Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/Rapid Fund/Ghanaian Languages Meetup (ID: 22067664)/Final Report
Report Status: Under review
Due date: 2023-08-09T00:00:00Z
Funding program: Rapid Fund, Wikimedia Community Fund
Report type: Final
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- Title of Proposal: Ghanaian Languages Meetup
- Username of Applicant: DaSupremo
- Name of Organization: N/A
- Amount awarded: 5100.03
- Amount spent: 4998.8 USD, 61350 GHS
Part 1 Understanding your work edit
1. Briefly describe how your proposed activities and strategies were implemented
In the Ghanaian Wikimedia Languages Meetup, a variety of activities and strategies were implemented to promote language diversity, cultural exchange, and knowledge sharing within the Wikimedia community. The event showcased the efforts and achievements of various language communities, while also addressing challenges and exploring future opportunities. We first reached out to all language communities in Ghana through their talkpages and emails to inform them of the next steps after the application and the set plans for the meetup. We also reached out to other organisations who were interested in the digitization of Ghanaian languages including the Dagbani Language Teachers Associations, Rising Voices, Art + Feminism and Wikimedia Language Diversity Hub. We created a meta page for the meetup where we highlighted all the information people needed to know about the event as well as the timelines. We then shared flyers across our social media accounts to increase awareness about the meetup. We set up adhoc committees to man the activities. These include:
- The communication committee
- The scholarship committee
- The programs committee
60 participants were selected from 9 language Wikimedia communities which were Kusaal, Ewe, Dagaare, Twi, Dagbani, Ghanaian Pidgin, Gurene, Fante, and Moore Wikimedia for the in person meet up. Two day hybrid event was organized aimed at strengthening the Wikimedia ecosystem in Ghana and knowledge sharing by participants.
2. Were there any strategies or approaches that you felt were effective in achieving your goals? Please describe these strategies and approaches.
Yes, several strategies and approaches implemented during the Meetup were effective in achieving the goals of promoting language diversity, cultural exchange, and knowledge sharing. Here are some of the notable strategies that contributed to the success of the event:
- Documentation and Translation Projects: The focus on documenting indigenous traditions and rudiments of translations of content demonstrated the effectiveness of targeted content creation. By prioritising specific areas of knowledge, the community was able to provide valuable resources that resonated with speakers and addressed their information needs. This strategy will not only enrich Wikipedia but also fostered a sense of ownership and pride among community members.
- Community Engagement and Building: The emphasis on community engagement activities, such as traditional games and singing local songs, created a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere. These activities helped participants connect with their cultural roots, fostering a sense of belonging. By nurturing a strong community spirit, the event encouraged active participation, collaboration, and the sharing of knowledge and experiences.
- Outreach and Partnerships: The exploration of partnerships with other language communities and educational institutions demonstrated a proactive approach to expanding the reach and impact of the Communities. Collaborating with other communities provided opportunities for knowledge exchange and mutual support.
3. Please use this space to upload media and other files that help tell your story and impact.
Field to type in URLs.
Meta page to the event (https://w.wiki/6dhJ) Wikimedia Commons gallery (https://w.wiki/6pEn) https://citinewsroom.com/2023/05/ghanaians-charged-to-digitize-local-languages-on-wikimedia-platforms/ghanaian-wikimedians-language-meet-up/ https://www.myjoyonline.com/ghanaian-wikimedia-languages-meet-ups-begin-in-tamale/ https://afrisquare.africa/ghana-wikimedia-languages-meet-ups-begin-in-tamale/ https://twitter.com/DigiAfricanLang/status/1656697363665154049?s=20 https://twitter.com/DigiAfricanLang/status/1656617386794004481?s=20
4. To what extent do you agree with the following statements regarding the work carried out with the support of this Fund? You can choose “not applicable” if your work does not relate to these goals.
| A. Bring in participants from underrepresented groups | Strongly agree |
| B. Create a more inclusive and connected culture in our community | Strongly agree |
| C. Develop content about underrepresented topics/groups | Strongly agree |
| D. Develop content from underrepresented perspectives | Strongly agree |
| E. Encourage the retention of editors | Strongly agree |
| F. Encourage the retention of organizers | Strongly agree |
5. Is there anything else you would like to share about how your efforts helped to bring in participants and/or build out content, particularly for underrepresented groups?
