Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/Conference Fund/WikiIndaba South Africa 2024

statusUnder review

Conference and Event Fund

WikiIndaba South Africa 2024

proposed start date2024-04-01T00:00:00Z

proposed end date2024-11-30T00:00:00Z

budget (local currency)3586950.2 ZAR

amount requested (USD)207469.2 USD

decision fiscal year2023-24

applicant• User: Bobbyshabangu

organization (if applicable)• Wikimedia ZA

Friendly Space Policy

Universal Code of Conduct

Application Privacy Statement

This is an automatically generated Meta-Wiki page. The page was copied from Fluxx, the grantmaking web service of Wikimedia Foundation where the user has submitted their application. Please do not make any changes to this page because all changes will be removed after the next update. Use the discussion page for your feedback. The page was created by CR-FluxxBot.

Applicant details

A. Are you applying as a(n)

Wikimedia Affiliate (chapter, thematic org., or user group)

B. Full name of organization presenting the proposal.

Wikimedia ZA

F. Do you have an account on a Wikimedia project?

Yes

F1. Please provide your main Wikimedia Username.

User: Bobbyshabangu

F2. Please provide the Usernames of people related to this proposal.

User:Bobbyshabangu User:Discott User:Kateregga1 User:Pauline

G. Are you legally registered?

Yes

If you are applying as an individual or your group is not a legally registered nonprofit in your country, we require that you have a fiscal sponsor.

I. Fiscal organization name.

N/A

Objectives and Strategy

1. Please state the title of your proposal.

WikiIndaba South Africa 2024

2.1. When will the event begin? Please enter the event start date.

2024-10-04

2.2. When is the last day of your event?

2024-10-06

3.1. When will you begin preparing for your event?

2024-04-01T00:00:00Z

3.2. When will you expect to complete your last event payment?

2024-11-30T00:00:00Z

4. In which country will the conference take place?

South Africa

4.1. In which city will the conference take place?

Johannesburg

5. Is it a remote or in-person event?

Hybrid event

5.1. What will be the total number of participants at the event? (including scholarship recipients + organizing team + other guests + self funded guests) (required)

150

6. Please indicate whether your work will be focused on one country (local), more than one or several countries in your region (regional) or has a cross-regional (global) scope.

Regional

6.1. If you have answered regional, please write the country names and any other information that is useful for understanding your proposal.

This conference is for affiliates and Wikimedians in the African continent and diaspora.

7. If you would like, please share any websites or social media accounts that your group or organization has.

www.wmza.co.za

8. Do you work with any thematic or regional platforms such as WISCom, CEE, Iberocoop, etc.

Yes

8.1. Please describe what platforms and your work with them.

We will use the Afrika Baraza platform, a virtual platform for African Wikimedians to connect, collaborate and have meaningful conversations. Most of the volunteers in this conference are members of WISCom, and they will be handling communications, scholarships and the programme.

9. Please describe the target participants for this event.

Our target participants are African Wikimedians and Africans in the diaspora. We aim to have 60% experienced editors and 40% new editors split for the attendees of the conference. Our definition of a newbie is an editor who has created an account within 12 months before the conference and has at least 50 edits in any wikimedia project. We also aim to invite mission aligned local organisation partners and stakeholders. It will be beneficial to have more Africans not only attending but also contributing to moderating the sessions, leading in such spaces where the African agenda is being discussed and planned.

10. Please provide the link to the event's page if you already have one.

https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/WikiIndaba_conference_2024

The following questions (11-14) will refer to the Community Engagement Survey which is required in order to submit a proposal. Here is the survey form that you can copy and use (if the link does not work): https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1ieEI8EFf2vxjD9wN_h8-srYeRCp4fhSp7_1_wiR2jh8/edit. This survey is required to access a Conference grant.

11. How many people did you send the community engagement survey to?

500

11.1. When did you conduct the survey, and for how long?

Between 21 January with a due date of 2 February, but we are keeping the survey opened until June to allow those who missed the deadline to fill it as well.

12. How many people responded to the survey?

158

13. What are the main objectives of the event?

The overarching goal of WikiIndaba 2024 is to convene, connect and create collaboration spaces for African Wikimedians. We are looking to bring together African Wikimedians to celebrate their achievements and milestones showcasing impactful projects, initiatives, and success stories since this marks a decade since the first WikiIndaba was held in Johannesburg. We are also looking to discuss challenges that we face ahead, and find solutions to promote the growth and sustainability of the Wikimedia movement in the region.

This year's conference, to be held in Johannesburg, will serve as an instrumental platform for participants to learn from each other, exchange ideas and strategies, and explore opportunities for cross-border collaboration. With a projected attendance of 150 participants (both in-person and online), the conference will also provide training, mentorship, and networking opportunities for attendees, in order to inspire the next wave of contributors and leaders.

14. Based on survey responses, what are the most important things your community should do at the conference to achieve these objectives?

