Hello everyone

Short version :
we launched a new podcast in March. From tech gurus to authors, educators to activists, the Inspiring Open podcast draws wisdom and insights from women who intersect the 'open movement' and inspire with their thoughts and actions. On all your favorite podcast plateform, go listen to amazing women (including recently our own Maryana)

Longer version :

The Wiki Loves Women team decided a few months ago to launch a new podcast. With projects across Africa and the Middle East empowering women with the tools and platforms to be heard, we have accumulated a vault of interesting tales from dynamic women who push the boundaries of what it means to build community and succeed as a collective.

The stories and ideas behind successful African women will be shared for the next few months in the Inspiring Open Podcast. From tech gurus to authors, educators to activists, the Inspiring Open podcast draws wisdom and insights from women who intersect the 'open movement' and inspire with their thoughts and actions.

Episodes will be released every two weeks throughout 2022, for a total of 16 portraits of amazing women. The first two guests were released during March. They are:
* Anie Akpe, founder of African Women In Tech (AWIT), an Africa-based organisation helping girls and women with education and mentorship within technology, as well as UX Diaspora, a unique community of people of colour in UX who are digitally migrating to educate, connect and inspire one another all over the world. * Maryana Iskander, the Chief Executive Officer of the Wikimedia Foundation. With a proven track record for scaling complex organisations she has dedicated much of her work to breaking down systemic barriers of access to opportunity and education.
Our newest episode is about Maha Bali, an open education innovator. Maha Bali comes from a family of medical doctors but she fancied studying computer science. This was not to last however, as it didn't gel with personality as an extrovert. She then made the happy option of becoming an educator.... You may access the podcast on all the usual podcast plateforms.

As wikipedians, we have paid extra attention to details and worked hard to provide the most enjoyable experience. I invite you to have a look to the dedicated website : https://podcast.wikiloveswomen.org * Records are obviously freely licenced (including music), and a text-based version of the full interview is published * A fine artist have drawn portraits of our guests. Obviously all freely licenced * We have isolated interesting quotes for the immediate benefit of podcast addicts.... and long term benefit of Wikiquote :) * On the website, you may also access specific parts of each episode, reading suggestions and more

Thanks !

Florence / Anthere

Inspiring Open is hosted by Betty Kankam-Boadu, co-founder of the Ghana Women Experts project that promotes women's voices for commentary in the media. Inspiring Open was created and produced by Wiki In Africa's Isla Haddow-Flood and Florence Devouard, produced by Rachel Zadok, and sound engineered by Jey at Melody Hub Studio, Accra, Ghana with portraits of each guest created by Candace di Talamo. The podcast was funded through the International Relief Fund for Organisations in Culture and Education 2021, an initiative of the German Federal Foreign Office, the Goethe-Institut and other partners. Wiki In Africa is supported by the Wikimedia Foundation.