[Wikimedia-l] Farewell

[Hisham]

Dear Wikimedia Community

Here's a copy of an email I have just sent to all the individual community mailing lists in India.

I'm writing to inform you that I plan to leave my current role supporting Wikimedia in India.  I am going to be exploring opportunities and evaluating options that are closer to my career aspirations and my personal circumstances.  I will be working through to ensure that there is a smooth transition - and this is likely to take 2-3 months.  I am writing now because I felt it appropriate and opportune to inform you as early as possible. 

I want to start off by thanking the Wikimedia community and movement for giving me this extraordinary opportunity.  Working on something like India Program has been something that has been professionally enriching and personally fulfilling. Over the past 1 1/2 years, I have been supported by so many of you - and I want to thank you for everything you have done!  The passion and intellectual firepower of our community has been my constant source of drive and guidance.  There are so many examples of powerful stories from all over the country: the incredible efforts put in by the IEP Campus Ambassadors in Pune; the army of volunteers that drove the outreach push across the country in the first few months of this year; the beautiful stories of fantastic community initiatives from far and wide across the country and sub-continent, and indeed the world; the remarkable stories from so many communities - large, small and tiny ones!

I want to thank the team that I have had the pleasure and privilege of working with - Nitika, Noopur, Shiju & Subha.  You guys have been wonderful.  The work that we are doing is experimental and we have been innovating every day, and I know the circumstances have not always been easy.  Take strength and inspiration from the large number of community members who have been touched by you and appreciate your efforts and value your work.
 
I will send an actual "over and out" message later.  In the meantime, I will continue to work on everything that needs working on.

Happy Editing!

Warmest Regards,

hisham