Grants talk:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/Tanzanian University Students Wikimedians User Group 2023/2024

Feedback from the Middle East and Africa Regional Funding Committee on your proposal

Hello , Tanzania University Students Wikimedians,

Thank you for taking the time to submit your application. We found the proposal to be well structured including on activities outlined, and recognize the intention to include breaks in your timeline to support your learning and evaluation goals and plan. Within the learning and evaluation, we highlighted the learning question ‘ How can teachers change their perception of Wikipedia? And will be keen to see what you learn and what can be shared with us in the movement.

To support our next steps in the review process, please see comments and questions below for your consideration;

• Could you share more on the legal issues you face and how an office would help? especially when the team is in its formation stages?
• 6 universities have been listed as part of your programs, however 8 events have been budgeted for. Could you share more on the additional two events?
• In the proposal it is stated there will be a photo hunt and a budget has been made to that effect however, there is no metric for the photos to be uploaded (Wikimedia Commons)? What photos do you want to take during the photowalks? Is there a specific campaign, topical issue informing the photo hunt? How will you  ensure that the photos are not repetitions from last year? And that they will be of high quality?
• Within the budget; Could you share more on the costs indicated on the  merchandise and gifts in cell E28 and E 32 listed. Can a breakdown be given as to the expenditure of USD 50 for logistics (what are some of the expenses)?.
• We are keen to learn; How did you select the staff members last year and how will you be selecting any new staff members in the future? What is the involvement of the community in the selection or appointment of the staff? Are the open positions mentioned in the proposal for volunteers or they are salaried? Also how are you ensuring that the scope of work is commensurate with the roles needed and therefore the enabling resources requested?
• The plan is divided into two phases, and each phase has a mini-cycle consisting of:
  • Target awareness.
  • Customized training.
  • Create collaborative content
  • Outreach events.
  • Incentives and recognition.
• With this method we are of the idea that the plan can be implemented for any 6-month cycle in any group if they have the minimum required governance team (volunteers/staff). What are your thoughts on this?
• All the decision makers in the group will be salaried, why is there no volunteers in the governance and leader team? The essence of the Wikimedia Movement is volunteerism - a global movement of volunteers contributing to achieve the mission, how are you permeating and enabling this philosophy and attitude  in your community?  
• Please share here the partnerships you are seeking to collaborate with and especially seeing that this will be the second year of implementing the annual plan?
• Please share on the Bantu Trails project and how it links to your current objectives as a community? And please speak to the audience that would be engaged?

As always we recommend meeting with the regional program officer to support you in providing any clarity needed with the feedback shared here. The committee is also available to meet and join the call if that would be meaningful for you - just let the program officer know.

Thank you so much and we continue to appreciate your work and role in advancing the mission of the movement.

On behalf of the MEA Regional Committee and Staff , VThamaini (WMF) (talk) 06:50, 25 April 2023 (UTC)

Hi @VThamaini (WMF),

Thank you for the feedback and on behalf of the Tanzanian University Students Wikimedians below is the clarification as requested:

Q1: Could you share more on the legal issues you face and how an office would help? especially when the team is in its formation stages?

As a community in Tanzania, not having an office in the early stages of the formation may pose several challenges, which may affect the community's operations and credibility. Some of the legal issues and challenges we have been facing due to not having an office include:

Registration and legal compliance: To officially register as an NGO, it is often required to have a physical office address as part of the registration process. Without a physical office, the organization may face difficulties in obtaining the necessary permits and legal documents to operate as an NGO. Where currently we have been granted 4 months grace period to obtain an office after that our registration will be nullified.

Credibility and trust: Having a physical office will enhance the credibility and trustworthiness of an NGO. Stakeholders, including partners, and beneficiaries, may be more inclined to collaborate with and support an organization with a physical office, as it demonstrates stability and commitment. We have been having challenges mostly when it came to partners (mostly Universities and Colleges and other partners).

Meetings and workshops: Without a dedicated office space, it can and has been challenging to organize meetings, workshops, and training sessions for staff, volunteers, and beneficiaries. A physical office will provide a consistent and professional space for conducting these activities and fosters collaboration and engagement.

