WM ZA/Annual Report 2023-24
This report covers Wikimedia South Africa's activities for the fianical year 2023-24 using funding from the 2023-24 annual grant provided by the Wikimedia Foundation. This covers the period from 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024.
Chapter governance edit
Wikimedia South Africa elected a new board for the the year up to November 2023 in 1 October 2022 and elected a new board for the year up to 26 October 2024 on 18 November 2023.
Annual General Meeting edit
- see also: Wikimedia ZA AGM 2023
Chapter strategic retreat edit
- see also: Wikimedia ZA Retreat 2023
WMZA Administrator edit
- WMZA volunteers: Bobbyshabangu & Discott
Wikimedia South Africa has had a full time employee since March 2020 who performs all administrative and clerical duties in the Chapter as well as assistant volunteers on their project in logistical aspects of the projects Some of the changes and impact brought about bringing the administrator in the chapter has been to coordinate and manage activities including organising meetings, conferences, and other gatherings and taking minutes, Coordinating travel and accommodation, assist in planning and organising events, maintain chapter records, databases, and filing systems, assist with overseeing interns and doing other ad-hoc duties in the chapter.
Some of the project she helped managed include
Bobby Shabangu and Douglas Scott manages the administrator by way of having checking in meetings every Friday. Administrator's Work Plan can be viewed HERE.
Wikimedia ZA Internship Programme edit
- see also:Wikimedia South Africa/Internship Programme
- WMZA volunteers: Bobbyshabangu
Over the years we have noticed huge number of young graduate who find it difficult to enter the labour market due to lack of work experience. We've also notice that most of them use Wikipedia but are not aware that they can contribute to the site. In this regard, the chapter initiated a Communications internship programme with the aim:
- to provide an opportunity for young South African graduates from previously disadvantaged communities to gain experience in the labor market and give them a leg up to get employment opportunities while
- to introduce them to Wikimedia and activate them to contributors.
- to increase the visibility of the chapter in the media.
What the programme achieved thus far edit
- Thus far we've had four interns participate in the programme.
- two interns went on to get permanent employment, because of the experience gained from our programme
- one remains an active Wikipedian.
Afrikaans intern edit
- WMZA volunteers: Oesjaar
Afrikaans Academy partnership edit
- WMZA volunteers: Oesjaar
Mid term activity report edit
This mid-term report covers the period from July to December 2023. Wikimeida South Africa divides its activities into two activity types: outreach and community support.
Outreach edit
Outreach activities are those that support and enhance the growth and awareness of Wikipedia and the free knowledge movement in Southern Africa.
Schools Afrikaans writing Competition edit
- WMZA volunteers: Oesjaar
<add photograph from awards> <put Deon's report here>
SWIP Wiki training edit
- WMZA volunteers: Bobbyshabangu & Discott
- see also: SADiLaR workshops 2023
In February 2023 WMZA was approached by SADiLaR with an exciting progect proposition. They suggested that we run a series of workshops with South African language translators, academics, and enthuasts in all of South Africa's Universities covering as many of South Africa's offical languages as possible. WMZA has a strong commitment to growing Wikipedia in South African languages. This presented its self as an excellent opportunity to do so at a time when most South African language Wikipedias are experiencing very slow growth.
Later on the South African Language Board also joined this project and it was renamed SADiLaR WIkipedia Pan-South Africa Language Board or SWIP.
- <mention how it become SWIP instead of SADiLaR>
- <project launch September - add link>
- <seminar in December - add link>
We Are Women - Mamafubedu edit
- WMZA volunteers: Bobbyshabangu & MollelwaFahaSaBasotho
- see also: We Are Women - Mamafubedu
The We Are Women edit-a-thon was a writing and translating workshop held on 11-12 August 2023 at Rhino Heritage Park in partnership between Wikimedia ZA and Elandskop Outdoor Museum, Mamafubedu (previously known as Petrus Steyn). The aim of the event was to improve Wikipedia article about notable Sotho women, Sotho content and SeSotho language.
Eswatini Wikipedia and Translation Project edit
- WMZA volunteers: Bobbyshabangu
- see also: Wiki Loves SiSwati
This was a partnership between Librarians working from the University of Eswatini and Wikimedia ZA to increase entries in SiSwati Wikipedia as well as to activate new users who speak SiSwati and raise awareness about the dearth of the language online.
The project ran over a period of 5 weeks where in 3 days was dedicated to training the participants and the rest of the days allowed the participants to write articles. The top 3 participants who contributed the most were awarded with a computer, a tablet and a data bundles as prices.
WISCom Retreat edit
- WMZA volunteers: Bobbyshabangu
- See also: WISCom Retreat
Wikimedia ZA assisted in the organisation and hosting of WikiIndaba Steering Committee ( WISCom) Retreat in Johannesburg, most notably in organising the logistics of the event and handling the dissemination of funds for the purpose of hosting the conference.
Note: Not funded through the annual grant, funded through another special grant from the WMF.
WikiIndaba 2023 edit
- WMZA volunteers: Bobbyshabangu
- Project partner: Wikimedia User Group Morocco
- see also: WikiIndaba conference 2023
Wikimedia ZA assisted in the organisation and hosting of WikiIndaba 2022 in Rwanda, most notably in handling the dissemination of funds for the purpose of hosting the conference.
Note: Not funded through the annual grant, funded through another special grant from the WMF.
Community edit
Community support refer to chapter activities that support and strengthen the local Wiki editing volunteer community.
Meetups edit
<list meetups in July - December 2023 period>
Offline Wikipedia Hackerthon edit
<insert link to Michaels report and give a one paragraph summary>