My personal opinion, and I only speak for myself and not the Chapter or the Foundation (I wouldn't dare!).
On Fri, Nov 11, 2011 at 4:11 PM, Lodewijk lodewijk@effeietsanders.orgwrote:
Hi,
thanks a lot all for exmplaining the differences. I would be very much interested to know more about the ''relationship'' between the trust and Wikimedia India. You seem to suggest that trustees get appointed by (or on the advice of - not sure of the legal wording) the WMF - but will Wikimedia India be involved in that too? Since they are the chapter in that country I could imagine them to have a say in it.
Nope. Up until now WMIN has not received any say either with the India Education Programs design and implementation or the structuring of the Wikimedia India Program Trust. And given that not many people are going to talk about it, I don't think much will change in the future.
How closely will this trust and the chapter work together? You mention that there is communication etc - but is cooperation likely to become the default or the exception?
From my own experience and from what I have heard from a fellow Pune
community member, the general community and the Chapter body have been excluded and ignored by WMF consultants from the very beginning. In fact, the Chapter representatives were only invited to attend meetings when Frank Schlenburg and Annie Lin were in town.
And how will it work with regards of who will be the primary point of contact in India for institutions who want to partner with Wikimedia? Will they have to approach one of the two or whichever they like (and if they dont get the answer they like, can they just approach the other?). Will the chapter and the trust be competing with each other or collaborating?
I think there is already a lot of confusion with regard to the two entities operating out of India. Going by the media, news reporters are already very confused by the existence of two Wikimedia bodies and I personally get a lot of queries every week asking me to clarify on the location of Wikimedia offices. With its paid consultants, the local WMF consultants have done a good job of making their presence felt (especially in Western India), and more and more journalists are interested in hearing from WMF (the "international organization") than WMIN.
The initial idea, if I understood it correctly, was to establish another non-profit body within India, for a period of three to five years to execute specific (and large-scale) programmes. As of now, the WIPT (Wikimedia India Program Office) can pretty much do anything it wants with the Wikimedia brand - partner with institutions, raise money locally, have paid employees and bypass community. This is what I foresee happening: WMIN will be involved in community-building and small-scale projects which support volunteers and the WIPT will partner with large institutions in India (who are understandably looking to club with international organizations), get a lot of media coverage and acquire the big grants (since WMIN is not a professional body). WMIN and WIPT will theoretically compete for funding within India, much of which will be allocated to WIPT, given that it is professionalized (and because we never had a chance) and in WMF's good graces. This is how WMIN has been made redundant (something that I have been saying for a long, long time).
The most important difference, something many are uncomfortable talking about, is in the distribution of money. The WIPT in India will have access to *significantly *more WMF funding than WMIN (significant meaning *real significant*). Around the time when discussions about the India Office began, Barry came to India and assured us that the WIPT will only be here for a period of 3-5 years. I am hopeful that the Foundation will stick to its words, and with time we will all learn that small volunteer-driven projects have a larger impact than costly, ill-designed, large-scale programmes run by hired consultants who hire consultants with no relevant background (with a couple of exceptions).
Thanks for helping me seeing the situation more clearly,
No, thank you for asking the right questions.
Lodewijk
anirudh
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