Administrative tasks and record-keeping: An office space is essential for managing administrative tasks, storing documents and records, and maintaining organization and accountability. Without an office, it has been challenging to keep track of essential records and ensure compliance with legal and financial regulations, even though we have been enhancing the use of cloud services.

Staff and volunteer management: Having an office space will allow better coordination, communication, and supervision of staff and volunteers. It will help establish a professional work environment and encourage team-building and collaboration.

To address these challenges, it is crucial for us to secure an office space as soon as possible, even if it's a small or shared space initially.

Q2: 6 universities have been listed as part of your programs, however, 8 events have been budgeted for. Could you share more on the additional two events?

Sorry two institutions were left out (we have updated them): below are the institutions that we are currently working with

1. Mzumbe University.
2. Sokoine University of Agriculture
3. Jordan University College.
4. University of Dodoma.
5. College of Bussiness Education.
6. University of Iringa.
7. St. Joseph College.
8. Morogoro School of Journalism.

Q3: In the proposal it is stated there will be a photo hunt and a budget has been made to that effect however, there is no metric for the photos to be uploaded (Wikimedia Commons). What photos do you want to take during the photo walks? Is there a specific campaign, or topical issue informing the photo hunt? How will you ensure that the photos are not repetitions from last year? And that they will be of high quality?

The metrics for the photo hunt will be 500 Photos. We were unable to indicate it on Fluxx due to inadequate space for providing the metrics.

We appreciate your attention to detail and your concern about the objectives, quality, and uniqueness of the photos. Please find below our responses to your questions:

Photo Themes: During the photo hunts, we aim to capture images that align with specific themes, campaigns, or topical issues. For instance, we may focus on documenting underrepresented cultural, historical, or natural sites in Tanzania or capturing images related to ongoing socio-environmental issues, such as climate change, urbanization, or community development.

Specific Campaigns: We plan to organize photo hunts in conjunction with specific Wikimedia campaigns, such as Wiki Loves Monuments, Wiki Loves Earth, or Wiki Loves Africa. By participating in these campaigns, we can ensure that our photo hunts contribute to a broader, well-defined objective within the Wikimedia community.

Avoiding Repetition: To avoid duplication of images from previous years, we will maintain a comprehensive database of the photos captured during past photo hunts. Additionally, we will select new themes, locations, or subjects for each photo hunt, ensuring that we capture unique and diverse images.

Quality Assurance: We are committed to ensuring that the photos captured during the photo hunts are of high quality. To achieve this, we will:

a. Provide training workshops for participants on photography techniques and best practices.

b. Utilize high-quality cameras and equipment during photo hunts.

c. Conduct post-processing workshops to enhance the quality of images, if necessary.

d. Organize peer-review sessions for participants to receive feedback on their photos, enabling them to improve their skills and the quality of their images.

By defining specific themes or campaigns, avoiding repetition, and focusing on high-quality images, we aim to make the photo hunts a valuable and impactful component of our annual plan.

Q4: Within the budget; Could you share more on the costs indicated on the merchandise and gifts in cells E28 and E32 listed? Can a breakdown be given as to the expenditure of USD 50 for logistics (what are some of the expenses)?

E28: Is for T-shirt printing (15USD * 5 T-Shirts)

E32: Gift Vouchers for the top 5 winners of the contest (65USD winner 1, 55USD Winner 2, 40USD Winner 3, 20USD winner 4&5 each ).

Logistics expenses: these are expenses that are encountered before and during the events. The expenses can include pre-event planning, communication between members and staff, and stationeries.

Q5: We are keen to learn; How did you select the staff members last year and how will you be selecting any new staff members in the future? What is the involvement of the community in the selection or appointment of the staff? Are the open positions mentioned in the proposal for volunteers or they are salaried? Also, how are you ensuring that the scope of work is commensurate with the roles needed and the enabling resources requested?

We understand the importance of transparency and inclusivity in selecting staff members and ensuring that the scope of work aligns with the roles and resources needed. Below, we have outlined our staff selection process and addressed your concerns.

Staff Selection Process:

Job Posting: Open positions are advertised on our official website, social media channels, and relevant job boards to reach a diverse pool of candidates. Both volunteer and salaried positions are explicitly mentioned in the job postings to ensure clarity.

