Grants talk:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/Free Knowledge Africa Development and GLAM Support

Feedback from the Middle East and Africa Regional Funding Committee on your proposal

Hello , Free Knowledge Africa,

Thank you for submitting the application for this round of funding. We recognize the interest to continue working on Wiki Voyage and remain keen to learn from your final report on the overall impact you have had on this Wikimedia project.

To support us in the next stage of the review process, please find our comments below for your consideration;

• Please review your learning and evaluation section and especially aligning your learning questions to metrics that can support you in learning.
• We take note that from your mid-point report, you were not able to accomplish what you planned to accomplish for that period and had challenges with the Afro sports contest and Explore Africa for instance and with this knowledge ;
  • Are curious on the learnings gained and how those inform this proposal.
  • We see the need to implement projects at a small scale or reduced scope to support you in learning what areas of work are most effective and that are commensurate to your capacity?
  • Will you be continuing with the podcast program?
• We saw you have a mini-grant budget item but did not see this information on the application. Would you share more for us to understand the motivation, the need , how it aligns with your objectives and strategies and capacities to implement?
• We are of the opinion that - Instead of focusing on many activities and projects, perhaps you can focus on a few innovative projects and activities. Try them with a smaller scale, learn, and if they are successful repeat them next year with a much larger scale. For example, Wiki Voyage. - What are your thoughts on this recommendation.
• We are keen to learn on how you have engaged the community in the development of the plan and in the implementation of your past projects?
• Please share more on the impact of the Plateau State project ; what has been the impact so far? What informs the opportunity to grow this project? Would you share the expected outcomes of the engagement involving videography?
• Please share more on the structure in place to support the internet support provision.
• Would you clarify what this includes ‘ Cost of training equipment and onboarding of twelve enumerators to identify and document works in the public domain’ ?
• Regarding the public domain database - we are curious to know if you have considered creating the database on Wikidata? And if not, is this something you can do and are there limitations you envision in doing so?
• We find the roles indicated for the project to not be commensurate with the scope of the project? And the same for the programs in relation to the requested budget? Would you share on the rationale for having 4 paid staff.
• The essence of the Wikimedia Movement is volunteerism - a global movement of volunteers contributing to achieve the mission, how are you permeating and enabling this philosophy and attitude  in your community? 

As always we recommend meeting with the regional program officer to support you in providing any clarity needed with the feedback shared here. The committee is also available to meet and join the call if that would be meaningful for you - just let the program officer know.

Thank you so much and we continue to appreciate your work and role in advancing the mission of the movement.

On behalf of the MEA Regional Committee and Staff , VThamaini (WMF) (talk) 06:54, 25 April 2023 (UTC)

Hi VThamaini (WMF), Here are the responses to the questions from the grant committee.

Q: We take note that from your mid-point report, you were not able to accomplish what you planned to accomplish for that period and had challenges with the Afro sports contest and Explore Africa for instance and with this knowledge ;

Qi: Are curious on the learnings gained and how those inform this proposal.

A: The mid-point report only covered the Explore Africa contest and our Open GLAM advocacy campaign. The Afrosports contest recently ended and it was a great success as our expectations and target were surpassed. Going forward, we decided to pause organizing contests indefinitely while we work on resolving the issues we had. We also plan to focus on and explore other ways to encourage people to contribute to the projects. We decided to stop organizing contests that incentivize winners with prizes because participants most times only contributed during the contests. We decided to have monthly editing workshops and we believe this is a better way to inspire and equip participants to contribute to Wikimedia projects. By focusing on education and community building, rather than just offering prizes for winning contests, we can create a more sustainable and engaged community of contributors.

During these workshops, we would cover topics such as:

• How to navigate Wikimedia platforms and contribute effectively
• Best practices for editing and creating content
• Tips for sourcing reliable information and avoiding plagiarism
• Strategies for collaborating with other contributors
• Discussions about the broader goals and impact of Wikimedia projects

In addition to these workshops, we will also consider hosting regular meetups or online forums where participants can connect with each other, share their work, and receive feedback from experienced contributors. This type of ongoing engagement can help create a sense of community and belonging, which in turn can encourage participants to stay involved over the long term.

Overall, by shifting our focus to education and community building, we can create a more sustainable and engaged community of contributors who are motivated to contribute to Wikimedia projects for reasons beyond just winning a prize.

Qii: We see the need to implement projects at a small scale or reduced scope to support you in learning what areas of work are most effective and that are commensurate to your capacity?

A: We have tested our ideas, executed a pilot project, identified areas for improvement, and built a solid foundation for sustainable growth. We believe that with adequate support we would be able to scale our impact from previous years and more importantly make gains on the work we are doing with Public Domain and Open licenses in Africa.

Qiii: Will you be continuing with the podcast program?

A: Yes, we will be continuing the podcast program as part of our current grant program.

