Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/SAPG 2023 - Wikimedia Community User Group Uganda /Final Report

Final Learning Report

Report Status: Under review

Due date: 2024-01-31T00:00:00Z

Funding program: Wikimedia Community Fund

Report type: Final

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General information edit

This form is for organizations, groups, or individuals receiving Wikimedia Community Funds or Wikimedia Alliances Funds to report on their final results.

Name of Organization: Wikimedia Community User Group Uganda Ltd.
Title of Proposal: SAPG 2023 - Wikimedia Community User Group Uganda
Amount awarded: 61605 USD, 225000001.8 UGX
Amount spent: 207921359 UGX

Part 1 Understanding your work edit

1. Briefly describe how your proposed activities and strategies were implemented.

In 2023, the implementation of our proposed activities and strategies involved a structured approach across four program areas: Wikipedia for Education (Luganda Wikipedia), Diversity and Content Generation (including initiatives such as WikiGap, Wiki Soccerthon, and Wikipedia for Refugees), GLAM and Photographic competitions (Wiki Loves Africa, Wiki Loves Earth, Wiki Loves Monuments). Each program had a dedicated project lead who collaborated with our volunteers to organize and execute the activities.

For each specific project or activity, a core group of organizers collaborated closely to ensure the successful implementation of the plan. Furthermore, a significant focus was placed on enhancing our finance and administration capacity to streamline operations and alleviate administrative burdens on our volunteers. To facilitate a well-coordinated schedule, we developed an activity calendar encompassing all our programs, ensuring a balanced timing of diverse activities throughout the year. This comprehensive approach aimed to optimize the impact of our initiatives and foster a more efficient and organized operational structure.

2. Were there any strategies or approaches that you felt were effective in achieving your goals?

Several strategies and approaches proved effective in achieving our goals. Firstly, strategically distributing our activities throughout the year emerged as a successful approach. Recognizing that our volunteer base remained constant across various activities, we aimed to avoid overwhelming them by ensuring a balanced schedule, preventing an influx of events in any given month. This intentional spacing allowed for sustained volunteer engagement and optimal participation.

Secondly, a key focus was on building the capacity of our volunteers. To accomplish this, we adopted a mentorship approach, pairing experienced Wikimedians with individuals seeking to enhance their skills, spanning from editing to event organization. This mentorship initiative played a pivotal role in skill development and knowledge transfer within our community.

Lastly, hiring an experienced full-time finance and administrative officer constituted another impactful strategy. This decision significantly enhanced our operational efficiency, relieving volunteers of administrative burdens and enabling a more streamlined and effective execution of our programs. This strategic move positively influenced our organizational effectiveness and overall success in meeting our goals.

3. Would you say that your project had any innovations? Are there things that you did very differently than you have seen them done by others?

Our activities featured several innovative approaches across various activities, differentiating us from conventional methods. A notable example is the unique strategy employed under Wiki Loves Earth. We assembled a specialized team of ten photographers, selected through nominations, equipped with drones and professional cameras. This team undertook a challenging expedition to Kidepo National Park in the northeastern part of Uganda. The remote and demanding location, involving a 15-hour travel, ensured the capture of high-quality images. Beyond the photographic output, the three-day journey served as a community-building exercise, fostering stronger bonds within the photographic community.

During our time in Kidepo, we went beyond the traditional scope by incorporating a Community Outreach initiative in Karamoja. This involved engaging with neighbouring communities, immersing ourselves in the rich local culture, and establishing meaningful connections. This outreach not only deepened our understanding of Karamoja but also resulted in the documentation of the community's livelihoods, contributing to the Wiki Loves Folklore 2024 competition.

In collaboration with Wikimedia Sweden, Wiki Loves Monuments forged a partnership to streamline the documentation process for monuments lacking representation on Wikimedia Commons. Utilizing wiki data, our community volunteers targeted monuments without existing images on Commons, contributing to a more comprehensive representation of cultural heritage.

Additionally, we implemented Wikipedia Pages Wanting Photos, ensuring that uploaded images serve a purpose on Wikimedia-related projects and pages. Notably, this effort resulted in the update of 159 pages with photos from Commons, significantly enhancing the visibility of Wikimedia topics both locally and globally. This innovative approach expanded our reach to a broader audience of consumers and contributors, setting our project apart from conventional practices.

4. Please describe how different communities participated and/or were informed about your work.

We employed a multifaceted approach to engage and inform diverse communities about our work. Utilizing a blend of online and offline activities tailored to each campaign, our recruitment strategies varied based on the project's nature. Our goal was to foster the participation of existing contributors while also attracting new contributors.