Application Review: Our hiring committee, comprising staff members and community representatives, reviews applications based on the required qualifications, experience, and alignment with our organization's values and mission.

Interviews: Shortlisted candidates are invited to participate in interviews with the hiring committee, which includes community representatives, to assess their suitability for the role.

Community Feedback: For key positions, we may share shortlisted candidates' profiles with the broader community, seeking feedback on their fit within the organization. This allows our community to have a say in the staff selection process.

Final Decision: Based on the interviews and community feedback, the hiring committee makes the final decision, ensuring that the selected candidates are the best fit for their respective roles.

Involvement of the Community:

Our community plays a vital role in our staff selection process. By including community representatives in the hiring committee and seeking community feedback on key positions, we ensure that our community has a voice in the appointment of staff members.

Open Positions:

The open positions mentioned in the proposal include both salaried and volunteer roles, depending on the nature of the job and the level of commitment required. This information will be explicitly stated in the job postings to avoid any confusion.

Scope of Work and Enabling Resources:

We carefully analyze the scope of work for each role to ensure that it aligns with our mission, goals, and available resources. We conduct regular assessments of our organization's needs, identifying gaps in our team and adjusting roles and responsibilities accordingly. This allows us to allocate our resources efficiently and request appropriate funding for staff positions.

Our staff selection process is designed to be transparent, inclusive, and aligned with our organization's mission and values. By involving our community in the appointment process and carefully evaluating the scope of work and resources needed, we strive to build a strong, committed team that supports the goals of the Wikimedia Movement.

Q6.

• The plan is divided into two phases, and each phase has a mini-cycle consisting of:
  • Target awareness.
  • Customized training.
  • Create collaborative content
  • Outreach events.
  • Incentives and recognition.
• With this method, we believe the plan can be implemented for any 6-month cycle in any group if they have the minimum required governance team (volunteers/staff). What are your thoughts on this?

We appreciate your suggestion and understand the potential benefits of a more compact 6-month cycle. However, we believe that implementing the plan over a 12-month period is more conducive to achieving our goals for several reasons:

Time to Establish and Nurture Relationships: Building meaningful relationships with partner organizations, universities, and the community is a key part of our strategy. A 12-month cycle allows for adequate time to engage with these stakeholders, understand their needs, and develop tailored programs that deliver maximum value.

Customized Training: The training we provide is comprehensive and customized according to the needs of participants. The 12-month plan ensures we have ample time for the initial training phase, follow-up sessions, and reinforcement activities. This is particularly important to ensure that new knowledge and skills are fully absorbed and applied.

Content Creation: Content creation is a process that requires time, especially when it involves collaborative work and consensus-building. A longer timeline allows for thorough research, drafting, review, and refinement of content.

Outreach Events: Organizing successful outreach events, like edit-a-thons, photo hunts, and campus talks, requires careful planning and coordination. A 12-month cycle provides the necessary time for organizing, promoting, and executing these events while also providing time for feedback and evaluation.

Incentives and Recognition: We believe in recognizing and appreciating the contributions of our community members. This includes time for tracking contributions, reviewing performance, and organizing recognition events or activities.

Monitoring and Evaluation: A 12-month cycle offers a more realistic timeframe for assessing the impact of our initiatives. It allows us to collect meaningful data and make informed decisions about future directions.

While we understand the appeal of a shorter, more intense cycle, we feel that a longer-term approach is more appropriate for our goals and the nature of our activities. A 12-month cycle provides the flexibility and time needed for deeper engagement, learning, and impact.

Q7: All the decision-makers in the group will be salaried, why is there no volunteers in the governance and leader team? The essence of the Wikimedia Movement is volunteerism - a global movement of volunteers contributing to achieve the mission, how are you permeating and enabling this philosophy and attitude in your community?  

We appreciate the concern raised about the composition of our governance and leadership team. While it's true that our primary coordinators and team leaders are in salaried positions, it's crucial to note that our organization is deeply rooted in volunteerism, which is indeed the essence of the Wikimedia Movement.

Our salaried team members are primarily responsible for administrative and managerial tasks, which require a full-time commitment. These include coordinating programs, managing finances, handling communications, and logistics. Offering salaries for these positions allows us to ensure continuity, stability, and a dedicated workforce that can handle the daily demands of running the organization.