Q: We saw you have a mini-grant budget item but did not see this information on the application. Would you share more for us to understand the motivation, the need , how it aligns with your objectives and strategies and capacities to implement?

A: The mini-grant budget item is a part of the Free Knowledge Fellowship Program. After training the fellows and equipping them with the skills they need to become free knowledge advocates, we plan to provide mini-grants to 12 fellows to implement their own projects.

Providing mini-grants to fellows is a great way to encourage independence and foster leadership skills, especially when it comes to community-based initiatives. By empowering fellows to design and implement their own projects, we are giving them the opportunity to put their new skills into practice and make a meaningful impact in their communities.

In addition to the immediate benefits for the fellows themselves, providing mini-grants can also help to build a broader network of free knowledge advocates and supporters. As the fellows share their knowledge and skills with others, they can help to create a ripple effect that extends far beyond the initial group of participants.

To ensure the success of this approach, we believe it's important to provide clear guidelines and expectations for the use of the mini-grants, as well as ongoing support and mentorship for the fellows as they implement their projects. By providing a solid framework for their work and helping them to navigate any challenges that arise, you can help to ensure that their projects are effective and impactful.

Q: We are of the opinion that - Instead of focusing on many activities and projects, perhaps you can focus on a few innovative projects and activities. Try them with a smaller scale, learn, and if they are successful repeat them next year with a much larger scale. For example, Wiki Voyage. - What are your thoughts on this recommendation.

A: Our proposed programs cut across our current programs with a significant bit of overlap in the programs. The Free Knowledge Fellowship Program, Wiki Tourism Education Program, Monthly editing workshops, and Advocacy and outreach program are all focused on training and equipping community members to become open knowledge advocates and contributors in their respective fields. These programs align with Free Knowledge Africa's overall objective of promoting free and open knowledge by Africans in travel, sports, tourism, geography, and cultural heritage towards sharing and contributing to global knowledge.

The Public domain database, Documentation of Cultural Heritage Sites in Plateau State, and other similar programs fall under the category of knowledge preservation and dissemination. The documentation of cultural heritage sites, for instance, will help preserve the knowledge and history of cultural sites in Plateau State for generations to come, which aligns with Free Knowledge Africa's overall objective of promoting the sharing and contribution of global knowledge. This will also help to leverage on our existing partnerships with government agencies and cultural heritage institutions in Plateau State from our Open GLAM advocacy campaign last year.

Overall, these proposed programs have a significant overlap with Free Knowledge Africa's current programs, and they reinforce the organization's objectives and strategies. The proposed programs seek to expand and enhance the impact of Free Knowledge Africa's ongoing programs by reaching out to new audiences and creating new opportunities for collaboration and knowledge-sharing.

Q: We are keen to learn on how you have engaged the community in the development of the plan and in the implementation of your past projects?

A: During past projects, we informed the community by sharing announcements of the projects on the African Wikimedians’ mailing list. We also reached out to various user groups through their community talk pages to call for jurors and trainers during the contests.

Q: Please share more on the impact of the Plateau State project ; what has been the impact so far? What informs the opportunity to grow this project? Would you share the expected outcomes of the engagement involving videography?

A: The project has helped to create a more comprehensive understanding of the cultural history and heritage of Plateau State and has made this information more accessible to the general public. The documentation of cultural heritage sites in Plateau State has also helped to raise the profile of the state as a cultural and heritage destination, potentially leading to increased tourism revenue for the state.

The opportunity to grow this project lies in the potential to expand the documentation of cultural heritage sites in Plateau State and to involve more community members in the documentation process. By expanding the project, we can help to preserve and promote a wider range of cultural heritage across Nigeria. Additionally, by involving more community members in the documentation process, we can build a larger network of open knowledge advocates and contributors, further advancing our mission of promoting free and open knowledge in Nigeria.

The expected outcomes of the engagement involving videography are to create a comprehensive documentation of cultural heritage sites in Plateau State through the use of videos. The videos will include interviews with local people who have knowledge of the history and cultural significance of the sites, as well as descriptions of the sites themselves. The videos will be edited to include subtitles and brief historical and cultural descriptions of the sites. These videos will be made available on Wikimedia Commons and social media platforms for easy access to a wider audience, helping to promote greater awareness and appreciation of Nigeria's cultural heritage.

Q: Please share more on the structure in place to support the internet support provision.

A: Internet bundles will be distributed to participants in our monthly workshops and to volunteers who assist in setting up the program. We would use a spreadsheet to track disbursement and payment of the internet costs through various internet service providers. The budgeted amount is a rough estimate of how much we foresee on spending to supporting participants and volunteers with internet access, considering that this has been major impediment to participation and contribution.

Q: Would you clarify what this includes ‘ Cost of training equipment and onboarding of twelve enumerators to identify and document works in the public domain’ ?

