investing in community capacity has been emphasized in various
>> discussions within the Movement. These needs have been explicitly outlined
>> in the Movement Strategy and, more importantly, the recent request for help
>> with editor growth and retention from the communities in sub-Saharan Africa.
>>
>> The Africa Growth Project is a pilot that aims to experiment with a
>> course to provide a strong foundation in Wikipedia policies and
>> collaboration norms, closely guided by our hypothesis of providing
>> high-quality structured training to new and existing Wikimedians covering
>> the basics of contribution to Wikimedia (including introducing the many
>> ways to contribute beyond article writing) can double the retention rates
>> of active editors in the region.
>>
>> What can I expect?
>>
>> The program will consist of a 4-week online learning experience in
>> September. It will prepare participants to understand the fundamentals of
>> contributing to Wikimedia and the range of contribution options available
>> within the movement. For the initial iteration of this project, the course
>> will only be offered in English. We intend to expand to other languages in
>> the future if the piloted approach proves successful.
>>
>> Participants will leave the course with:
>>
>> -
>>
>> Basic familiarity with the Wikimedia landscape
>> -
>>
>> Awareness of the many different contribution options available to
>> volunteers, over and beyond writing encyclopedia articles
>> -
>>
>> The ability to write in an encyclopedic tone and grasp the concept of
>> a neutral point of view
>> -
>>
>> Understanding of reliable sources, referencing them, and the concept
>> of "verifiability, not truth".
>>
>>
>> Who is eligible?
>>
>> We invite all Africans, both experienced and new, who have an interest in
>> developing or refreshing a clear understanding of the basics of
>> contributing to Wikimedia and exploring the opportunities that exist for
>> them in the Wikimedia volunteer journey.
>>
>>
>> Only *150 slots are available*, selection will be based on the level of
>> interest shown in the response, and users with accounts that are 6 months
>> old or older will have an advantage.
>>
>> Applications are open from 4 - 16 August 2023
>> <https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd_RMweV7xPQmkuFgRc2bRq8Z1i35bC8wC…>,
>> and you can apply by completing the attached form
>> <https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd_RMweV7xPQmkuFgRc2bRq8Z1i35bC8wC…>
>> before the deadline. If you wish to learn more, join us (in person or
>> online) at our session at Wikimania on August 17 at 2:20 UTC
>> <https://wikimania.wikimedia.org/wiki/2023:Program#Room_324_3>.
>> Alternatively, you can contact us through our meta page talk page
>> <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Africa_Growth_Pilot/Live_Tutorials_on_Core_…>
>> or reach me at fnartey(a)wikimedia.org.
>>
>>
>> Best,
>> --
>>
>> Felix Nartey
>>
>> Senior Program Officer, Campaigns
>>
>> Wikimedia Foundation <https://wikimediafoundation.org/>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> African-Wikimedians mailing list --
>> african-wikimedians(a)lists.wikimedia.org
>> To unsubscribe send an email to
>> african-wikimedians-leave(a)lists.wikimedia.org
>>
> _______________________________________________
> African-Wikimedians mailing list --
> african-wikimedians(a)lists.wikimedia.org
> To unsubscribe send an email to
> african-wikimedians-leave(a)lists.wikimedia.org
>
--
Felix Nartey
Senior Program Officer, Campaigns
Wikimedia Foundation <https://wikimediafoundation.org/>
*Tl;dr: *Are you from Africa and looking for other opportunities to
contribute your knowledge and skills to Wikimedia or learn how to make
valuable contributions to Wikipedia? Join the Africa Growth Project Pilot
on WikiLearn to grasp the basics of contributing to Wikipedia and explore
the various contribution options within the movement! Applications are
accepted from August 4 - 16, 2023
<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd_RMweV7xPQmkuFgRc2bRq8Z1i35bC8wC…>
.
Dear Wikimedians,
About a month ago, the Wikimedia Foundation announced the idea of an Africa
Growth Project and initiated a curriculum consultation
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Africa_Growth_Pilot/Live…>
which concluded on 21 July 2023. The pilot project, as highlighted in the
original email, seeks to enhance community efforts by creating a more
effective online learning experience to improve the retention of new
volunteers.