However, it's important to clarify that we have a substantial number of volunteers who are actively involved in various roles within our organization. These volunteers form the backbone of our community. They participate in content events leads, mentoring, trainings, creation, translation, outreach, and training activities. They are also involved in decision-making processes through regular meetings and consultations. Their insights and contributions are vital to our operations.

Our strategy for promoting volunteerism includes creating an inclusive and engaging environment where individuals feel valued and motivated to contribute. We offer various opportunities for volunteers to develop skills, gain recognition, and make a difference in their community. We conduct regular training and workshops, and we provide a platform for volunteers to collaborate, share their ideas, and learn from each other.

We believe in the power of volunteerism and its transformative potential for our community and the Wikimedia Movement. We continuously strive to foster a culture of active participation, collaboration and shared learning. We are also exploring ways to involve volunteers more in our governance and leadership structures. We recognize the importance of this aspect and will be working on improving this area.

Once again, we appreciate the feedback and assure you of our commitment to the Wikimedia Movement's philosophy of volunteerism.

Q8: Please share here the partnerships you are seeking to collaborate with and especially seeing that this will be the second year of implementing the annual plan.

As the Project Manager of the Tanzanian University Students Wikimedians, we are excited to continue implementing our annual plan and further our mission of knowledge-sharing, cultural preservation, and promoting diversity and understanding. We recognize the importance of partnerships in amplifying our impact and have identified several key collaborations for the upcoming year 2023/2024:

Tanzania National Archives: Collaboration with the Tanzania National Archives will provide our students with access to valuable historical and cultural resources. This partnership will enable us to supplement our research and documentation efforts while ensuring that our work aligns with national cultural preservation standards. Additionally, the Tanzania National Archives can serve as a platform for sharing our students' contributions with a broader audience.

Local Universities and Research Institutions: We seek to strengthen our ties with Tanzanian universities and research institutions to establish a supportive network for our students. This collaboration will facilitate academic exchange, joint research projects, and access to resources, thereby enriching our students' learning experience and enhancing the quality of our documentation efforts.

Tanzanian Ministry of Culture, Arts, and Sports: Partnering with the Tanzanian Ministry of Culture, Arts, and Sports will enable us to align our projects with national cultural preservation policies and initiatives. This partnership will also provide us with access to resources, expertise, and support, allowing us to expand our project's scope and impact.

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) focused on cultural preservation: We aim to collaborate with NGOs working on cultural preservation in Tanzania, such as the Tanzania Cultural Trust Fund and the Tanzania Heritage Project. These partnerships will allow us to share resources, knowledge, and best practices, ensuring our project's success and sustainability.

Other Government agencies: By establishing these strategic partnerships, the Tanzanian University Students Wikimedians can significantly enhance the impact of our annual plan in our second year. We are confident that these collaborations will foster a supportive environment for our students, promote cultural preservation and understanding, and contribute to the global Wikimedia community's mission.

Q9: Please share the Bantu Trails project and how it links to your current objectives as a community. And please speak to the audience that would be engaged.

Bantu Trails in Tanzania is a captivating initiative dedicated to documenting, preserving, and celebrating the rich cultural heritage of over 120 Bantu tribes in Tanzania. Through extensive research, fieldwork, and interviews, the project dives into the heart of Tanzania's vibrant culture, exploring the tribes' history, language, arts, crafts, music, dance, folklore, and more. By compiling the findings into a comprehensive, openly accessible database, the project fosters cultural diversity, understanding, and appreciation, while empowering the Bantu communities to share their unique identity with the world. Read More via: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Bantu_Trails_in_Tanzania.

I am thrilled to share how our Bantu Trails in Tanzania project connects with the vibrant and dynamic Tanzanian University Students Wikimedians community. Our project aims to document, preserve, and celebrate the rich cultural heritage of over 120 Bantu tribes in Tanzania. We believe that the connection with the Tanzanian University Students Wikimedians community is instrumental in achieving our objectives and making a lasting impact.

