Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/Wikimedia Levant strategic plan for calendar year 2022-2023/Yearly Report (2022)

Yearly Learning Report (Year 2 - 2022)

Report Status: Draft

Due date: 2024-02-15T00:00:00Z

Funding program: Wikimedia Community Fund

Report type: Yearly Learning Report (for multi-year fund recipients) , reporting year: 2022

Application Yearly Report (2023)

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General information

This form is for organizations, groups, or individuals receiving multi-year Wikimedia Community Funds to report on their yearly results.

• Name of Organization: Wikimedians of the Levant User Group
• Title of Proposal: Wikimedia Levant strategic plan for calendar year 2022-2023

Part 1 Understanding your work

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

Our strategy and implemented projects have been implemented chronically, except for some projects because of having some changes to be better for our volunteers to run these projects.

We have also oriented in this cycle to some alumni of previous programs in Jordan and Palestine to run projects in their communities. thus we introduced Wikipedia to an additional university in Palestine, and societies in Jordan.

On the other hand, Wikimedians of the levant user group are engaged with Wikimedia campaigns and improve articles, and related material in this domain.

WM Levant UG worked during this calendar year to improve:

1. Capacity and community development: To boost the number and skill of the community, guaranteeing sustainable knowledge transfer and the potential for future scaling, also,

2. Increased awareness about the Wikimedia Movement during the projects, plus to

3. Support Wikimedia Projects content and last but not least,

4. Partnerships in education and GLAM.

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

Having a partnership and collaboration is the driving force to have our goals achieved, we got more people to enroll in Wikimedia projects by inviting their community and helping publish about the events, also we have some volunteers who worked with us during the events.

One more point is the combination of the level of experience in our UG makes the calls rich and every meeting has its importance and richness, starting from monthly meetings. Thus, We find it is very healthy to have this mix in the user group to improve it.

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?

Yes, the first point to be proud of is the sustainability of some alumni of our user group programs, thus they became organizers for projects.

Thus we are harvesting from previous work. Secondly, having more people looking to organize or having events in their communities in also a positive point we are happy to have it now.

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

1. Our user group has a monthly meeting; the meeting minutes are shared on Arabic Wikipedia.

2. Workshops and competitions are shared on Village Pump on Arabic Wikipedia, in the WMlevant user group on Facebook, and in the Arabic Wikipedia group on Facebook.

3. We keep the Community updated via the village pump essentially.

after these years of experience with our UG, we find the good documentation is vital for the group improvement, thus we have a page for each project.

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.

1. Diff post about our programs in Jordan: https://diff.wikimedia.org/2023/07/10/summary-of-how-to-be-wikipedian-2023/?fbclid=IwAR2AtVaY__hiSKCuyPI-lTIUfEwqb3Kg4a5hRaWnR1d2I93nD8j0Fpm4sSA

2. Category of 2023 works: https://w.wiki/78v5

3. documentation of 2022 report:https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wikimedians_of_the_Levant_annual_Report_2022.pdf

4. Documentation of 2023:

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	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	Agree
F. Encourage the retention of organizers	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?

Having a seasoned board member was crucial in this phase, as they played a pivotal role in renovating the UG, facilitating the resumption of activities, and ensuring timely decision-making.

Part 2: Your main learning

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

Our user group was struggling a little bit the last year, but this year we have helped more people to suggest activities, we got more opportunities from mid-experienced people, and we have new organizers nowadays to help get others into groups

We keep track our minutes brief and tried to work on all the mentioned points.

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

In the first midterm of this grant, our user group faced some difficulties in the Absence of the board members but as they were elected by the second half, new doors were opened and the user group refurnished.

In 2023, The community was more stable, we achieved a good place in Jordan, and we are working in 2024 to refresh our GLAMS with the Levantine community. It was challenging to keep on tracking the same activities which were planned, thus we adapted small changes after discussing that with the grant community.

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 eagerly anticipate the development of alternative versions for certain projects, as well as the progression of others to higher levels. Our aim is to build upon past experiences and enhance the abilities of our members and the Levantine community.

