Grants:Simple/Applications/Wikimedia South Africa/2021

Application or grant stage: approved
Applicant or grantee: Wikimedia South Africa
Amount requested: US$31,900.00
Amount granted: ZAR 419,330.49 (US$31,000)
Funding period: 1 July 2021 - 30 June 2022
Midpoint report due: 15 January 2022
Final report due: 30 July 2022

Application

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Background

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Annual Plan

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  • Required. Link to any outside relevant document around your annual plan.
    • For returning grantees, the annual plan should focus on what is being done differently compared to last year.
    • New summaries or explanations are not required for any continuing programs from the previous grant that have no or minimal changes, and can be linked to a previous proposal for reference.
    • 2000-word limit recommended. If you have an annual plan already prepared for other purposes that is over 2000 words, this is satisfactory, and it is not necessary to prepare a separate one for your Simple APG application. Please clearly indicate any new programs or changes from last year.


Wikimedia South Africa 2021/22 Annual Plan

Budget Plan

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  • Required. Link to your budget plan.
    • Total budget for each program overall
      • Overall budget for each major activity in a program, but not necessary to provide budget for specific activity-level expenses (such as travel, food, equipment, swag, etc.)
    • Staffing / compensation costs for each funded role
    • Operational expenses with some detail, especially around larger expenses such as office space, rent, and accounting / bookkeeping services.


Wikimedia ZA draft budget and resource plan 2021/22

Staffing Plan

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  • May be required. Link to your staffing plan if you are requesting staff. If you're asking for staff for the first time, please give a rationale (and talk to your program officer). Staffing Plan should only include:
    • Name of staff roles
    • Names of individuals filling those roles (if known)
    • Brief description of responsibilities. 2-3 sentences or a list of primary responsibilities is satisfactory. A full job description can be linked, but is not necessary.
    • Indication of FTE (full-time equivalent hours) and duration of employment / contract.
    • Focus on newer roles only. Existing roles that are unchanged can be copied verbatim from past applications.
WMZA Administrator
  • Job title: Administrator
    • Who is filling this role?: Shupai Schnabel Mchuchu (ShupaiMchuchu(ZA))
    • Brief description: The Administrator is a management leader for the chapter. Their key duties will mostly be focused on chapter administration but will also support fundraising, and will provide training on best practices in organizational governance. The Administrator will also oversee all public-facing communications and partnerships relations. They will report directly to the Board of Directors.
    • Indication of FTE and duration of work: 1.0 FTE, with a renewable contract for 12 months.
    • Please see the 2021/22 staffing plan for more information

Strategic plan

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Introduction

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  • Wikimedia ZA (WMZA), also known as Wikimedia South Africa, is the thematic group for Wikipedia editors and other free knowledge supporters in South Africa. WMZA is a volunteer driven membership organisation founded in 2012. The organisation is focused on supporting the growth of the free knowledge movement in the country by growing the community of editors, strengthening community health, and improving coverage of South African content on Wikipedia and related Wiki projects.

Programs

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  • Required. Each program should contain only the following information:
    • Name of program
    • Brief description of overall program
      • A comprehensive list of activities for a program is optional, and no extensive description of these activities is required.
    • Description of SMART objectives or goals for that program
    • Target metrics at the overall program level (not the activity level)
    • Brief explanation of why this program is important in relation to your organizational strategy or movement strategy (2-3 sentences).
    • Word limit for each program description is 300 words.

For a table summarising all the programs, their goals, and how they fit into the chapter's overall 5 year plan please see the chapter's 2021 SMART matrix.

Wiki Loves Science

Wiki Loves Science South Africa

This is the South African component of the international Wiki Loves Science photographic competition (aka Wiki Science Competition ZA). The Competition aims to improve Wikipedia by increasing the number, range and quality of photographic of scientific relevant content to Wikipedia from the local scientific community. This will be the first time that this event has happened in South Africa. A key focus of this project is the development of partnerships with the local scientific community and its component organisations.