The synergy between the Bantu Trails in Tanzania project and the Tanzanian University Students Wikimedians community is based on our shared commitment to knowledge-sharing, cultural preservation, and the promotion of diversity and understanding. Here's how the project links to the community and the audiences it would engage:

Collaborative Documentation: Tanzanian University Students Wikimedians, with their diverse academic backgrounds and expertise, can actively participate in the research, documentation, and archiving of the Bantu tribes' cultural heritage. This collaboration will allow students to apply their academic skills in a real-world context, furthering their understanding of Tanzanian culture and contributing to the project's success.

Capacity Building and Skill Development: The Bantu Trails in Tanzania project offers a unique opportunity for students to develop essential skills in research, documentation, digital archiving, and cultural preservation. By working alongside experts and local communities, students will gain hands-on experience and enhance their professional development.

Community Outreach and Engagement: Tanzanian University Students Wikimedians will play a crucial role in engaging the wider university community and the general public in the project. By organizing workshops, seminars, and presentations on the Bantu tribes' cultural heritage, students can raise awareness and promote cultural understanding.

Digital Archiving and Access: The Tanzanian University Students Wikimedians community will contribute to digitizing the project's documentation and making it accessible through the Wikimedia platform. This collaboration will ensure that the valuable information gathered is available for future generations and promotes global awareness and appreciation of the Bantu tribes' cultural heritage.

Cultural Exchange and Networking: The project offers an excellent platform for Tanzanian University Students Wikimedians to connect with Bantu communities, researchers, and other experts. This cultural exchange will foster understanding, spark new ideas, and create lasting professional and personal connections.

The linking between the Bantu Trails in Tanzania project and the Tanzanian University Students Wikimedians community promises to be fruitful and impactful. By linking the two, we can work to preserve and celebrate the rich cultural heritage of Tanzania's Bantu tribes, promote cultural understanding, and empower future generations. We look forward to welcoming the passionate and dedicated members of the Tanzanian University Students Wikimedians community to the project and embarking on this exciting journey together.

We appreciate the committee for the constructive feedback on our proposal where we were able to clarify it with insightful points.

Regards,

~~~~

On behalf of the TUSW community. Magotech (talk) 21:11, 10 May 2023 (UTC)

Wikimedia Community Fund Approved in the amount of 25,504 USD

Dear Tanzanian University Students Wikimedians,

Thank you for submitting your application seeking General Support Funds - Wikimedia Community Fund. The Middle East and Africa Regional Committee and Staff have reviewed your application and approved funding in the amount of $25,504 + fiscal sponsor fee for the period of July 2023 - June 2024.

As shared in the email and in our follow up discussion- After a thorough review and discussion on your proposal and based off the information you shared with us as part of responding to feedback and questions, we make the following notes and recommendations;

We strongly recommend and see an opportunity for the community to work under the scope of clubs. This in recognition of the target participants, scope and context you're working under being mostly university students. In view of this we would encourage you to leverage on the partnerships with the various institutions for event spaces etc. This also provides an opportunity for sustainability of the community you are building. It is also important that you reflect on how the participants of the program will join and be part of the larger Wikimedians in Tanzania beyond your engagement with them. We also see an opportunity to include online elements of the training as part of your model and especially since the core team cannot be everywhere all the time. From our assessment and against the information shared in the proposal we see roles such as the project coordinator and communications being very important and valuable to the project. We are of the opinion that the work can continue being supported without an office at this point in time and given how your community is structured. We encourage you to explore local partnerships to fulfill some of the needs you see the office fulfilling to the extent possible. Some of them could house you and this could support your registration needs as well. You would also be leveraging their status to advance your work. We recommend that the training of the trainers event be organized offline, or take advantage of other training of trainers events happening offline or online. We also suggest that the budget for logistics which amount to 500USD be eliminated since the provision has been made for in the unforeseen circumstances line item and also for items needed to ensure the success of the various events has been budgeted for. Lastly, we recommend establishing a volunteer led advisory board to support in ensuring healthy governance. We would hope to see more volunteers taking lead including on matters related to the governance of the community.

We hope this feedback and recommendations are useful in guiding your work now and in the future. Thank you for your contribution to the movement ; we value you as a community and partner in the movement and remain committed to ensuring you are supported in your work.

On behalf of the MEA Regional Committee and staff , --Aristidek5maya (talk) 14:16, 29 May 2023 (UTC)