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Grants:Project/Rapid/GastelEtzwane/WikimedSenegal

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statusNot Funded
GastelEtzwane/WikimedSenegal
Internet-in-a-Box (iiab) is a small device which creates a Wi-Fi hotspot that offers access to a downloaded version of Wikipedia without any connection to the internet itself. This project will seed the spread of offline wikipedia among remote health centers by demonstrating it's use on iiab devices, USB flash drives and SD cards. These devices will remain on loan for a month or so, then the health centers will have the option of purchasing them.
targetMeta:Project:Wiki Project Med
start dateJanuary 1
end dateJune 30
budget (USD)1930
grant typeindividual
grantee• GastelEtzwane
contact(s)• gabriel((@))thullen.com


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Project Goal edit

Briefly explain what are you trying to accomplish with this project, or what do you expect will change as a result of this grant. Example goals include, "recruit new editors", "add high quality content", or "train existing editors on a specific skill".

Large parts of West Africa have no internet access. Cities have good cellphone coverage but data access is expensive. Smaller towns and villages in the Bush sometimes have cell phone access but the cost of data remains quite expensive and the available bandwidth is lower. This lack of internet access has a significant impact on the quality of health service provided by local hospitals or health care facilities.
Wikipedia is now the primary source of information for medical professionals all over the world, no matter which country we are in. This means that information is first searched for on Wikipedia, then the search continues using more specialized sources. The information available in Wikipedia is even more important if the other medical resources are not available, as is usually the case outside cities or in the suburbs of West Africa.
This project aims to introduce Senegalese health care professionals to different versions of the Kiwix software which display offline Wikipedia: USB flash drives, SD cards and Internet-in-a-Box devices. The personnel will be able to test them for a month and determine which types suit their needs and purchase the corresponding hardware. The seed stock provided by the project will then be replenished for use in a different region, and at the same time offline Wikipedia will continue to spread among local health care professionals by word of mouth.

Project Plan edit

Activities edit

Tell us how you'll carry out your project. What will you and other organizers spend your time doing?

The project will be carried out by two local offline wikimedians.
  • Contact will first be made with the target health centers to introduce them to the project and to insure that all of the personnel is on board.
  • The offline wikimedia specialists will then travel to the health center and run a seminar introducing the medical personnel to offline wikipedia. The personnel will experiment extensively with different forms of offline wikipedia and learn how to duplicate the files. 1 USB flash drive, 1 SD card and 1 Internet-In-a-Box device will then be left with the health center so that they can evaluate the usefulness of the different forms of offline wikipedia.
  • After one month, the offline wikipedia specialists will return to the health center and retrieve the equipment. If the health center is interested in keeping the equipment, they will have to purchase it.
The project aims to cover 10 Senegalese health care centers ("Postes de Santé") located in the Thiès suburbs and in remote locations in the Thiès and surrounding regions. The equipment left "on loan" for evaluation purposes will signed for, on a contract, by the local officials as well as the health care professionals.

How will you let others in your community know about your project (please provide links to where relevant communities have been notified of your proposal, and to any other relevant community discussions)? Why are you targeting a specific audience?

This project is basically an offline activity so communication about the activities will be done using traditional media (newspaper and radio). The local (Senegalese) community knows very little about Wikipedia or other Wikimedia sister projects, so part of this communication will be aimed at informing people about Wikipedia and telling them where Google and other search engines get their facts from.
The report page on Meta will provide detailed information both in English and in French. This will keep the African Wikimedia community in the loop at all steps of the project so that it may be replicated and adapted for other parts of Africa.

What will you have done at the end of your project? How will you follow-up with people that are involved with your project?

The health professionals will be able to research medical information even if they are not connected to the internet, both for treating patients and to further their own knowledge. They will be contacted on a regular basis so that they can update their offline Wikipedia or purchase additional devices.

Impact edit

How will you know if the project is successful and you've met your goals? Please include the following targets and feel free to add more specific to your project:

  1. Number of total participants: 10 "postes de santé", each one with between 8 and 15 health care professionals.
  2. Number of articles created or improved (if applicable): 10 iiab devices, 10 USB flash drives and 10 SD cards.
  3. Number of photos uploaded to Wikimedia Commons (if applicable): extensive photo documentation will be done during the project.
  4. Number of photos used on Wikimedia projects (if applicable): minimum 10 photos.

Resources edit

What resources do you have? Include information on who is the organizing the project, what they will do, and if you will receive support from anywhere else (in-kind donations or additional funding).

Gabriel Thullen (user:GastelEtzwane, Geneva, Switzerland). Involved in offline access to internet resources (Wikipedia and other online reference sites). Project supervision and hardware preparation (large file downloads, file selection and preparation of Master SD cards and USB Flash drives. Gabriel is in close contact with Wiki Project Med Foundation.
Ibrahima Diop (user:mouha.ibs, Senegal). Instructor, offline wikimedian and project coordinator. Will supervise and help organize the expeditions to remote health centers ("Poste de Santé"). Ibrahima has numerous contacts with local officials at different levels.
Mamadou Diop. (user:boydiop2, Senegal). Young student and offline wikipedia specialist. Will bring the devices to remote health centers and provide training for the medical personnel. Mamadou has successfully introduced the offline medical wikipedia to the personnel at a hospital in Dakar where he was working.