According to the survey, the most important topics that communities wants to discuss are:

• Skills Development (78.3%)
• Community Trends and Innovation (70.1%)
• Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (54.8%)

Areas they think need to be focused on during the the WikiIndba conference are:

• Networking and Mentorship Programms (81.5%)
• Roundtable discussion on global collaboration (61.1%)
• Innovation labs for tech integration (58%)

The most important goal, problem, or obstacle they think the African community should focus on in the next 12 months are:

• Support new innitiatives (68%)
• Enhance collaboration (67%)
• Expand Wikimedia Awerness (65%)

15. Please state if your proposal aims to work to bridge any of the identified CONTENT knowledge gaps (Knowledge Inequity)? Select up to THREE that most apply to your work.

Content Gender gap, Geography, Language, Important Topics (topics considered to be of impact or important in the specific context), Cultural background, ethnicity, religion, racial

15.1. In a few sentences, explain how your work is specifically addressing this content gap (or Knowledge inequity) to ensure a greater representation of knowledge. (optional recommended).

We know that the coverage of Africa as a region in Wikimedia projects is very low compared to Europe and North America (e.g less than 5% of All content in English WIkipedia is about African topics). All affiliates and community members working in their countries and in their local languages are directly involved in bridging the content-gap about Africa and by extension addressing Knowledge Equity.

16. Please state if your proposal includes any of these areas or THEMATIC focus. Select up to THREE that most apply to your work and explain the rationale for identifying these themes.

Education, Advocacy, Culture, heritage or GLAM , Open Technology, Diversity

17. Will your work focus on involving participants from any underrepresented communities?

Gender Identity, Sexual Orientation, Geographic , Ethnic/racial/religious or cultural background, Linguistic / Language

18. Do you intend to invite or engage with non-Wikimedian individuals or organizations? If so – can you explain your intention for this outreach?

We plan to invite three keynote speakers from Sadilar (with expertise in digital languages), PenSalb ( African language board), and the Goethe Institut (promoting cultural exchange). This will not only cultivate partnerships but also potentially lead to funding collaborations and joint Wikimedia projects, like digitising local archives and creating content in under-represented languages.

19. What will you do to make sure participants continue to engage in your activities after the event?

We will use the Afrika Baraza platform to ensure participants continue to engage with activities after the event. This will be done by way of group discussion, interviews and following up on some cases to see how the conference influenced their work.

20. In what ways do you think your proposal most contributes to the Movement Strategy 2030 recommendations. Select a maximum of THREE options that most apply.

Increase the Sustainability of Our Movement, Provide for Safety and Inclusion, Ensure Equity in Decision-making, Coordinate Across Stakeholders, Invest in Skills and Leadership Development

Logistical Aspects

21. Do you have any proposed venue for the event?

The proposed venue is the Blu Radisson Hotel, Sandton - Daisy Street. The hotel is about 5 mins drive from the Gautrain Station, which connects directly to O.R Tambo International Airport. The hotel also provides its own shuttle services to the O.R Tambo International Airport. It is located within the Sandton city business district and has all facilities necessary to host the conference including reliable wifi, main hall and break-away rooms.

22. Is the event venue and hotel accessible for people with physical disabilities?

Yes

23. How many scholarships would you like to offer?

We aim to offer a total of 125 scholarships as follows:

• 70 international full scholarships
• 20 Micro grants
• 10 Virtual scholarships
• 15 Local scholarships
• 10 Organizing team

24. What expenses will the scholarship cover?

Full Scholarship: Covers flights (round trip), visas, accommodation, meals, conference access, and social event.

Partial Scholarship: Covers everything except flights.

Virtual/Micro Grant: Covers local ground travel, snacks, childcare, and venue hire.

Local Scholarship (SA Users only): Covers ground travel, flights, accommodation, meals, conference access, and social event.

Organizing Committee: Receives full scholarship benefits.

25. How will scholarship recipients be selected?

Scholarship recipients will be selected according to the Wiki Indaba Guidelines and based on: Affiliate representation Gender parity (As much as possible) 60% Experienced vs 40% Newbie split Proposal for speaking at the conference

26. In which ways can Wikimedia Foundation staff support your event onsite?

We would appreciate the following support from WMF Staff: Legal and Safety support Outreach and Communications support Community resource & Grant making support Partnership support Affiliate recognition support Community Strategy support Media training

26.2. Do you intend to invite any WMF staff members to your event? (please note that all WMF staff travel and accommodation costs will be covered by the foundation). Please indicate what is the limit number of WMF staff members you would like to welcome at your event.

We would like to have 20 Wikimedia Foundation staff.

27. Please outline the roles and responsibilities of the organizing team for the conference.

The organising team shall be responsible for: Drafting event proposal and grant request Co-Selection and awarding of scholarships with WISCom Soliciting suppliers for reasonable Venue and Conferencing facilities Working with a travel agent to book and coordinate flights Organising Accommodation and Airport transfers Co-designing conference program with WISCom Managing finances and payments General marshalling of conference participants Assess and provide support for safety and security during stay in Johannesburg. Solicit an event organiser for conference planning. Marketing and communication - increasing the visibility of the event in the media. Resource mobilisation - sourcing partnership and sponsorship for the event.