Program Objectives
  • Increase the quality and diversify of science related photographs for use on Wikipedia.
  • Make existing public domain content held by national institutions more freely and broadly available through the Wikimedia projects.
  • Increase the awareness and understanding within the scientific community regarding open knowledge, free licences and Wikimedia projects by hosting 5 public workshops aimed at audiences unfamiliar with these concepts.

Planned activities

  • Hosting contribution workshops digitally
  • Developing partnerships with local scientific organisations

Why are we doing this?

There is a need for more science related multimedia to better illustrate Wikipedia articles. Currently South African content on such articles is greatly lacking. This project will seek to remedy this whilst also increasing awareness of the free knowledge movement within the local scientific community.

Program metrics and targets
  • Number of participants to workshops: 50
  • Number of newly registered users during workshops: 35
  • Number of pictures and videos of places uploaded to Wikimedia Commons: 1000
  • Number of agreements made with GLAM institutions to release public domain content: 1
African Language Outreach

African Language Outreach (championship programme)

Promoting the editing and reading of South African language Wikipedias by finding local celebrities to publicly advocate for them thereby increasing public awareness. This project is a continuation from 2020/21 which was stalled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting lockdown. This project requires a long period of consistent network building and partnership development so as to find, onboard, and focus passionate volunteer language enthusiasts who will raise awareness to the public.

Program Objectives
  • Increase the quality and diversify free knowledge about our country and other identified topics on Wikimedia projects through discrete improvements to 1000 articles.
  • Make existing public domain content held by three (3) national institutions more freely and broadly available through the Wikimedia projects.
  • Increase the awareness and understanding of the public regarding open knowledge, free licences and Wikimedia projects by hosting 5 public workshops aimed at audiences unfamiliar with these concepts.

Planned activities

  • Networking and partnership development
  • Coaching and movement on-boarding

Why are we doing this?

There is a lack of awareness of the existence of Wikipedia in South African languages other than English. Even those who are aware are unaware that Wikipedia is created by volunteer editors who are members of the public like them selves. In other words, they are unaware that anyone can edit Wikipedia and that these language Wikipedias need their love an attention. By finding passionate volunteer African language champions to raise awareness amoungst the general public it is hoped that this will help kick-start the growth of the editing communities on African language Wikipedia.


Program metrics and targets
  • Number of champions: 3
  • Number of members of the public reached: 100,000
  • Number of new editors to South African language Wikipedias: 50
African language writing competition

African language writing competition

Writing competitions and other similar events designed to incentivise the editing of African language Wikipedias to improve their quality. This project is a continuation from 2020/21 which was stalled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting lockdown. Writing competitions are intended to be initiated in a number of African languages based on the availability of a chapter volunteer to run the event in their respective language. A nominal prize is offered to participants who contribute the most content in their respective language. The event is held on a language by language basis.

Program Objectives
  • Increase the quality and diversify free knowledge in South African language Wikipedias through discrete improvements of existing articles or by adding new articles.

Planned activities

  • Digitally based writing competition initiated by chapter member volunteers from different South African language Wikipedias.

Why are we doing this?

South African language Wikipedias are in need of expanding the range and depth of content they cover so as to better serve their linguistic community. This project hopes to mitigate this problem by encouraging and focusing South African language editors to expand content on Wikipedia in their respective languages.


Program metrics and targets
  • At least 5,000 edits by participants
  • At least 500 articles edited or created
Afrikaans training workshop

Afrikaans training workshop

Afrikaans language Wikipedia has requested support to host a small number of training sessions to introduce Afrikaans speakers to editing Wikipedia. This event will be driven by volunteers from the Afrikaans language community but they have requested support with supporting costs for the training sessions. In person events on subject to the ever evolving COVID 19 situation in South Africa and WMF policy on this issue. If in-person events are not possible then the training will entirely be conducted remotely.

Program Objectives
  • Increase the number of Afrikaans Wikipedia editors by lowering the barriers to barriers for new people to edit Wikipedia through training.

Planned activities

  • Hosting training workshops

Why are we doing this?

