Hello Board, Here are the answers to the questions 1. Why do you think you suit to be in the board of WMKE? I have been a part of WMKE for over a year now and I have seen it grow. I understand the tasksand challenges that lie ahead and I believe taking a lead role as a Board member I am going to leverage on the lessons and experiences that I have learned since I joined so that we Make Wikimedia Kenya a chapter of excellence and a model to be emulated all across our continent. Having worked in the education and technology field for quite sometime I know that knowledge is a great resource that has the capacity to change generations and alter the course of history for the better. I am therefore very supportive of the Wikimedia Vision and I will bring with me my experience as an open source enthusiast and a Webfwd for the success of the chapter.
2. What is your take on the level of participation of members in WMKE projects/meetings/mailing list? Anything you think should be done differently?
We Should work to improve member participation and come up with projects. I do believe the mailing list is a good form of communication but only if used in the right way so that we have only the most important and relevant information on the mailing list and not too much that it causes inconvenience.
3. As a board needs members with different skills (e.g. administrative, financial, public relations etc), please tell us which particular skill set have you worked in previously, like in another society or organisation?
I bring with me plenty of experience in management having worked in the educational field as an administrative assistant at Bridge international Academies, as an Operations Associate at Mprep and also as agribusiness officer at PanAAC.
I am also good in networking and building communities and I hope to use this skills in improving wikimedia Kenya
4. Which languages have you worked in so far? And what is your position on both a language policy and a language strategy for WMKE?
I have worked on Swahili and English and I beleive we should really work more in improving the local languages particularly swahili.
5. How would you best deal with the issue of editor attraction and retention in our local chapter so as to ensure the growth of WMKE as a whole?
I will encourage more outreach projects to educational institutions and also work towards having entry level projects for the newbies. e.g Wikpedia Takes Nairobi.
6. Now that we are an independent chapter, how do you plan to raise funds supposing the parent Wikimedia Foundation won't avail funds to run the aforementioned project?
Having taken part in the annual fundraiser I learned a lot of lessons on the topic.
1. Wikimedia Fundraiser is facilitated by 2 things, Banners and Appeals.
2. The banners and appeals used in other parts of the world may not have the same impact as it does here in Kenya.
We therefore need to come up with Banners and that best describe our local experience and also have a lower level of contribution that most people can afford. I am thinking of the Kenyans for Kenya intitiative where it was possible for people to donate as low as 10Shs.
Therefore working with the team we will come up with the best fundraiser strategy that best fits our local chapter.
7. What kind of a project/ activity would you envision WMKE and its members undertake in order to fulfill the objectives of Wikimedia Foundation as a whole?
We need to further on the exiting offline project and also work on attracting more editors in our Swahili Wikipedia. My goal is to have at least 300 edits per month on Swahili Wikipedia.
The other project is partnering with chapters in other parts of the world on potential projects that can be replicated locally. e.g the Wik1 Africa project.
Warmly, Isaac K. Kosgei. Bachelor of Agribusiness Management +254727553981 SkypeProfile: Kipsizoo http://ke.linkedin.com/in/kipsizoo Twitter: @kipsizoo Blogs: www.kipsizoo.blogspot.com Agribusiness Blog "My satisfaction comes from my commitment to advancing a better world" - Faye Wattleton
Branton,
Thank you for posting Isaac's responses. Following his responses, I have some questions for Isaac. Should I send them to you off-list, or ask them on this thread?
Abbas.
Date: Thu, 29 Mar 2012 20:33:28 +0300 From: bruceobwari@gmail.com To: wikimediake@lists.wikimedia.org Subject: [Wikimedia Kenya] RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS BY KOSGEI
Hello Board, Here are the answers to the questions
- Why do you think you suit to be in the board of WMKE?
I have been a part of WMKE for over a year now and I have seen it grow. I understand the tasksand challenges that lie ahead and I believe taking a lead role as a Board member I am going to leverage on the lessons and experiences that I have learned since I joined so that we Make Wikimedia Kenya a chapter of excellence and a model to be emulated all across our continent. Having worked in the education and technology field for quite sometime I know that knowledge is a great resource that has the capacity to change generations and alter the course of history for the better. I am therefore very supportive of the Wikimedia Vision and I will bring with me my experience as an open source enthusiast and a Webfwd for the success of the chapter.
- What is your take on the level of participation of members in WMKE
projects/meetings/mailing list? Anything you think should be done differently?
We Should work to improve member participation and come up with projects. I do believe the mailing list is a good form of communication but only if used in the right way so that we have only the most important and relevant information on the mailing list and not too much that it causes inconvenience.
- As a board needs members with different skills (e.g.
administrative, financial, public relations etc), please tell us which particular skill set have you worked in previously, like in another society or organisation?
