Dear Wikimedians,
We hope this email finds you well. We invite you to join the next episode
of WikiAfrica Hour "Organize, Lead, Sustain: The Power of Wikimedia Bodies”
We are very excited to discuss this topic with the episode guests and your
joining is very valuable.
What can you expect from the episode?
Behind every Wikimedia project is a network of passionate individuals—and
the structures that help them thrive. In this episode, we explore the types
of collaborative groups that power the Wikimedia movement, from User Groups
to Thematic Organizations and Chapters. Why are these bodies so essential,
and how do they help communities organize themselves around shared goals,
whether local or thematic? We’ll unpack the steps to start a group, how to
choose the right structure, and why some regions have many groups
coexisting.
Our guests will share ideas for building capacity, attracting leaders, and
evolving from grassroots efforts into stable organizations. We’ll also
discuss practical insights on funding—from Wikimedia sources to external
partnerships—and how communities sustain themselves financially and
strategically. Finally, we dive into the challenges of long-term
sustainability and what it takes to keep governance structures healthy,
adaptive, and impactful over time.
Who are the guest speakers?
-
Tochi Precious: <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Tochiprecious>
Co-founder & Executive Director of Igbo Wikimedia Organization, and
Wikimedian in Residence at Wikitongues. She's a member of the Language
Committee and a Board Member at Wiki in Africa and African & Proud.
-
Harriet Bayel <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Mwintirew>: She serves
as the Community Lead of the GOI Foundation and is a member of the
Affiliations Committee. From 2021 to 2023, she also served as a member of
the Regional Grants Committee for Sub-Saharan Africa.
-
Martin Hipangwa <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Martin_Hipangwa>:
He founded Wikimedia Community User Group Namibia, which strives for the
advocacy of digital literacy skills and open-access knowledge platforms
such as Wikipedia and its sister projects in Namibia.
-
KOFFI Kangah Donatien:
<https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utilisateur:Papischou> Discovering
Wikipedia in 2012, he co-founded the Wikimedia Côte d'Ivoire User Group.
His commitment extends internationally as a trainer and member of the
Wikifranca microgrant committee. He also collaborates with several African
communities and organizes the French-speaking Wikiconvention 2023 in
Abidjan.
Hosting them Delphine Ménard, an active contributor to Wikimedia projects
in 2004, and then involvement soon expanded beyond editing to include roles
in community governance. Aside from her volunteer engagements over the
years, she worked for the Wikimedia Foundation as a Program Officer,
supporting grant programs and organizational development of affiliates. In
2022, she went back to being an active Wikimedia volunteer, and was
recently appointed to the newly formed Global Resources Distribution
Committee (GRDC).
In Focus section: Highlights from Wiki Loves Africa 2025
We will listen to *Hilary Ogali*
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Ogalihillary>, WLA facilitator,
and *Dappa
Solomon*, WLA local organiser who made a big splash in 2025!
Hilary will share the biggest highlights and wins from this year’s
competition, while Dappa will open up about his first-time experience, the
challenges, the triumphs—and tips for anyone ready to join or host next
time!
When and where will the episode take place?
Data: Wednesday 28th May
Time of the live episode: 16:00 UTC
In focus section starts 16:50 UTC
Join us LIVE on Youtube <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCsxAAD_1-o>.
You can also register in the event tool here
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Event:WAH_Episode_46_-_Organize,_Lead,_Sust…>
Looking forward to seeing you!
--
*Donia*
WikiAfrica Hour Production Coordinator
& Wiki In Africa Tools Community Facilitator
Hello
En français plus bas
At some point, the Wiki Loves tool will give you some stats.
However, in the meanwhile, I recommand the following
Head to the tool page on meta :
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wiki_Loves_Africa_2025/Tools
LOT's of tools are listed there.