The Afrikaans language community has requested this support from the South African chapter. This will help encourage more people to edit Wikipedia whilst also increasing awareness amoungst training participants of how the Wikipedia community functions and our collection culture of editing.

Program metrics and targets
  • 40 participants
  • 300 new articles
  • 600 edited articles
  • 10 new chapter members
University and School digital roadshow

University and School digital roadshow

Road show to build partnerships and find local champions to promote the editing of Wikipedia in educational institutions. Due to COVID 19 this project will be digitally based until travel restrictions are lifted after which chapter volunteers will travel to meet with people to build these partnerships. This project is a continuation from 2020/21 which was stalled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting lockdown. This project is dependent on COVID-19 restrictions being lifted in the 2021/22 year.

Program Objectives
  • Networking and partnership development with South African universities
  • Increase awareness of open knowledge projects such as Wikipedia

Planned activities

  • Developing partnerships with universities

Why are we doing this?

Universities have been identified by the chapter as key mission aligned partners for future cooperation in the context of promoting the free knowledge movement in South Africa.


Program metrics and targets
  • Participants- 250
  • New users - 200
  • People reached - 5000
Lib1Ref

Lib1Ref

Continued support for the Lib1Ref project in South Africa. The increased number of librarians in Wikimedia South Africa and amoungst the local editing community is a testament to the success of this project over the past couple years. We would like to continue support for this project by continuing to assist in hosting events for local librarians and continue the projects long term success. Currently this is a volunteer support project only and so will not require funding. This project is a continuation from 2020/21 which was stalled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting lockdown.

Program Objectives
  • Increase awareness of Wikipedia and the free knowledge project amoungst South African librarians.
  • Continue to strengthen the chapter and movement's relationship with the librarian community.

Planned activities

  • Assistance with hosting of 1Lib1Ref events and activities in the country.

Why are we doing this?

To strengthen the chapter and movement's relationship with the local librarian community.


Program metrics and targets
Wikipedia banner awareness campaign

Wikipedia banner awareness campaign

A banner add campaign on main space Wikipedia targeted at Wikipedia readers without a login name. The campaign will focus on raising awareness of Wikipedia, how it works, and the need for more people to edit it. This project is a continuation from 2020/21 which was stalled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting lockdown.

Program Objectives
  • Rise awareness amoungst South African readers of Wikipedia that it can be edited by anyone.
  • Encourage South African Wikipedia readers to edit Wikipedia.

Planned activities

  • A two to three month banner campaign on Wikipedia targeting South African readers.

Why are we doing this?

Outreach work done by the South African chapter over the past few years has highlighted a low level of awareness amoungst South Africans of how Wikipedia works. Relatively few South African readers of Wikipedia seem aware that Wikipedia is open to anyone to edit. This project assists with the General Outreach work being done by the chapter.


Program metrics and targets
  • Number of impressions amoungst South African readers of Wikipedia: 100,000
Wikipedia bookshelf

Wikipedia bookshelf

A resource for local Wikipedia editors to gain access to reference material when editing Wikipedia. A small budget will be provided to provide access to reference material that can be used on Wikipedia and that can be shared with other Wikipedia editors when that material has been used. The project will be managed by the chapter administrator.

Program Objectives
  • Provide South African Wikipedia editors with access to reference material so as to improve the quality of South Africa related Wikipedia topics.

Planned activities

  • Providing access to reference material through the bookshelf programme.

Why are we doing this?

In the past local Wikipedia editors have repeatedly requested access to reference material that would otherwise cost them money. By providing some modest funding to purchase access to reference material we will be lowering barriers for chapter/community members to edit a high quality Wikipedia in multiple different local languages.


Program metrics and targets
  • Number of books or academic journal articles bought for chapter members: 10
Wiki Loves Fynbos

Wiki Loves Fynbos

Wiki Loves Fynbos is a photographic competition to encourage people to upload photographs of South African plants for use on Wikipedia. Wikimedia South Africa has long identified a need for more and better quality images of South African flora for use on Wikipedia. The competition aims to invite people to submit photographs of South African flora as well as encourage institutions to donate or otherwise also upload their collections of photographs of South African plants. The Afrikaans language version Wikipedia has expressed particular enthusiasm for this project.