Throughout the Ghanaian Wikimedia Languages Meetup, participants actively engaged in a range of indoor activities, including traditional games like Kuraya Kuraya, which involved hand clapping and rhythmic movements, promoting cultural exchange and interaction among attendees. Singing local songs further showcased the rich musical heritage of Ghana and provided an opportunity for cultural expression and unity. On the second day of the meetup began with a recap of the previous day's events, highlighting the progress made, achievements, challenges, and ideas shared. This recap allowed participants to reflect, build upon the momentum created, and foster continuity in the discussions and activities. A learning session was conducted, led by User:Dnshitobu, focusing on various tools on Wikidata that enhance the usefulness of content on Wikipedia. Participants gained hands-on experience with tools such as Hay Toolforge, Catanalysis Tool
Part 2: Your main learning edit
6. In your application, you outlined your learning priorities. What did you learn about these areas during this period?
During the period of executing the project, several valuable insights were gained in the areas of strengthening the community, improving collaboration and communication, and driving progress toward the mission of the Wikimedia movement. Here is what was learned:
- Project update: Through the Meetup, valuable knowledge was gained about the current projects of various communities and their efforts in implementing the 2030 movement strategies. By bringing together volunteers from different language communities, the event provided a platform for sharing updates, experiences, and best practices.
- Knowledge sharing: The meetup successfully facilitated the sharing of knowledge and skills among volunteers, leading to improved collaboration and productivity. The inclusion of learning sessions and workshops provided opportunities for participants to enhance their editing skills, gain a deeper understanding of Wikimedia tools and resources, and learn effective communication and collaboration techniques.
- Networking: The meetup successfully created opportunities for volunteers to network and form new partnerships. By bringing together individuals from different language communities and organizations, participants were able to connect with like-minded individuals and explore potential collaborations.
- Community dynamics: The interactions and relationships between volunteers during the meetup provided valuable insights into their motivations and perspectives.
7. Did anything unexpected or surprising happen when implementing your activities?This can include both positive and negative situations. What did you learn from those experiences?
There were a few unexpected and surprising situations that occurred both positive and negative during the project. Positive outcome One was the high level of enthusiasm and participation from the volunteers when we rolled out the scholarship form for applications. We were pleasantly surprised by the overwhelming response and active involvement of the participants in the application and when finally the event started, the various sessions and discussions were the talk of the day. Unexpected challenge A challenge that arose during the implementation was the technical issues faced by some participants. Despite careful planning and preparation, there were instances where participants encountered difficulties in accessing the resources and tools due to internet connectivity issues and non-familiarity with certain concepts of the movements. This highlighted the need for providing technical support and ensuring that all participants have equal access to resources and opportunities. Collaboration opportunities During the networking sessions, we were pleasantly surprised to discover potential collaboration opportunities with local educational institutions. Some participants expressed interest in partnering with Ghana Education Service to integrate Wikimedia projects into their educational curricula or to collaborate on research initiatives related to language preservation and documentation. These experiences will help us refine our strategies and approach for future initiatives.
8. How do you hope to use this learning? For instance, do you have any new priorities, ideas for activities, or goals for the future?
The learning gained from the organization of the meetup will serve as a valuable guide for future initiatives within the Wikimedia movement.
- Refining priorities: The learning will help us refine their priorities and identify areas of focus for future projects. We will prioritize strengthening community engagement, collaboration, and communication based on the insights gained from observing community dynamics and interactions during the project.
- Developing new activities: The learning will inspire us to develop new activities and initiatives that align with the goals of strengthening the community and improving collaboration and communication.
- Setting new goals: The learning will influence our goal-setting process for future projects. We aim to create opportunities for volunteers to network, form new partnerships, and explore potential collaborations with external stakeholders such as educational institutions, organizations, and researchers.
The aim will be to build on the successes and lessons learned from this project to create more impactful and inclusive initiatives that empower volunteers and contribute to the growth and sustainability of the Wikimedia movement in Ghana.
9. Documentation of resources: Use this space to upload any documents that would be useful to share with others (e.g. communications material, training material, presentations).
Here is an additional field to type in URLs.
