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
Hello Wikimedians,
You are invited to the Africa Day Campaign 2023!!!
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*
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
Hello everyone,
After the first announcement of the Africa Day Campaign Microgrant, we are
giving the opportunity to Wikimedians in these following countries to apply
for the microgrant:
Egypt, Algeria, Liberia, Guinea, Botswana, Kenya and Uganda.
As part of this campaign, we are calling on all organizers across Africa to
join us in increasing knowledge about topics related to Africa through
activities such as edit-a-thons, content campaign drives, local writing
contests, and so much more! We want to make this a memorable and
unforgettable event for everyone.
Who can apply;
The best part? We are offering microgrants ranging between USD500 and
USD1000 to Wikimedia user groups, affiliates, Mission aligned organizations
and institutions, as well as individuals in the aforementioned countries to
support their participation in this campaign.
Application Deadline
The deadline to apply is *Sunday 14th, May 2023*.
About the campaign
Open Foundation West Africa <https://www.ofwafrica.org/> is proud to be an
implementing partner for this year's Africa Day Campaign, which is part of
the African Knowledge Initiative (AKI)
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Africa_Knowledge_Initiative>. This
initiative was born out of a partnership between Wikimedia Foundation
<https://wikimediafoundation.org/> , Africa Union <https://au.int/>, and Africa
No Filter <http://www.africanofilter.org/> with a goal to increase the
coverage of African topics on Wikimedia projects.
Join us as we come together to celebrate Africa's rich cultural heritage
and promote the African continent's diverse knowledge base. Let's make this
campaign a success, and together we can showcase Africa to the world!
For more information contact info(a)ofwafrica.org
--
Eugene Makafui Masiku,
Communications Officer
Open Foundation West Africa
Hello everyone,
In the spirit of Wikipedia's 22nd birthday celebrations, we at Open
Foundation West Africa reflected on our journey with Wikipedia on Friday,
20th January, 2023.
We had a good time listening to experiences from both old and new members
of our community. It was an exciting moment sharing stories and memorable
experiences with each other regarding our expeditions with Wikipedia.
Here's a link to watch how we celebrated Wikipedia at 22.
Link: https://youtu.be/8SKX2QxWGSk
Also, do not forget to subscribe to our Youtube Channel to be informed on
more Wiki activities in our community.
Link: https://www.youtube.com/@ofwafrica
King Regards,
Eugene Masiku.
--
Eugene Makafui Masiku,
Communications Officer
Open Foundation West Africa
Dear Community Members,
This is a kind reminder of this year's African Wikimedia Technical Community
*Hackathon* hybrid event scheduled to take place this weekend, Saturday
23rd and Sunday 24th July 2022 respectively.
We will be introducing the following contribution areas during the
hackathon: website, security, front-end, back-end, documentation and
translation. By participating in the hackathon, you have the opportunity to
work on issues that matter to you and advance your skills/experience while
joining this regional, diverse and inclusive team of contributors and the
African Wikimedia Technical team members.
You are welcome to bring a new project on board or join an existing
project, or create something new with others.
The choice is yours!
Kindly fill out this form
<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1zNaTqJZ24e8knuJkLepNcV4WDkwDOiSLnPGRwi40Od…>to
participate as well as give details of your session if you are interested
in organizing one.
For more information, visit our meta page.
<https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Open_Foundation_West_Africa_Community_Hackat…>
Date: Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th July 2022.
Venue: OFWA Premises, Opp Bosphorus, Labone
Time: 10:00 UTC - 15: 00 UTC
*Zoom Link:* https://wikimedia.zoom.us/j/86868928049
Best Regards,
Eugene
--
Eugene Makafui Masiku,
Communications Officer
Open Foundation West Africa