Program Objectives
  • Increase the number of photographs of South African plant species on Wikipedia commons.
  • Improve coverage on Wikipedia of South African plant species by providing photographs to illustrate articles.

Planned activities

  • Host a photographic competition to encourage people and organisations to upload botanical related photographs to Commons.
  • Encourage the editing community to use the photographs to illustrate Wikipedia articles.

Why are we doing this?

There is a need for photographs of South African plants so as to better illustrate Wikipedia articles.


Program metrics and targets
  • At least 40 participants
  • At least 1000 images submitted
  • At least 500 images used on Wikipedia
Cape Town TV Hackathon event

Cape Town TV Hackathon event

Setup of technology to support local Kiwix projects. Rolled over from 2019. The metric of success here is the successful implementation of this project. This project is a continuation from 2020/21. The volunteer in charge of this project is now confident that the project partner is well positioned to action this project. In the past the implementation of this project was postponed due to the project partner not being fully prepared to implement it.

Program Objectives
  • Ability to update Kwix units in the greater Cape Town area via TV signals.

Planned activities

  • Hosting contribution workshops
  • Developing partnerships with GLAMs

Why are we doing this?

It will be a technically groundbreaking achievement if we can remotely update Kiwix unites via Television signals. This will assist the offline Wikipedia project by making it easier to automatically or remotely update Kiwix through means other than the internet.

Program metrics and targets
  • Successful setup of technology to allow for remote Kiwix updates.

Grant Metrics Reporting

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Required. Metrics, targets and results: grants metrics worksheet here.

Needs Request

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Optional. The Community Resources team would like understand the best way to support the success of your programs and organization in general. If you have any requests or needs you have related to your programs, organizational operations, or other needs below under the appropriate section, please describe them here. You may instead e-mail simple wikimedia.org to reach your program officer if you prefer.

Suggestions for Simple APG Application process

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  • ...

Requests for programmatic support

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For example, requesting guidance or expertise from Wikimedia Foundation staff on GLAM- or Education-related areas.

  • ...

Requests for operational support

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For example, requesting guidance or expertise from Wikimedia Foundation staff on public communications, financial practices, or hiring procedures.

  • ....

Other requests

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  • ...

No requests needed

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If you have no specific requests, please confirm this here.

  • ...

Midterm report

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Program story

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Optional. Please tell or link to one program story that showcases your organization's achievements during the reporting period. This can be another meta page, a blog post or any other source that tells your program story.

Program Progress

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PROGRAM TITLE

Spending update Midterm

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Please link to a detailed financial report for your spending during the first half of your grant period. This should be in the same format as your detailed budget from your Simple APG application.

Please include the total amount of Simple APG funds you spent during the grant period:

  • XXXXXX.XX USD/Local currency

Grant Metrics Reporting Midterm

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Metrics, targets and results: grants metrics worksheet here.

Final report

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Noting here that the final report is at WM ZA/Annual Report 2021-22#Final report (second half of FY2021/22) and has been reviewed and accepted by WMF as of 31 August 2022. -- JTud (WMF), Grants Administrator (talk) 16:54, 7 September 2022 (UTC)

Program story

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Optional. Please tell or link to one program story that showcases your organization's achievements during the reporting period. This can be another meta page, a blog post or any other source that tells your program story.

Learning story

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Optional. Please link to one learning story that shows how your organization documents lessons learned and adapts its programs accordingly.

Programs Impact

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PROGRAM TITLE

Spending update Final

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Please link to a detailed financial report for your spending during the grant period. This should be in the same format as your detailed budget from your Simple APG application.

Please include the total amount of Simple APG funds you spent during the grant period:

  • XXXXXX.XX USD/Local currency

Grant Metrics Reporting Final

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Metrics, targets and results: grants metrics worksheet here.