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
Dear Wikimedians,
We hope this message finds you well and that you are in good spirits. We
are the Let’s Connect working group
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Grants:Knowledge_Sharing/Connect/Team>- a
team of movement contributors/organizers who are liaison representatives of 7/8
regions <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_regions>. We are
connecting with you to see if you are interested in and/or know about the
peer-to-peer program, Let’s Connect
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Grants:Knowledge_Sharing/Connect>!
The program creates an open and safe learning space for any Wikimedian who is
part of an organized group to share and learn different skills
(organizational/interpersonal / grant related / learning & evaluation ...)
with other peers to add value and contribute collectively to the community.
The purpose is to further develop skills, share knowledge and promote human
connections and mutual support between different groups and communities, in
alignment with the Movement Strategy
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Movement_Strategy>.
Every month, we host 2-3 live 2-hour learning clinics
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Grants:Knowledge_Sharing/Connect#Live_learn…>
with
interesting topics selected by our team and our interested sharers. Our
live learning sessions have up to 4 interpreters translating the clinic for
our participants. Our main languages are Spanish | Arabic | French |
Portuguese. If there is a specific language you would like to see in the
calls, we are happy to see how we can accommodate it.
Let’s Connect is directed at Wikimedians in all regions that are part of
organized groups (this can range from a group of individuals that are not
formally organized user groups, chapters and mission-aligned
organizations). Please see our Meta page for more criteria
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Grants:Knowledge_Sharing/Connect#Who_is_Let…>.
To participate as a sharer, you can register in this initial registration
form
<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdiea87tSYmB2-1XHn_u8RLe7efMJifJBz…>
where
you can register your learning and sharing interests and state if you want
to share your knowledge through Learning Clinics.
Below, you will find our team of 8 who are excited to meet with you if you
are interested. Please email our team at letsconnect(a)wikimedia.org if you
have any questions :)
We look forward to hearing from you.
Best,
The Let’s Connect Working Group
Hello Fellow Wikimedians and Local Organizers,
This is to inform you of the upcoming series of the Africa Wiki Challenge
2024 Organizers' Virtual Office Hour. These office hours will focus on;
- How you can participate/organize a local event as part of the campaign
- How to go about the rapid grant application
- All you need to know about the Africa Wiki Challenge
For organizers applying for a rapid grant, kindly note that only cycle 5 is
open before the campaign starts in May 2024
• *Application deadline: *1st April, 2024
• *Review time: *2nd April - 7th May, 2024
• *Decision announced: *11th May, 2024
• *Processing and disbursement: *12th - 26th May, 2024
• See more here-
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Grants:Project/Rapid#Timeline
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Grants:Project/Rapid#Timeline>
We are glad to introduce a series of virtual office hours, which begins on
Friday 8th March 2024. These virtual office hours aim to assist organizers
in applying for rapid grants and answer all your questions regarding AWC
2024.
*Date*: Friday, 8th March 2024 (tomorrow)
*Time: *15:00 UTC
*Kindly register here: *https://forms.gle/yAricEmhYnxdTNsS9
*Meeting Link:* https://zoom.us/j/95251035378
For support kindly email: info(a)ofwafrica.org, emasiku(a)ofwafrica.org,
ramanquah(a)ofwafrica.org, mdanquah(a)ofwafrica.org
Best,
--
Jael Serwaa Boateng
Executive Director
Open Foundation West Africa
Dear Community Members,
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.
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 Masiku.
--
Eugene Makafui Masiku,
Communications Officer
Open Foundation West Africa
Hello all,
It's that time of the year again!!! After three successful editions of the
Africa Wiki Challenge, Open Foundation West Africa <https://ofwafrica.org/>
announces the 4th edition of the campaign.
In commemoration of the African Union Day which seeks to promote and defend
African common positions on issues of interest to the continent and its
people, the fourth edition of the Africa Wiki Challenge writing contest
seeks to bridge the content gap in Africa on the web. The proposed theme
for this year is "Educate Africa: Nurturing Minds for the 21st Century".
The theme is aligned with the African Union Day's theme
<https://au.int/en/directorates/education> “The Year of Education - Educate
an African Fit for the 21st Century.” Kindly confirm your agreement or
otherwise using this link: https://forms.gle/Kou95oBaoa4Q7iis7
To participate as an organizer, you can either include your activity as
part of your annual funds program (that is, if you have an annual community
support fund) or apply for the next cycle of grants.
If you are applying for rapid grant, kindly note that only cycle 5 is open
before campaign starts in May 2024
• Application deadline on 1st April, 2024
• Review time from 2nd April - 7th May, 2024
• Decision announced from 11th May, 2024
• Processing and disbursement from 12th - 26th May, 2024
• See more here-
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Grants:Project/Rapid#Timeline
We are glad to introduce a series of virtual office hours, which
begins on Friday
8th March, 2024 to assist organizers in applying for rapid grants and
answer all your questions regarding AWC 2024.
Date: Friday, 8th March 2024
Time: 15:00 UTC
Meeting Link: https://zoom.us/j/95251035378
Register Here: https://forms.gle/Re4FmAKTa4g2eoN98
Have questions? Kindly forward them to info(a)ofwafrica.org and we would be
glad to assist you!
Best regards,
Jael
--
Jael Serwaa Boateng
Executive Director
Open Foundation West Africa
Dear Community,
Our Annual General Meeting and Office Launch is *tomorrow*!
Get ready to engage, share ideas, recap the year, and shape our community's
future. Your presence matters, whether in-person or virtually.
*Time:* *2:00pm.*
*Location:** Sal Heights (Ground Floor), Abelenkpe - adjacent Dimaensa
restaurant (GA-162-2157).*
Join virtually via Zoom with this link:
https://zoom.us/j/91593277451?pwd=ZWIrNHVoZ2phZVlDZFE0U01UVDlEQT09.
Let's get together! Kindly confirm your participation with this form:
https://forms.gle/c8h35hvKernaSiBc7
[image: IMG-20231211-WA0062.jpg]
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