Maintaining a dedicated WhatsApp group for all contributors facilitated direct communication, sharing updates on upcoming activities and inviting participation. Simultaneously, we leveraged popular social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter to announce campaigns, extending invitations to a broader audience. Comprehensive documentation of our activities on Meta ensured transparency, and occasionally, we utilized the central notice banner to broadcast information about our initiatives to the wider community.

Tailoring our approach to specific projects, we collaborated with targeted partners. For instance, in Wiki Loves Earth, we mobilized a team of 10 professional photographers. The Wikipedia for Refugees initiative involved collaboration with RELON - Refugee Led Organization Network. Engaging in GLAM activities, we partnered with libraries and universities, while our efforts in promoting Luganda Wikipedia included partnerships with three secondary schools. This diversified and strategic outreach allowed us to effectively involve a range of communities in our initiatives.

5. Documentation of your impact. Please use the two spaces below to share files and links that help tell your story and impact. This can be documentation that shows your results through testimonies, videos, sound files, images (photos and infographics, etc.) social media posts, dashboards, etc.

Upload Documents and Files

Here is an additional field to type in URLs.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cw-LJTQoRWu/

6. 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.

Our efforts during the Fund period have helped to...
A. Bring in participants from underrepresented groups	Strongly agree
B. Create a more inclusive and connected culture in our community	Agree
C. Develop content about underrepresented topics/groups	Agree
D. Develop content from underrepresented perspectives	Agree
E. Encourage the retention of editors	Strongly agree
F. Encourage the retention of organizers	Strongly agree
G. Increased participants' feelings of belonging and connection to the movement.	Agree

7. 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?

Our initiative, Wikipedia for Refugees, was purposefully crafted to amplify underrepresented perspectives and engage marginalized groups. In a strategic collaboration with two organizations, RELON - Refugee Led Organization Network and Platform Africa, we focused on recruiting volunteers from the Urban Refugee community hailing from South Sudan, DRC, Somalia, and Congo.

Over the course of a month, we conducted intensive training sessions, equipping these volunteers with the essential skills to edit and contribute valuable knowledge about their respective countries to Wikipedia. This targeted approach not only empowered participants to share their unique insights but also aimed to bridge information gaps and enhance the representation of diverse perspectives on Wikipedia. By working closely with Urban Refugees and fostering a collaborative learning environment, our Wikipedia for Refugees project sought to empower individuals to actively shape the narrative of their own communities on a global platform.

Part 2: Your main learning edit

8. In your application, you outlined your learning priorities. What did you learn about these areas during this period?

In our application, we aimed to learn the following:

How many individuals got involved in community events beyond editing? What kind of events did they get involved in and what was their contribution? Which events show the recruitment of long-term volunteers? What kind of engagement and/or training had a higher retention of volunteers?

Our findings revealed that a significant number of our members expressed a keen interest in engaging in community activities beyond editing. This enthusiasm was notably evident in events such as the Wikimania meetup, the annual members' meeting, and the strategy meetings, where active participation and interest were prominently displayed. Additionally, our observations highlighted that photography contests played a crucial role in fostering higher retention among volunteers.

9. Did anything unexpected or surprising happen when implementing your activities?

During the implementation of our activities, what proved surprising was the exceptional quality of contributions from volunteers who were not initially part of our existing member base. Employing central notice banners and social media to promote our campaigns helped reach a wider audience, and we were pleasantly taken aback by the fact that some of the most outstanding contributors emerged from our online recruitment efforts. This unexpected outcome highlighted the effectiveness of online outreach in attracting skilled and dedicated individuals, surpassing the level of participation seen in in-person events.

10. How do you hope to use this learning? For instance, do you have any new priorities, ideas for activities, or goals for the future?

We intend to leverage this newfound understanding to expand our outreach efforts and further build our volunteer base. In the future, our top priority is to cultivate additional partnerships with media houses. By collaborating with television, radio, and newspapers, we aim to amplify our message and increase awareness about the significance of contributing to free knowledge in Uganda. This strategic approach aligns with our overarching goal of fostering a broader understanding and engagement within the community, ultimately advancing the cause of open knowledge.

11. If you were sitting with a friend to tell them one thing about your work during this fund, what would it be (think of inspiring or fascinating moments, tough challenges, interesting anecdotes, or anything that feels important to you)?