28. Do you have plans to co-organize the event with other Wikimedia communities, groups or affiliates?

Yes

28.1. If yes, can you please explain how you are going to co-organize the event and what responsibilities each partner will have.

We are looking to have WISCom take responsibilities of some of the roles including the programme which will be led by Alice Kibombo from Uganda and Dumisani Ndubane who is WMF Liason to WISCom, Communications will be led by Geoffrey Kataregga WISCom member and will be assisted by Belinda from WMF, Scholarship will be led by Isaac Olundante from Nigeria who is also member of WISCom and will be assisted by Reda Benkhadra from Morocco who is also member of WISCom. We will then have sub-committees to assist the Core Organising Team. All logistics will be handled in South Africa by our staff.

29. What kind of risks do you anticipate and how would you mitigate these?

There will be general elections earlier in the year 2024 (April) in South Africa. Generally, South Africa has peaceful elections, however we shall be keeping a close eye in the elections. We also note that the conference will take place later in the year (in October) when elections would have been long gone. There is a risk that some selected candidates will not receive a visa. To mitigate this, we plan to (1) Start the visa process ASAP, and (2) have a plan B with a waiting list to know whom to invite if some candidates do not have a visa and (3) we plan to host a hybrid event to allow people to host watch parties and participate online as well.

30. Friendly space policy - Please add the link to the friendly space policy that your community will be using for this event.

https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Friendly_space_policies

AND

https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Universal_Code_of_Conduct

Learning, Sharing, and Evaluation

31. What do you hope to learn from your work organising this conference?

We see WikiIndaba 2024 as a conference that truly brings Africans together regardless of the language barriers. We would like for this conference to be truly inclusive for French speakers, English speakers as well as Arabic speakers.We also hope to learn more about the challenges facing these diverse communities, including learning about strategies they use to activate and retain new users as well as strategies they use to support their existing communities and if they are able to raise funds outside of WMF how are they doing so. Finally, we would like to learn about how they are able to resolve conflict management.

32. Main open metrics

Main Open Metrics Data

Main Open Metrics	Description	Target
Newbie Editor Activation	A percentage of Newbie editors who are motivated and activities to run initiatives in their communities/countries Target (1) 50% of newbies who attended the conference run their own initiatives 6 months after the conference	N/A
Movement growth and regional cooperation	Metrics Description (2) A percentage of invites from Countries without Affiliates, start plans to organise their communities Target (2) At least 2 more countries start affiliate set-up 6 months after the conference, and at least 2 affiliates collaborate in a project across geographic region	N/A
Regional leadership activation	Metrics Description (3) Clarification of regional leadership and cooperation Target (3) 2 More community members volunteer to support WISCom	N/A
Raise Wikimedians awareness	Number of Wikimedians who have had their article tagged for speedy deletion, IP blocked in English, Arabic and French Wikipedia. What do they understand about policies in these languages Target (4) 3 admin/stewards attend the WikiIndaba conference	N/A
Gender equity	Ensure that different genders are represented in the conference, in an equal manner Target (5) Minimum of 40% non-male attendees.	N/A

Financial Proposal

33. What is the amount you are requesting from Wikimedia Foundation? Please provide this amount in your local currency.

3586950.2

34. Select your local currency.

ZAR

Requested amount in USD

207469.2 USD

35. Please upload your budget for this proposal or indicate the link to it.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1IhnoJMaIQWr02dHBWenX9IBapom63PGeM6QsG3I7lWE/edit#gid=0

36. Do you expect to receive funding for this conference from other organizations to support your work?

No

36.1. If yes, what kind of resources are you expecting to get?

We/I have read the Application Privacy Statement, WMF Friendly Space Policy and Universal Code of Conduct.

Yes

Please use this optional space to upload any documents that you feel are important for further understanding your proposal.

Other public document(s):

Endorsements and Feedback

Please add endorsements and feedback to the grant discussion page only. Endorsements added here will be removed automatically.

Community members are invited to share meaningful feedback on the proposal and include reasons why they endorse the proposal. Consider the following:

• Stating why the proposal is important for the communities involved and why they think the strategies chosen will achieve the results that are expected.
• Highlighting any aspects they think are particularly well developed: for instance, the strategies and activities proposed, the levels of community engagement, outreach to underrepresented groups, addressing knowledge gaps, partnerships, the overall budget and learning and evaluation section of the proposal, etc.
• Highlighting if the proposal focuses on any interesting research, learning or innovation, etc. Also if it builds on learning from past proposals developed by the individual or organization, or other Wikimedia communities.
• Analyzing if the proposal is going to contribute in any way to important developments around specific Wikimedia projects or Movement Strategy.
• Analysing if the proposal is coherent in terms of the objectives, strategies, budget, and expected results (metrics).

Endorse