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)?

Sustainability of our user group and the passion to volunteer on Wikipedia.

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.

N/A

Part 3: Metrics for Year 2

13a. Open and additional metrics data

Open Metrics

Open Metrics	Description	Target	Results	Comments	Methodology
N/A	N/A	N/A	1000	Wikipedia articles where added to Arabic Wikipedia, More than 1500 Article was edited with more cites in Arabic Wikipedia	Wikipedia pages, Dashboard, google forms
N/A	N/A	N/A	1000	More than 1000 element was edited in Wikidata from programs, projects and competitions run by WM of the Levant UG	Wikipedia pages, Dashboard, google forms
N/A	N/A	N/A	520	* 311 images added to Wikimedia Commons 189 images translated into Wikimedia Commons A Documentary regarding Assad Rustom (2H55mins) added to Commons Workshop for the Arabic Community regarding Wikimedia Commons.	Wikipedia pages
N/A	N/A	N/A	20	New members join our usergroup	Survey
N/A	N/A	N/A	13	Organizers for the event, it was around 5-7 members	N/A

13b. Additional core metrics data.

Core Metrics Summary

Core metrics	Description	Target	Results	Comments	Methodology
Number of participants	N/A	N/A	200	nearly 120 from educational and newcomers projects to teach people in the Levantine community how to edit Wikipedia The rest are in more advanced programs and competitions.	In-person meetings, Wikipedia pages, Surveys.
Number of editors	N/A	N/A	40	between newcomers and expert editors
Number of organizers	N/A	N/A	13		Surveys and activities

Number of new content contributions per Wikimedia project

Wikimedia Project	Description	Target	Results	Comments	Methodology
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	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?

Yes

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.

N/A

Part 4: Organizational capacities & partnerships

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 has grown over the last year, the capacity is high
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 is low, and we should prioritise developing it
J. Governance	This has grown over the last year, the capacity is high
K. Communications, marketing, and social media	This capacity is low, and we should prioritise developing it
L. Staffing - hiring, monitoring, supporting in the areas needed for program implementation and sustainability	This capacity is low, and we should prioritise developing it
M. On-wiki technical skills	This has grown over the last year, the capacity is high
N. Accessing and using data	This capacity has grown but it should be further developed
O. Evaluating and learning from our work	This has grown over the last year, the capacity is high
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.

Peer to peer learning with other community members in community/ies of practice* (structured and continuous learning and sharing spaces), Using capacity building/training resources online from sources WITHIN the Wikimedia Movement

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

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

N/A

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	Agree
C. The partnerships we built with other institutions or groups helped to build out more content on underrepresented topics/groups	Agree

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

Board members’ outreach, Staff hired through the fund, Volunteers from our communities

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, Other

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

Part 5: Sense of belonging and collaboration

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

Being a part of Wikimedia means being a part of a community that is pushing forward, making knowledge more accessible, and breaking down more boundaries.

Being a part of this worldwide foundation benefits the community through improving communication, adding value, and participating in this work. It is also a responsibility we hold for our community to provide accurate and reliable information in Arabic and to have our members in a peaceful, friendly environment where they can express themselves stronger and motivate others to join us.

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.

N/A

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.

N/A

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.

N/A

Supporting Peer Learning and Collaboration

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?

Yes

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

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

We do this regularly (at least once a month)

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

N/A

Part 6: Financial reporting and compliance

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

22053

31. Local currency type

USD

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

• Upload Documents, Templates, and Files.

• Report funds received and spent, if template not used.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1YlmvUUC7W0E2CQ3130NI9RprAJinxQnRDOOCXWM48bY/edit?usp=drive_link

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.

N/A

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

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

12337 USD

There were some volunteers who could not make it to run the project. We looked to have a community meeting in Jordan but because of different reasons, our UG did not achieve to run it. (It was 11000 USD)

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

B. Propose to use them to partially or fully fund a new/future grant request with PO approval

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

N/A

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.