In 2023, our work was marked by significant achievements. A total of 542 individuals actively participated in our activities, and notably, 220 of them were new contributors. Together, they collectively generated over 3500 content pages. This statistic reflects a commendable balance between engaging our existing contributors and successfully attracting new ones—a testament to our commitment to both growth and retention. It's a story of community expansion, diverse involvement, and the creation of valuable content that resonates with the core principles of our mission.

12. Please share resources that would be useful to share with other Wikimedia organizations so that they can learn from, adapt or build upon your work. For instance, guides, training material, presentations, work processes, or any other material the team has created to document and transfer knowledge about your work and can be useful for others. Please share any specific resources that you are creating, adapting/contextualizing in ways that are unique to your context (i.e. training material).

Upload Documents and Files

Here is an additional field to type in URLs.

https://meta.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wikimedia_Community_User_Group_Uganda%2FWiki_For_Refugees_2023

https://diff.wikimedia.org/2023/06/01/takeaways-from-digital-rights-and-inclusion-forum-2023-drif23-a-conversation-with-wikimedians/?preview_id=93736

Part 3: Metrics edit

13a. Open and additional metrics data

Open Metrics
Open Metrics	Description	Target	Results	Comments	Methodology
Participants	Individuals who attend various community organised events	100	322	N/A	Outreach dashboard
Editors	Individuals who contribute to Wikimedia's projects : GLAM - New editors 10 Old editors 5 EDUCATION -New editors 10 Old editors 5 DIVERSITY AND CONTENT -New editors 20 Old editors 10	60	125	N/A	Outreach dashboard
Organisers	Individuals that are engaged in and support community activities but are not necessarily editors	5	13	N/A	Documentation on the meta page of each project to list the organizers and their roles
N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	We established partnerships with 5 organizations in our activities.	Documentation on meta
N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

Additional Metrics
Additional Metrics	Description	Target	Results	Comments	Methodology
Number of editors that continue to participate/retained after activities	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Number of organizers that continue to participate/retained after activities	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Number of strategic partnerships that contribute to longer term growth, diversity and sustainability	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Feedback from participants on effective strategies for attracting and retaining contributors	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Diversity of participants brought in by grantees	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Number of people reached through social media publications	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Number of activities developed	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Number of volunteer hours	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

13b. Additional core metrics data.

Core Metrics Summary
Core metrics	Description	Target	Results	Comments	Methodology
Number of participants	Community volunteers who attend or benefit from the usergroup's activities throughout the year New participants : 30 Returning participants : 10	40	542		Outreach dashboard
Number of editors	Editors who edit various Wikimedia projects, creating and improving content	40	358		Outreach dashboard
Number of organizers	Change agents and implementors of what has been learned	5	13	Documentation on meta

**Number of new content contributions per Wikimedia project**
Wikimedia Project	Description	Target	Results	Comments	Methodology
Wikipedia	GLAM - 50 Education -50 Diversity and Content -150	250	N/A	N/A	N/A
Wikimedia Commons	Photographic Competitions : Wiki Loves Africa (WLA) - 200 Wiki Loves Earth (WLE) - 200 Wiki Loves Monuments (WLM) - 200	600	N/A	N/A	N/A
Wikidata	Metadata items created through various campaigns - 200	200	N/A	N/A	N/A
Wikisource	Pages transcribed and validated by local editors - 150	150	N/A	N/A	N/A
N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

14. Were there any metrics in your proposal that you could not collect or that you had to change?

No

15. If you have any difficulties collecting data to measure your results, please describe and add any recommendations on how to address them in the future.

N/A

16. Use this space to link or upload any additional documents that would be useful to understand your data collection (e.g., dashboards, surveys you have carried out, communications material, training material, etc).

Upload Documents and Files

Here is an additional field to type in URLs.

https://outreachdashboard.wmflabs.org/courses/Wikimedia_Community_User_Group_Uganda/Wiki_For_Refugees_2023_in_Uganda_(November_2023)

https://outreachdashboard.wmflabs.org/courses/Wikimedia_Community_Usergroup_Uganda/WikiForHumanRights_2023_in_Uganda https://outreachdashboard.wmflabs.org/courses/Wikimedia_Community_User_Group_Uganda/WikiGap_2023_in_Uganda_(March)/home https://outreachdashboard.wmflabs.org/courses/Wikimedia_Community_Usergroup_Uganda/WikiED_Training_Uganda_2023_(6th_May_to_30th_September_2023) https://outreachdashboard.wmflabs.org/courses/Wikimedia_Community_User_Group_Uganda/Wikimedia_and_GLAM_Professionals_in_Uganda_-_Who_are_they https://outreachdashboard.wmflabs.org/courses/Wikimedia_Community_User_Group_Uganda/Wiki_Loves_Monuments_in_Uganda_2023_Wikidata_Editathon_(September) https://outreachdashboard.wmflabs.org/courses/Wikimedia_Community_User_Group_Uganda/Africa_Day_2023_in_Uganda

