Africa Environment/Microfunding/Wiki for Climate

Submit of request
This request for micro-funding to Africa Environment has just been submitted by Baah Thomas on 21-02-2023 and has been selected for support.


Description

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The Eco Warriors movement, an environmental activity group with the goal of providing a platform to raise awareness of the state of the environment, to reaffirm humanity's undeniable connection to and debt to nature, and to make a call to action to preserve and restore nature for future generations, has partnered with Kumasi Wiki Hub. In addition to raising awareness of the causes and effects of climate change in Africa, our upcoming campaign will teach participants how to effectively communicate environmental concerns and sustainable practices both within the Wikimedia community and externally to a larger audience. As part of this campaign, articles will be translated into the Akan language, and the information on Ghanaian environment, climate change, and other environmental organizations will be improved on Wikiquote, Wikidata, and Wikipedia. By translating content related to climate change, more people can have access to accurate and reliable information on the topic in their native language, increasing awareness and educating at the rural and local level.

Context

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Our goals for this event are to create or improve articles, highlight African women who are involved in climate change, and bring together climate and environmental activists and young people to talk about the negative effects of climate change and how they can use the Wikimedia Projects to raise awareness and look for solutions. Our activities will include recruiting new editors, increasing the usage of Wikimedia projects, and adding high quality content on Climate change. We will organize training which will focus on translating content into Akan Wikipedia, contributing to Wikiquote, Wikidata, and Wikipedia with content on Ghanaian environment, climate change, and other organizations involved in raising awareness about climate change.

  • An outreach dashboard will be created to track the contribution of participants.
  • Participants will be encouraged to join existing Wikimedia Communities eg; Wikimedians for Sustainable Development.


Team

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Request Details

Organization: Kumasi Wikihub & Eco-Warrior Movement

Who to Receive Funds: Individual


Team

  • Baah Thomas (project lead) is an experienced editor and the hub lead for Kumasi Wikihub
  • Otuo Akyampong-Boakye is an experience editor and trainer. He is an Environmental Scientist, Climate Action Advocate, Teacher, Youth Activist and the founder of Eco- Warrior Movement.

Fallout

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  • By having experts and climate activists contribute to Wikipedia articles on climate change, the quality and accuracy of the information on the platform can be improved. This will help ensure that people have access to accurate and up-to-date information on the topic.
  • Participants will learn new skills, including research and contributing to Wikipedia and its sister projects, which will be useful for future climate change activism and community engagement efforts.


For edit-a-thon:

Number of participant: 30

Number of new participant: 15

Number of articles created or improve: 400+

Number of articles translated to Akan Wikipedia: 100+

Number of physical event: 1

Number of Virtual meeting (tutorial): 1

Budget

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Object Unit price (€) Quantity Total (€)
Venue for event $130 1 $130
Certificate for participant $4 30 $120
Internet support $500 1 $500
Branded T-shirts for Project Team $20 2 $40
Projector $100 1 $100
Food/Refresment during the edit-a-thon $10 30 $300
Promotion and publicity $100 1 $100
gifts for 3 top contributors $30 3 $90
Facilitators transport

allowance

$60 2 $120
Total $1500
Approved $1410

Any changes made to the budget after the application is submitted will void the application. You will then need to submit an updated application

Vote

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  • I am in full support of this project Kaffzz (talk) (Eugene Masiku)

This is a great initiative and I totally support this

Final Report

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Final Report
This is the final report on micro-funded project for Africa Environment Wikifocus.

Guidelines

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  • Format of the report : the report must be provided as a wiki page on meta
  • Where to submit your report : Create it to your request for micro-funding. A format has been added to your request for micro-funding. Please provide your report on that wiki page
  • Deadline to submit the report : 15th May 2023
  • Language : English or French

Summary

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Activities Record

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Consider including the following information:

  • What did you do?
  1. We trained tertiary students on how to edit and improve Wikipedia articles
  2. We created a platform to raise awareness of Ghana's environmental situation, to reassert humanity's obvious connection to nature, and to respond to the call to action to preserve and restore nature for future generations.
  3. We gathered climate and environmental activists, as well as young people, to discuss the harmful effects of climate change and how they can use Wikimedia Projects to raise awareness and seek answers.
  4. Translating articles about Ghana and African's environment to the Akan and the Ghanaian Pidgin language.
  • Who organised it all? Who was on your team (who did what?)?
  1. Baah Thomas - Organizer/Project lead
  2. Otuo-Akyampong Boakye - Program Assistant
  3. Xibitgh - Facitator
  • Did any organisations or associations or groups partner with you to make it happen? If so, who are they?
Eco-Warriors Movement-a non-governmental organization in Ghana working with young people on climate change and environmental sustainability.
  • When did you hold events, where and how? How did you let people know about it?
The event was held on 18th March 2023 at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana. To inform people about the event, we used multiple methods of promotion. We shared flyers through social media platforms, which include platforms such as Facebook and Twitter and other relevant platforms. Additionally, we pasted flyers on vital notice boards on the university campus. These strategies aimed to reach a wide audience by utilizing both online and offline channels of communication.

Timelines

  • 18th March 2023 - Talk on African's Environment with the theme: negative effects of climate change in Africa and how we can use Wikimedia Projects to raise awareness and look for solutions. The next session was on how to create, edit and translate Wikipedia articles to different our local languages.
  • 19 March 2023 - Virtual training session of Wiki 101 and 102 (Tutorials)
  • 22 April 2023 - Virtual training (Wiki commons)


  • Who attended your event/s? What did they do at the event? What did they think of the event you held?
  • Project Team
  • Members of Eco-Warriors and Kumasi Wikihub
  • Student from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
Day 1, we organized a talk to educate participant on how we can use open tools to create awareness to solve environmental problems in Ghana and Africa at large. The talk session was led by Otuo-Akyampong Boakye, an awarding wining environmental scientist and climate advocate with international experience in youth work on climate. He shared that open tools

Event Highlights

  1. Activities and Presentations
  • Various activities such as keynote speeches, panel discussions, workshops, and interactive sessions were conducted.
  • Experts and professionals in the field of climate change and environmental sustainability delivered informative presentations.
  • Participants actively engaged in discussions, knowledge-sharing, and brainstorming sessions.

Environmental Impact

1.Awareness and Education
  • The event successfully raised awareness about climate change and environmental issues among the participants.
  • Attendees gained knowledge about the causes and impacts of climate change, as well as potential solutions.
2. Behavior Change
  • Through workshops and interactive sessions, participants were encouraged to adopt sustainable practices in their daily lives.
  • The event aimed to inspire individuals to make conscious choices that reduce their carbon footprint and protect the environment.
3. Networking and Collaboration
  • The event provided a platform for networking and collaboration among professionals, activists, and organizations working in the field of climate change and environmental sustainability.
  • Connections made during the event may lead to future collaborations and initiatives to address climate change and protect the environment.

After the talk and the workshop session, we concluded the day with a Wikipedia training which resulted in 50 edits and the creation of 8 articles.

Day 2 and Day 3, How to edit Wikipedia and Wiki commons training were successfully organized via zoom.

  • See the list of participants here

Documentation of activities

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Consider including the following information:

  • Photo gallery of the events
Sample of certificate Awarded to participants
Certificate
  • Quotes reflecting participant experiences
  • ""Attending Wiki for Climate was an eye-opening experience that deepened my understanding of climate change and inspired me to take action. It's time for us to be the change we wish to see in the world." - Opoku Akaadom Sympathy (User:Opoku Akaadom Sympathy)
  • "The interactive workshops at [Event Name] allowed me to engage in meaningful discussions with experts and fellow participants. I now feel more equipped to address climate change challenges and advocate for a greener future." - Asamoah Daniel Kwame Oware (User:Asamoah Daniel Kwame Oware)
  • "The Wikipedia training session during [Event Name] showed me the power of collective knowledge-sharing. By contributing to climate change articles, we can make vital information accessible to a global audience." - Nicole Gyebi (User:Nicole Gyebi)


  • Social media posts and/or reports
  1. Wiki for Climate event page on Facebook
  2. Post made by Eco-Warriors on Facebook about Wiki for Climate
  3. Post made by Ghanian Pidgin Language on Twitter about Wiki for Climate
  • Links to any media coverage

None

Goals and Outcomes

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Did you meet your goals? Are you happy with how the project went?