A: The cost of training equipment and onboarding of twelve enumerators to identify and document works in the public domain is for training and equipping librarians with the necessary skills and tools to identify, document, and digitize works in the public domain. Thia involves providing training on copyright and public domain laws, as well as on digitization techniques and tools. The enumerators could be librarians or library staff members who are tasked with identifying and documenting public domain works in the library's collection or in the community. The cost would cover the purchase or rental of equipment such as cameras, scanners, and computers, as well as any necessary software and training materials. The end goal is to create a comprehensive database of public domain works that can be accessed and used freely by anyone, thereby promoting greater equity and inclusion in knowledge production and sharing.

Q: Regarding the public domain database - we are curious to know if you have considered creating the database on Wikidata? And if not, is this something you can do and are there limitations you envision in doing so?

A: The database would be created on Wikidata and files uploaded on Wikimedia Commons. However, there would be a front-facing website where people can explore works in the database visually and have a brief synopsis and historical context of the work is all about. In summary, the website is to promote ease of accessibility to the works on Wikimedia Commons and Wikidata.

Q: We find the roles indicated for the project to not be commensurate with the scope of the project? And the same for the programs in relation to the requested budget? Would you share on the rationale for having 4 paid staff.

A: Regarding the roles indicated for the project not being commensurate with the scope of the project, it is important to note that the roles listed in the proposal are only a starting point and can be adjusted based on the needs of the project. The proposed roles are intended to provide a framework for the project and ensure that there is adequate capacity to implement the various activities proposed.

As for the four paid staff, it is important to note that implementing the proposed activities will require a significant amount of time and resources. The four paid staff members will be responsible for managing the various activities proposed in the project, coordinating with partners, and ensuring that the project objectives are met. Additionally, having dedicated staff will ensure that the project is implemented efficiently and effectively, and that the desired outcomes are achieved.

It is also important to note that while the budget may seem large, the proposed activities are complex and will require a significant amount of resources to implement effectively. The budget has been carefully considered to ensure that there is adequate funding to cover the costs of the proposed activities, including personnel, equipment, training, and other necessary expenses.

Q: The essence of the Wikimedia Movement is volunteerism - a global movement of volunteers contributing to achieve the mission, how are you permeating and enabling this philosophy and attitude in your community?

A: Here are some of the ways permeating and enabling the philosophy and attitude of volunteerism in our community:

Celebrating and recognizing volunteers: We acknowledge the contributions of volunteers publicly and regularly. By celebrating our volunteers, we show that their contributions are valued and encourage others to get involved.

Providing opportunities for skill-building and learning: Volunteerism can be an excellent way to gain new skills and experiences. We offer training sessions or workshops to help volunteers develop their skills and learn new ones. This also helps retain volunteers and keep them engaged in the work.

Fostering a sense of community: We created a sense of belonging among volunteers by creating opportunities for them to connect with each other. This has created a support system that encourages ongoing engagement.

Encouraging volunteer-led initiatives: We give volunteers the freedom to take on projects and initiatives that they are passionate about. This not only fosters a sense of ownership and pride but also helps identify new opportunities for growth and impact. Timmylegend (talk) 07:33, 8 May 2023 (UTC)

Wikimedia Community Fund Approved in the amount of 25000 USD

Dear, Free Knowledge Africa,

Thank you for submitting your application seeking General Support Funds - Wikimedia Community Fund. The Middle East and Africa Regional Committee and Staff have reviewed your application and approved funding in the amount of $25,000 for the period of July 2023 - June 2024.

As mentioned on email - After a thorough review and discussion on your proposal and based off the information you shared with us as part of responding to feedback and questions, we make the following notes and recommendations;

We believe that the group is still learning and experimenting with programs to learn which ones best serve the communities you are working with. To support this learning process, additional growth may not be advisable at this stage and instead we recommend that you take time establishing working programs and with time consolidate them. We also believe it is not necessarily prudent at this stage to bring in new roles especially as you continue to experiment, learn and adapt your program to establish what works. We are also unclear about the organizational capacity to implement a mini-grants program at this stage. We believe that there are other ways you can support your community apart from the mini-grants. We are of the opinion that it is still early for you to have established the need or opportunity for mini-grants yet. We recommend reviewing contests knowing there are other benefits of organizing contests which includes capacity building and community building as well. We say this having noted your mention that the Afro sports contest was a huge success. You can learn from the WPWP Campaign on how they have addressed the element of incentives. Lastly, we recommend establishing a volunteer led advisory board to support in ensuring healthy governance. We would hope to see more volunteers taking lead including on matters related to the governance of the community.

We hope this feedback and recommendations are useful in guiding your work now and in the future. Thank you for your contribution to the movement ; we value you as a community and partner in the movement and remain committed to ensuring you are supported in your work. On behalf of the MEA Regional Committee and staff , --Aristidek5maya (talk) 14:20, 29 May 2023 (UTC)