Part 4: Organizational capacities & partnerships edit

17. Organizational Capacity

Organizational capacity dimension
A. Financial capacity and management	This has grown over the last year, the capacity is high
B. Conflict management or transformation	This capacity has grown but it should be further developed
C. Leadership (i.e growing in potential leaders, leadership that fit organizational needs and values)	This has grown over the last year, the capacity is high
D. Partnership building	This capacity has grown but it should be further developed
E. Strategic planning	This capacity has grown but it should be further developed
F. Program design, implementation, and management	This capacity is low, and we should prioritise developing it
G. Scoping and testing new approaches, innovation	This capacity is low, and we should prioritise developing it
H. Recruiting new contributors (volunteer)	This has grown over the last year, the capacity is high
I. Support and growth path for different types of contributors (volunteers)	This capacity has grown but it should be further developed
J. Governance	This capacity has grown but it should be further developed
K. Communications, marketing, and social media	This capacity has grown but it should be further developed
L. Staffing - hiring, monitoring, supporting in the areas needed for program implementation and sustainability	This has grown over the last year, the capacity is high
M. On-wiki technical skills	This has grown over the last year, the capacity is high
N. Accessing and using data	This has grown over the last year, the capacity is high
O. Evaluating and learning from our work	This capacity is low, and we should prioritise developing it
P. Communicating and sharing what we learn with our peers and other stakeholders	This capacity has grown but it should be further developed
N/A
N/A

17a. Which of the following factors most helped you to build capacities? Please pick a MAXIMUM of the three most relevant factors.

Formal training provided by the Wikimedia Foundation, Formal training provided by a Wikimedia Movement organizing group (i.e., Affiliates, Grantees, Regional or Thematic Hub, etc.)

17b. Which of the following factors hindered your ability to build capacities? Please pick a MAXIMUM of the three most relevant factors.

Lack of awareness of capacity building needs, Lack of volunteer time to participate in capacity building/training, Barriers to access training because of language

18. Is there anything else you would like to share about how your organizational capacity has grown, and areas where you require support?

- We have improved capacity in administration and management

We have grown capacity in volunteer engagement
We would like support in finalizing our five-year strategy

19. Partnerships over the funding period.

Over the fund period...
A. We built strategic partnerships with other institutions or groups that will help us grow in the medium term (3 year time frame)	Agree
B. The partnerships we built with other institutions or groups helped to bring in more contributors from underrepresented groups	Strongly agree
C. The partnerships we built with other institutions or groups helped to build out more content on underrepresented topics/groups	Strongly agree

19a. Which of the following factors most helped you to build partnerships? Please pick a MAXIMUM of the three most relevant factors.

Staff hired through the fund, Volunteers from our communities, Partners proactive interest

19b. Which of the following factors hindered your ability to build partnerships? Please pick a MAXIMUM of the three most relevant factors.

Lack of interest from partners, Local policies or other legal factors, Lack of staff capacity to respond to partners interested in working with us

20. Please share your learning about strategies to build partnerships with other institutions and groups and any other learning about working with partners?

Establishing clear expectations and outcomes is vital for successful partnerships. This is achieved through the creation of signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) at the onset of collaborations. By outlining roles, responsibilities, and objectives, these agreements serve as a foundation for a shared understanding, minimizing misunderstandings and promoting effective cooperation.

Sustaining partnerships involves ongoing relationship management. Consistent communication is key, facilitating a continuous exchange of information, updates, and progress reports with partners. This practice ensures that all parties remain informed and engaged throughout the partnership, fostering a collaborative environment conducive to achieving shared goals.

Part 5: Sense of belonging and collaboration edit

21. What would it mean for your organization to feel a sense of belonging to the Wikimedia or free knowledge movement?

To feel a sense of belonging to the Wikimedia or free knowledge movement would signify our active representation in the decision-making processes within the Wikimedia movement. This involvement would empower our organization to contribute to shaping the direction and initiatives of the movement, fostering a sense of shared ownership and participation in the broader goals of promoting free knowledge.

22. How has your (for individual grantees) or your group/organization’s (for organizational grantees) sense of belonging to the Wikimedia or free knowledge movement changed over the fund period?