1. For the more courageous :
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wiki_Loves_Africa_2025/Tools#Commons_impact…
2. GlamMorgan still works : https://glamtools.toolforge.org/glamorgan.html
3. Getting stats from participants :
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wiki_Loves_Africa_2025/Tools#Getting_stats_…
For example "*Contributors to WLA for one year for one country (2025)"
https://quarry.wmcloud.org/query/93633*
You can create your own queries with only MINOR changes to the queries
listed on the tool page.
Access a query.
Log in using your account (top right)
Fork the query (this duplicate it)
Then simply edit the query by changing the category in it.
For example, instead of
"Images_from_Wiki_Loves_Africa_2025_in_the_Republic_of_the_Congo" ---->
put "Images_from_Wiki_Loves_Africa_2025_in_Senegal"
Then click in Submit query.
And there you go.
Another cool query is *Contributors to WLA for one year, for one
country, with registration done after Jan 01
*https://quarry.wmcloud.org/query/93802
<https://quarry.wmcloud.org/query/93802>
Same thing. Change the country name. You can also edit the date of the
"new registered ones"
"20250101000000" ---> "yearmonthdayminutesecond"
-------------
Pour récupérer des stats sur votre pays et vos utilisateurs, vous pouvez
utiliser la page :
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wiki_Loves_Africa_2025/Tools
Beaucoup d'outils y sont mentionnés.
1. Pour les plus courageux, vous pouvez explorer :
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wiki_Loves_Africa_2025/Tools#Commons_impact…
2. GlamMorgan marche toujours :
https://glamtools.toolforge.org/glamorgan.html
3. Stats pour vos participants :
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wiki_Loves_Africa_2025/Tools#Getting_stats_…
Par exemple "*Contributors to WLA for one year for one country (2025)" -
contributeurs à WLA 2025, pour UN pays
https://quarry.wmcloud.org/query/93633*
Vous pouvez créer votre propre requete avec des modifs mineurs
Acceder à la requete
Vous logguez (compte habituel) - en haut à droite
"Fork" la requete (en haut à droite). En fait, ça la duplique
Ensuite, vous éditez la requete en changeant la catégorie
Par exemple, au lieu de
"Images_from_Wiki_Loves_Africa_2025_in_the_Republic_of_the_Congo" ---->
vous mettez "Images_from_Wiki_Loves_Africa_2025_in_Senegal"
(attention à bien mettre _ entre les mots..."
Ensuite, on clique sur Submit the query
Et voilà
Une autre requete sympa est *Contributors to WLA for one year, for one
country, with registration done after Jan 01 (contributeurs à WLA 2025
dans un pays donné, mais inscrits depuis le 01 janvier)
*https://quarry.wmcloud.org/query/93802
<https://quarry.wmcloud.org/query/93802>
Pareil. Changer le pays; Vous pouvez aussi éditer la date à laquelle les
nouveaux sont arrivés
"20250101000000" ---> "annéemoisjourminuteseconde"
Ant
Dear Wikimedians,
We’re excited to share that the Wiki Loves Africa 2025 photography campaign
has successfully concluded, and over 30,400 incredible images have been
submitted from across the continent under the theme ‘’FARM TO PLATE’’.
As we move into the next phase of the competition, we invite committed
Wikimedians to volunteer for the First Review round that precedes the
International
Jury process.
As a first-round reviewer, you will help us to:
-
Review the submitted images.
-
Identify images that relate to the theme.
-
Identify images that meet the contest’s criteria (e.g., are NOT
copyright violations, have watermarks).
-
Identify images of obvious quality (e.g. are NOT screenshots,
cropped, obviously
blurred, pixellated, or of poor quality)
-
Identify and filter out AI-generated or augmented images.
The first review will take place from the 26th May to the 2nd June 2025. We
will be using the Montage tool, and the process will last for about 5 hours
max.
If you're interested in being part of the first round review, please
respond to this form
<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdwxnF0RpzRe0Ug3JXlAsLli7Nf8B3KULt…>
by the 23rd of May.
We look forward to your feedback.
Warm regards,
Hilary Ogali
Community Facilitator
Wiki Loves Africa