Diff post (https://w.wiki/6ye6)
Part 3: Metrics edit
10a. Open Metrics reporting
In your application, you defined some open metrics and targets (goals). You will see a table like the one below with your metric in the title and the target you set in your proposal automatically filled in. Use the tables to report the result. Use the comments column to describe any aspects of this result that you find relevant. If the results were different from the initial target (goals) then you can explain why and what you learned from this. You can also provide any qualitative analysis regarding these results. In the last column please describe the tools and methodology used to collect this data and any difficulties you might have had.
| Open Metrics | Description | Target | Results | Comments | Methodology |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of participants | Total number of participants for the event (60 in person and 60 online participants) | 120 | 90 | 60 in person
30 online participants |
Google docs
Google forms Google sheets |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
10b. Core Metrics reporting
In your application, you defined targets for some core metrics and targets (goals). You will see a table like the one below with each core metric in the title and the target you set in your proposal automatically filled in. Use the tables to report the result. Use the comments column to describe any aspects of this result that you find relevant. If the results were different from the initial target (goals) then you can explain why and what you learned from this. You can also provide any qualitative analysis regarding these results. In the last column please describe the tools and methodology used to collect this data and any difficulties you might have had. Note: a table will appear for each Wikimedia project content contribution you defined in your proposal.
| Core metrics | Description | Target | Results | Comments | Methodology |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of participants | Total number of participants for the event (60 in person and 60 online participants) | 120 | 90 | 60 in person
30 online participants |
Google docs
Google forms Google sheets |
| Number of editors | 0 | N/A | N/A | ||
| Number of organizers | Project Coordinator: DaSupremo
Logistic manager: Xibitgh Language leads: Dnshitobu Advisory role: Shahadusadik Communication: Robertjamal12 |
5 | 7 | Two ladies were added to the core organizing team
|
N/A |
| Wikimedia Project | Description | Target | Results | Comments | Methodology |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A | N/A | N/A | 0 | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
12. Did you have any difficulties collecting data to measure your results? This could include things like a lack of time or resources, or the expertise in your team to collect this data. It could also include difficulties with particular data collection tools.
No
12a. State what difficulties you had.
N/A
12b. How do you hope to overcome these challenges in the future? Do you have any recommendations for the Foundation to support you in addressing these challenges?
N/A
13. Use this space to upload any documents and provide links to any tools you have used that would be useful to understand your data collection (e.g., surveys you have carried out, communications material, training material, program and event dashboard link, project page on Meta).
Here is an additional field to type in URLs.
Meta page (https://w.wiki/6dhJ)
14. Have you shared these results with other Wikimedian communities (either affiliates, user groups, volunteers, etc., different to yours)? This can include things such as data and direct outcomes, lessons you have learned, or information on how to run or recreate your programs.
Yes
14a. If yes or partially, please describe how you have already shared them and if you would like to do more sharing, and if so how.
Diff post (https://w.wiki/6ye6)
Part 4: Financial reporting and compliance edit
15. & 14a. Please state the total amount spent in your local currency.
61350 GHS
16. Please state the total amount spent in USD.
4998.8 USD
17. Please report the funds received and spending in the currency of your fund.
17a. Upload a financial report file.
17b. Please provide a link to your financial reporting document.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1QjMDSB9yx8pNHLOsLy5a_2JElMYVOMHZkDYILzY1LkQ/edit#gid=0
As required in the fund agreement, please report any deviations from your fund proposal here. Note that, among other things, any changes must be consistent with our WMF mission, must be for charitable purposes as defined in the grant agreement, and must otherwise comply with the grant agreement.
17c. If you have not already done so in your budget report, please provide information on changes in the budget in relation to your original proposal.
N/A
18. Do you have any unspent funds from the Fund?
No
18a. Please list the amount and currency you did not use and explain why.
N/A
18b. What are you planning to do with the underspent funds?
N/A
18c. Please provide details of hope to spend these funds.
N/A
19. Are you in compliance with the terms outlined in the fund agreement?
Yes
20. Are you in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations as outlined in the grant agreement?
Yes
21. Are you in compliance with provisions of the United States Internal Revenue Code (“Code”), and with relevant tax laws and regulations restricting the use of the Funds as outlined in the grant agreement? In summary, this is to confirm that the funds were used in alignment with the WMF mission and for charitable/nonprofit/educational purposes.
Yes
22. If you have additional recommendations or reflections that don’t fit into the above sections, please write them here.
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