Increased significantly

23. If you would like to, please share why it has changed in this way.

1. Attending key Wikimedia conferences such as Wikimania and WikiIndaba played a pivotal role in enhancing our sense of belonging. These events provided valuable opportunities for our members to connect and network with fellow movement members, fostering a deeper integration within the Wikimedia community.

2. The recognition of our user group members on an international level further solidified our sense of belonging. Notably, Alice Kibombo's acknowledgement by Wiki Celebrate as "Librarian Extraordinaire" served as a testament to the impactful contributions of our members within the global Wikimedia community. This recognition not only affirmed our group's significance but also strengthened our connection to the broader free-knowledge movement.

24. How has your group/organization’s sense of personal investment in the Wikimedia or free knowledge movement changed over the fund period?

Somewhat increased

25. If you would like to, please share why it has changed in this way.

Engagement in prominent Wikimedia conferences, such as Wikimania and WikiIndaba, has played a crucial role in fostering a sense of personal investment. These events provided our members with valuable opportunities to connect, interact, and network with fellow movement members, contributing to a deeper personal involvement within the Wikimedia community.

Furthermore, our participation in movement strategy implementation activities, exemplified by programs like "Let's Connect," has further bolstered our group's investment in the free knowledge movement. These strategic initiatives have allowed us to actively contribute to shaping the movement's direction, enhancing our commitment and alignment with the overarching goals of promoting open knowledge globally.

26. Are there other movements besides the Wikimedia or free knowledge movement that play a central role in your motivation to contribute to Wikimedia projects? (for example, Black Lives Matter, Feminist movement, Climate Justice, or other activism spaces) If so, please describe it below.

In addition to our commitment to the Wikimedia and free knowledge movement, our group draws inspiration from other influential movements, such as the Digital Rights Movement, the Feminist Movement, and the Climate Justice Movement. These movements, which advocate for equitable access to information, empowerment of marginalized voices, and addressing societal issues, play a central role in motivating our collective contribution to Wikimedia projects. Our commitment to Wikimedia aligns with a broader dedication to advancing digital rights, gender equality, and environmental justice.

Supporting Peer Learning and Collaboration edit

We are interested in better supporting peer learning and collaboration in the movement.

27. Have you shared these results with Wikimedia affiliates or community members?

Partially

27a. Please describe how you have already shared them. Would you like to do more sharing, and if so how?

To some extent, we have shared the results and learning tied to this particular fund. Our annual members' meeting served as a platform where we disseminated the learning outcomes with the user group members. Additionally, we extended the sharing through blog posts and online webinars to reach a wider audience within the Wikimedia affiliates and community.

28. How often do you currently share what you have learned with other Wikimedia Foundation grantees, and learn from them?

We do this rarely (less than twice a year)

29. How does your organization currently share mutual learning with other grantees?

Through panel discussions at the conferences, for example, the digital rights and inclusion forum 2023 with South Sudan, Botswana and Kenya.

Through visits to other user groups, for example, one of our members visited Wikimedia User Group Rwanda for a knowledge exchange

Part 6: Financial reporting and compliance edit

30. Please state the total amount spent in your local currency.

207921359

31. Local currency type

UGX

32. Please report the funds received and spending in the currency of your fund.

Upload Documents, Templates, and Files.

WIKIMEDIA COMMUNITY USER GROUP UGANDA - FINANCIAL REPORT JANUARY TO DECEMBER 2023 - WIKIMEDIA COMMUNITY FUND_.xlsx

Report funds received and spent, if template not used.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/116V_byYjD_1TdfimL6Tw1tJUa26jJPuaigCr8mFyqLY/edit?usp=sharing

33. 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.

There were no significant changes in the budget compared to our original proposal.

34. Do you have any unspent funds from the Fund?

34a. Please list the amount and currency you did not use and explain why.

We do have UGX 15,206,141 of funds that we did not use by the end of the grant period, the reason being there are some budget lines where we spent less than we had budgeted for.

34b. What are you planning to do with the underspent funds?

A. Propose to use the underspent funds within this Fund period with PO approval

34c. Please provide details of hope to spend these funds.

This year in 2024 we are making 10 years since we started activities as the Wikimedia Community in Uganda. With PO approval, we would like to use the underspent funds to organize a community event to celebrate this milestone.

35. Are you in compliance with the terms outlined in the fund agreement?

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.

36. Are you in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations as outlined in the grant agreement?

Yes

37. 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

38. If you have additional recommendations or reflections that don’t fit into the above sections, please write them here.