I bring with me plenty of experience in management having worked in the educational field as an administrative assistant at Bridge international Academies, as an Operations Associate at Mprep and also as agribusiness officer at PanAAC.
I am also good in networking and building communities and I hope to use this skills in improving wikimedia Kenya
- Which languages have you worked in so far? And what is your
position on both a language policy and a language strategy for WMKE?
I have worked on Swahili and English and I beleive we should really work more in improving the local languages particularly swahili.
- How would you best deal with the issue of editor attraction and
retention in our local chapter so as to ensure the growth of WMKE as a whole?
I will encourage more outreach projects to educational institutions and also work towards having entry level projects for the newbies. e.g Wikpedia Takes Nairobi.
- Now that we are an independent chapter, how do you plan to raise
funds supposing the parent Wikimedia Foundation won't avail funds to run the aforementioned project?
Having taken part in the annual fundraiser I learned a lot of lessons on the topic.
Wikimedia Fundraiser is facilitated by 2 things, Banners and Appeals.
The banners and appeals used in other parts of the world may not
have the same impact as it does here in Kenya.
We therefore need to come up with Banners and that best describe our local experience and also have a lower level of contribution that most people can afford. I am thinking of the Kenyans for Kenya intitiative where it was possible for people to donate as low as 10Shs.
Therefore working with the team we will come up with the best fundraiser strategy that best fits our local chapter.
- What kind of a project/ activity would you envision WMKE and its
members undertake in order to fulfill the objectives of Wikimedia Foundation as a whole?
We need to further on the exiting offline project and also work on attracting more editors in our Swahili Wikipedia. My goal is to have at least 300 edits per month on Swahili Wikipedia.
The other project is partnering with chapters in other parts of the world on potential projects that can be replicated locally. e.g the Wik1 Africa project.
Warmly, Isaac K. Kosgei. Bachelor of Agribusiness Management +254727553981 SkypeProfile: Kipsizoo http://ke.linkedin.com/in/kipsizoo Twitter: @kipsizoo Blogs: www.kipsizoo.blogspot.com Agribusiness Blog "My satisfaction comes from my commitment to advancing a better world"
- Faye Wattleton
WikimediaKE mailing list WikimediaKE@lists.wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediake
Thanks Abbas just follow his thread and address them to him he will be able to respond we once again call on members to engage contestants directly rgds
On 3/29/12, Abbas Mahmood abbasjnr@hotmail.com wrote:
Branton,
Thank you for posting Isaac's responses. Following his responses, I have some questions for Isaac. Should I send them to you off-list, or ask them on this thread?
Abbas.
Date: Thu, 29 Mar 2012 20:33:28 +0300 From: bruceobwari@gmail.com To: wikimediake@lists.wikimedia.org Subject: [Wikimedia Kenya] RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS BY KOSGEI
Hello Board, Here are the answers to the questions
- Why do you think you suit to be in the board of WMKE?
I have been a part of WMKE for over a year now and I have seen it grow. I understand the tasksand challenges that lie ahead and I believe taking a lead role as a Board member I am going to leverage on the lessons and experiences that I have learned since I joined so that we Make Wikimedia Kenya a chapter of excellence and a model to be emulated all across our continent. Having worked in the education and technology field for quite sometime I know that knowledge is a great resource that has the capacity to change generations and alter the course of history for the better. I am therefore very supportive of the Wikimedia Vision and I will bring with me my experience as an open source enthusiast and a Webfwd for the success of the chapter.
- What is your take on the level of participation of members in WMKE
projects/meetings/mailing list? Anything you think should be done differently?
We Should work to improve member participation and come up with projects. I do believe the mailing list is a good form of communication but only if used in the right way so that we have only the most important and relevant information on the mailing list and not too much that it causes inconvenience.
- As a board needs members with different skills (e.g.
administrative, financial, public relations etc), please tell us which particular skill set have you worked in previously, like in another society or organisation?
I bring with me plenty of experience in management having worked in the educational field as an administrative assistant at Bridge international Academies, as an Operations Associate at Mprep and also as agribusiness officer at PanAAC.
I am also good in networking and building communities and I hope to use this skills in improving wikimedia Kenya
- Which languages have you worked in so far? And what is your
position on both a language policy and a language strategy for WMKE?
I have worked on Swahili and English and I beleive we should really work more in improving the local languages particularly swahili.
- How would you best deal with the issue of editor attraction and
retention in our local chapter so as to ensure the growth of WMKE as a whole?
I will encourage more outreach projects to educational institutions and also work towards having entry level projects for the newbies. e.g Wikpedia Takes Nairobi.
- Now that we are an independent chapter, how do you plan to raise
funds supposing the parent Wikimedia Foundation won't avail funds to run the aforementioned project?
Having taken part in the annual fundraiser I learned a lot of lessons on the topic.
Wikimedia Fundraiser is facilitated by 2 things, Banners and Appeals.