We are delighted to announce that we successfully accomplished our project goals. We met all the objectives within the designated timeframe and overcame challenges along the way. The project consisted of one in-person event and two virtual events, with a recorded total of 44 participants, including 15 new attendees. The event dashboard indicated the active participation of 33 editors in the campaign. As a result, we saw the creation of 170 articles and the editing of 1440 articles, with a combined total of 17,000 edits including contributions to Wikidata and Wikicommons. Overall, I am satisfied with the outcome and how the project unfolded.

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Please use the table below to report on the outcomes achieved, starting with the original targets you shared in your proposal for the microgrant.

Final project metrics
Proposed metrics Anticipated outcome Achieved outcome Explanations
Number of Applicants 30 40 The actual number of participants surpassed our initial expectations.
Number of events 2 3 We did have much time to do more live edit during our in-person so we agreed and organized virtual tutorials for attendees and also people who couldn't attend the event
Number of articles created or improve 400 170 articles created, 1440 articles improved Participants created new articles, improved stud article and translated articles to Akan and the Ghanaian Pidgin Language

Learnings

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What did you learn? What are you proud of? What was challenging? From this experience, what would you do differently if you had to do it again?

1. What did you learn?
  • I learnt more about the environment and connected lot individuals with different professions
2. What are you proud of?
  • Successfully raising awareness about climate change and environmental issues among attendees and also contributing solutions to African's climate change impact
3. Challenges?
  • Most of the participant faced IP address block which prevented them from editing Wikipedia. We got it resolved at the later part of the campaign
  • During the event, we received enthusiastic expressions of interest from other Ghanaian Wikipedia user groups who wanted to join. However, due to the limitations of the project, enrolling additional participants became challenging. This experience has highlighted the importance of expanding our capacity to accommodate a larger number of people for future events. By recognizing the value of accommodating a larger audience, we aim to create an environment where more individuals can actively engage, share their knowledge, and contribute to future events

Finances

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How did the initial proposed budget compare to the final costs of the project? Were there any unexpected costs or changes to your initial budget.

The proposed budget for the project initially aligned closely with the final costs. However, as we encountered a higher number of participants and an additional meeting beyond our initial expectations, we recognized the need to make adjustments to effectively handle the unforeseen circumstances and cater to the increased numbers. To address these changes, we reallocated resources to accommodate the additional participants and ensure the seamless execution of the event. While no major unexpected costs were incurred, these modifications played a crucial role in successfully accommodating the excess participants and maintaining the smooth flow of the event. By proactively managing the adjustments in our budget and resources, we were able to adapt to the evolving needs of the project and fulfill our commitment to providing a valuable experience for all participants. This experience has emphasized the importance of flexibility and contingency planning to ensure the successful execution of future events.

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Use the table below to display your initial request, include the approved line items on your proposal and the proposed cost of these. Insert the real cost of each expected line. Add extra lines for additional expenses that were not anticipated in the proposed budget. If your budget is in local currency, please use the exchange rate on the date (or an average of the dates) that your money was transferred to your account. Historic mid-rates can be found here.

Please reuse your initial request, provide initial budget for each line, indicate actual expense for each line, and finally justify significant differences.

Final Cost of Project
Proposed line item Initially budgeted Actual spend Explanations (of differences)
Venue for event $130 $130
Certificate for participant $120 $120
Internet support $500 $550
Branded T-shirts for Project Team $40 0 funds was used for internet support
Projector $100 $80 The remaining funds was used to support refreshment
Food/Refresment during the edit-a-thon $300 $310 extra money was added
Promotion and publicity $100 $100
Facilitators transport

allowance

$120 $120

Total grant money agreed (in USD):$1410

Total grant money received (in USD or local currency):$1410

Exchange rate on day/s of receipt of funds: Ghana cedis 10.94 per dollar

Total project spent (in USD or local currency):$1410

Unspent funds
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If there are remaining funds, please list the amount here. Remaining funds should be discussed with the Wiki In Africa team. Think about what you would like to do with the remaining funds to further this project. Let us know your ideas below.

Unspent amount (in USD):None

Anything else

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Here you can include any information you think would be useful for the organising teams to know.

We are immensely thankful for the financial support extended to us for organizing a climate change and environment event in Africa. We are immensely proud of the impact generated through this event. The knowledge shared, ideas exchanged, and connections forged during the event will have far-reaching implications for our environment and the communities we serve. Your support has made a significant difference, empowering us to amplify our collective efforts in combating climate change and preserving our planet for future generations.