What resources do you need? For your funding request, list bullet points for each expense:

Devices
  • 10 128 Gb Internet-in-a-Box devices (10 x 50 USD) - 500 USD
  • 10 32 Gb Flash drive (10 x 9,000 CFA) - 90,000 CFA - 155 USD
  • 10 32 Gb SD card (10 x 9,000 CFA) - 90,000 CFA - 155 USD
  • 1 x small laptop 299 CHF - 297 USD
1st visit to health center manager
  • 6 x closer Health centers (2 x 800 CFA) - 9,600 CFA - 17 USD
  • 4 x further Health centers (5,000 CFA) - 20,000 CFA - 35 USD
  • 4 x lunch for offline wikimedia specialist (2,000 CFA) - 8,000 CFA - 14 USD
  • 10 x Gift (USB flash drive 9,000 CFA) - 90,000 CFA - 155 USD
Visit to employees
  • 6 x closer Health centers (2 x 800 CFA) - 9,600 CFA - 17 USD
  • 4 x further Health centers (5000 CFA) - 20,000 CFA - 35 USD
  • 10 x Fruit and biscuits (16,000 each) - 160,000 CFA - 276 USD
follow-up visit to health center (one month later)
  • 6 x closer Health centers (2 x 800 CFA) - 9,600 CFA - 17 USD
  • 4 x further Health centers (5,000 CFA) - 20,000 CFA - 35 USD
  • 4 x lunch for offline wikimedia specialist (2,000 CFA) - 8,000 CFA - 14 USD
Room + Breakfast + Dinner
  • (manager visits) 4 x 6,000 CFA - 24,000 CFA - 41 USD
  • (personnel visits) 10 x 6,000 CFA - 60,000 CFA - 104 USD
  • (follow-up visits) 4 x 6,000 CFA - 24,000 CFA - 41 USD
Telephone card
  • one month - 5,000 CFA - 9 USD
Trip from & to Dakar
  • 2 x (800 + 2,500 +500) - 7,600 CFA - 13 USD
Total
  • total: 1930 USD

Trial run in Ouala edit

Ouala (also known as Wallah) is a small village next to the northern border of Senegal with Mauritania, along the Senegal river. Ouala is in the Podor Department. Mamadou did a trial run for the project from November 17 to November 26. There will be a second trip to pick up the devices or to collect the money if the health centers are willing to purchase them.

The report is here: Ouala report

Endorsements edit

  • Strong support. Gabriel is doing wonderful work to help people less fortunate to have access to a much needed medical information in their own language. Shani Evenstein. 23:33, 1 November 2018 (UTC)
  • Support. Seems like a fairly low risk project (equipment on loan) that can help spread the word and increase the use of Wikimed in remote areas. Notes: I am a bit perplex by this only element :10 x Fruit and biscuits (16,000 each) - 160,00

0 CFA - 276 USD ? Otherwise, I think they could add a little bit more information on communication (they mention radio and newspapers... but how do they intend to communicate about the project, before, after etc.). Anthere (talk)

  • Thank you for your remark. The 16,000 CFA per event is meant to cover all of the hospitality related expenses when such an event is organized, including water, coffee, sugar, snacks and a light meal. We expect between 8 and 15 employees at each "Poste de Santé". Terranga (hospitality) is very very important in Senegal, so this aspect of the project cannot be minimized. GastelEtzwane (talk) 06:59, 2 November 2018 (UTC)
    Thanks again for your input. I have updated the communication section, and will add more links once the Wikimedia communities have been notified. GastelEtzwane (talk) 07:21, 2 November 2018 (UTC)
  • Support. Good idea to test a proof of concept. Doc James (talk · contribs · email) 04:57, 2 November 2018 (UTC)
  • Strong support GastelEtzwane's project. There's a real need for Wi-Fi hotspot. LaMèreVeille (talk) 09:16, 6 November 2018 (UTC)
  • Support, on behalf of Wikimedia CH. GastelEtzwane has been doing interesting projects with Wikipedia in Senegal.--Flor WMCH (talk) 15:32, 7 November 2018 (UTC)
  • Strong support - this will have major impact in Senegal. Walkerma (talk) 16:24, 3 December 2018 (UTC)
  • Low risk for high potential impact: Full support. -- Daniel Mietchen (talk) 16:53, 3 December 2018 (UTC)
  • Support, BamLifa (talk)
  • Very cool, I'm interested to see how it works out. Legoktm (talk) 23:26, 3 December 2018 (UTC)
  • Lovely and so needed! –SJ talk  23:41, 3 December 2018 (UTC)
  • Support! Michaelgraaf (talk) 06:55, 4 December 2018 (UTC)
  • Support, · · · Peter (Southwood) (talk): 06:46, 5 December 2018 (UTC)
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