Why the Africa Growth Project?
Investing in community capacity has been emphasized in various discussions
within the Movement. These needs have been explicitly outlined in the
Movement Strategy and, more importantly, the recent request for help with
editor growth and retention from the communities in sub-Saharan Africa.
The Africa Growth Project is a pilot that aims to experiment with a course
to provide a strong foundation in Wikipedia policies and collaboration
norms, closely guided by our hypothesis of providing high-quality
structured training to new and existing Wikimedians covering the basics of
contribution to Wikimedia (including introducing the many ways to
contribute beyond article writing) can double the retention rates of active
editors in the region.
What can I expect?
The program will consist of a 4-week online learning experience in
September. It will prepare participants to understand the fundamentals of
contributing to Wikimedia and the range of contribution options available
within the movement. For the initial iteration of this project, the course
will only be offered in English. We intend to expand to other languages in
the future if the piloted approach proves successful.
Participants will leave the course with:
-
Basic familiarity with the Wikimedia landscape
-
Awareness of the many different contribution options available to
volunteers, over and beyond writing encyclopedia articles
-
The ability to write in an encyclopedic tone and grasp the concept of a
neutral point of view
-
Understanding of reliable sources, referencing them, and the concept of
"verifiability, not truth".
Who is eligible?
We invite all Africans, both experienced and new, who have an interest in
developing or refreshing a clear understanding of the basics of
contributing to Wikimedia and exploring the opportunities that exist for
them in the Wikimedia volunteer journey.
Only *150 slots are available*, selection will be based on the level of
interest shown in the response, and users with accounts that are 6 months
old or older will have an advantage.
Applications are open from 4 - 16 August 2023
<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd_RMweV7xPQmkuFgRc2bRq8Z1i35bC8wC…>,
and you can apply by completing the attached form
<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd_RMweV7xPQmkuFgRc2bRq8Z1i35bC8wC…>
before the deadline. If you wish to learn more, join us (in person or
online) at our session at Wikimania on August 17 at 2:20 UTC
<https://wikimania.wikimedia.org/wiki/2023:Program#Room_324_3>.
Alternatively, you can contact us through our meta page talk page
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Africa_Growth_Pilot/Live_Tutorials_on_Core_…>
or reach me at fnartey(a)wikimedia.org.
Best,
--
Felix Nartey
Senior Program Officer, Campaigns
Wikimedia Foundation <https://wikimediafoundation.org/>
Hello Wikimedians,
You are invited to the official launch of the Africa Day Campaign today.
In line with the African Union Day theme that seeks to document Africa’s
stories to increase the visibility of stories around Africa’s free trade, the
African Knowledge Initiative (AKI)
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Africa_Knowledge_Initiative> seeks to leverage
Wikimedia tools and platforms to breed innovative solutions to bridging the
content gap on global digital knowledge networks.
This initiative will be implemented through Open Foundation West Africa's
annual campaign, the Africa Wiki Challenge.
This year the Africa Wiki Challenge presents the Africa Day Campaign
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Africa_Day_Campaign_2023>, which aligns
with the African Union Day's theme of stories around Africa’s free trade
agenda, challenges, and benefits, among others.
Are you ready to contribute your quota in bridging the content gap on
Wikipedia??
Join the launch as an individual, group, organizer, participant, or
spectator as we officially launch the Africa Day Campaign globally !!!
*Theme: African Continental Free Trade*
Date: *Thursday, 18th of May, 2023 **(Today)*
Time: *03:00 pm UTC*
*To confirm your attendance, kindly register by clicking the link below*
https://bit.ly/3O21U2O
<https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2F3O21U2O%3Ffbclid%3DIw…>
*For more information visit the Africa Day MetaPage*
https://bit.ly/3VzZKcD
<https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2F3VzZKcD%3Ffbclid%3DIw…>
For inquiries kindly reach out to: info(a)ofwafrica.org
Make it a point to be there!
--
Eugene Makafui Masiku,
Communications Officer
Open Foundation West Africa