The banners and appeals used in other parts of the world may not
have the same impact as it does here in Kenya.
We therefore need to come up with Banners and that best describe our local experience and also have a lower level of contribution that most people can afford. I am thinking of the Kenyans for Kenya intitiative where it was possible for people to donate as low as 10Shs.
Therefore working with the team we will come up with the best fundraiser strategy that best fits our local chapter.
- What kind of a project/ activity would you envision WMKE and its
members undertake in order to fulfill the objectives of Wikimedia Foundation as a whole?
We need to further on the exiting offline project and also work on attracting more editors in our Swahili Wikipedia. My goal is to have at least 300 edits per month on Swahili Wikipedia.
The other project is partnering with chapters in other parts of the world on potential projects that can be replicated locally. e.g the Wik1 Africa project.
Warmly, Isaac K. Kosgei. Bachelor of Agribusiness Management +254727553981 SkypeProfile: Kipsizoo http://ke.linkedin.com/in/kipsizoo Twitter: @kipsizoo Blogs: www.kipsizoo.blogspot.com Agribusiness Blog "My satisfaction comes from my commitment to advancing a better world"
- Faye Wattleton
WikimediaKE mailing list WikimediaKE@lists.wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediake
Hi Kosgei, Please respond to the question below:
Can you describe a time --either in your Wikimedia work or elsewhere-- in which you were able to help people with strongly-different views reach a successful outcome on an important issue, via a consensus-seeking process? (Abbas)
The answer to the question by Abbas is that when we were looking for someone to sent to Tanzania in November last year we had a number of people who had indicated interest to attend me included and we only needed one person, in my firm beleive that we need more members to get new experience I offered to withdraw my intend to attend and to support a member who had not participated before thus endorsed Steve and hence make the process easier.
On 29/03/2012, Chris Riwa chriwaustin@gmail.com wrote:
Hi Kosgei, Please respond to the question below:
Can you describe a time --either in your Wikimedia work or elsewhere-- in which you were able to help people with strongly-different views reach a successful outcome on an important issue, via a consensus-seeking process? (Abbas)
-- *Chris A. Riwa* Research Specialist and Consultant Mobile: *+254(0)725-930-850 *e-mail:
- *chriwaustin@gmail.com*
- *otieno_chris@yahoo.com*
- *chriwaustin@facebook.com*
Skype: *chriwaustin* Twitter: *@chriwaustin* Facebook: *facebook.com/chriwaustin*
OK, Since it seems that Isaac's preferential mode of answering the questions is via this list, I will engage him here. Isaac, I am not sure whether you understood my question. What I basically asked is for you to tell me of an incident, if any, where you led a group that had divergent to achieve consensus. In the scenario that you just gave, 1) you withdrew your nomination and 2) I fail to see the part where you were able to convince us to let Stephen go to Tanzania, since there weren't any members who (openly) opposed to Stephen's going. [You can check the archives to see the role that you played when we were discussing the Tanzania training: http://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikimediake/2011-November/thread.html] Best,Abbas.
Date: Thu, 29 Mar 2012 23:02:53 +0300 From: kipchogekosgei@gmail.com To: wikimediake@lists.wikimedia.org Subject: Re: [Wikimedia Kenya] RESPONSE TO QUESTIONS BY KOSGEI
The answer to the question by Abbas is that when we were looking for someone to sent to Tanzania in November last year we had a number of people who had indicated interest to attend me included and we only needed one person, in my firm beleive that we need more members to get new experience I offered to withdraw my intend to attend and to support a member who had not participated before thus endorsed Steve and hence make the process easier.
On 29/03/2012, Chris Riwa chriwaustin@gmail.com wrote:
Hi Kosgei, Please respond to the question below:
Can you describe a time --either in your Wikimedia work or elsewhere-- in which you were able to help people with strongly-different views reach a successful outcome on an important issue, via a consensus-seeking process? (Abbas)
-- *Chris A. Riwa* Research Specialist and Consultant Mobile: *+254(0)725-930-850 *e-mail:
- *chriwaustin@gmail.com*
- *otieno_chris@yahoo.com*
- *chriwaustin@facebook.com*
Skype: *chriwaustin* Twitter: *@chriwaustin* Facebook: *facebook.com/chriwaustin*
-- Isaac K. Kosgei. Bachelor of Agribusiness Management +254727553981 SkypeProfile: Kipsizoo http://ke.linkedin.com/in/kipsizoo Twitter: @kipsizoo Blogs: www.kipsizoo.blogspot.com http://www.kipsizoo.blogspot.com/%20 Agribusiness Blog http://www.kipsizoo.wordpress.com/ "My satisfaction comes from my commitment to advancing a better world" - Faye Wattleton
WikimediaKE mailing list WikimediaKE@lists.wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediake
wikimediake@lists.wikimedia.org