Onix228

Hello

Hello Boubacarr,

I have seen your site https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Grants:Project/Rapid/Art%2BFeminism_Gambia_2020 and https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Onix228. I like the idea of spreading the terms Open Knowledge and Open Content in Gambia. If there is a way, I want to help ...

I am a very active Wikipedian from Germany who works on the following topics on Wikipedia: Topics about my hometown and the country concerning The Gambia. I have many books about The Gambia and I create many Wikipedia articles there. But these are in on the German Wikipedia. My English is also very bad, I do not speak it fluently enough.

My idea to make The Gambia more present in the Wiki world are two:

• Participation in the worldwide competition "Wiki Loves Monuments" (see here: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Wiki_Loves_Monuments_2020/Organise)

But this is quite sporty, since the campaign is already underway. Maybe it is possible to start in October or November. We'll also get a jury together, I've been on the German jury many times. I can also ask other jury members to join Gambia. And don't worry, you don't need expensive photographic equipment anymore. Modern smartphones make quite decent pictures. Smartphones are quite common in Gambia, aren't they?

Wiki Loves Monuments means pictures of cultural monuments. So World Heritage (Kunta Kinteh Island, Fort Bullen, Six-Gun-Battery, Senegambian Stone Circles in Wassu and Kerr Batch) or National Monuments (State House, Arch 22, and others).

If that doesn't work in the short term, then:

• Participation in the worldwide competition "Wiki Loves Earth" (every year in May)

Pictures of nature reserves are collected there. There is also a lot to photograph.

What do you think about my ideas?

see you, --Atamari (talk) 13:53, 7 September 2020 (UTC)

Hello Atamari, Thanks for reaching out, I really like your idea and proposal to organize a Wiki-Love-Monuments edition in Gambia. I'll be available for an edition in October, and will count on your support for organizing it. Onix228 (talk) 16:07, 7 September 2020 (UTC)

... well i just spoke to commons:User:Rainer Halama, another wikipedian from germany. He is the organizer of the German contribution to the Wiki love Monument this year, maybe he will help a little (!) bit.

My help:

I'm trying to get the pages online that are needed (at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Commons:Wiki_Loves_Monuments_2020/Participating_countries])

Your task: To be available as organizer. Find potential users who will join and participate in taking pictures.

Another idea is to ask the National Centre for Arts and Culture (NCAC) for the current "list of National Monuments of The Gambia". Hassoum Ceesay may be able to help in this matter. --Atamari (talk) 17:38, 7 September 2020 (UTC)

I created a page and made an entry:

• [1]
• [2]

--Atamari (talk) 19:58, 7 September 2020 (UTC)

Hello Onix228,

the way it looks now, we're getting the technical side right. I gave an answer on the Romaine site (I know the Dutch user personally and he is one of the global organizers of the WLM competition). Don't be shy and ask him for advice and help as well.

On the subject of help: look at the table (commons:Commons:Wiki_Loves_Monuments_2020/Participating_countries) Guinea is also participating this year. Maybe it is an idea to contact the organizers in Guinea and ask for advice and help. This is certainly a good idea in the region (I mean the region of West Africa).

Then it is a good idea to contact the National Centre for Arts and Culture (NCAC). Is there a list of the National Monuments of The Gambia that you can get? Is there a person there who can imagine to participate in the picture jury. Is there any further help from there.

If so, you should make as many people as possible aware of the competition (distribute the landing page). Many people who have access to the internet and are enthusiastic about open content. Maybe you should also address photographers (for example https://www.chronicle.gm/the-art-of-story-telling-in-photography-meet-isatou-jallow-the-gambian-photographer-empowering-women-with-her-portraits/), just as an idea. Address Gambier who are interested in the culture and history of the country.

But everyone should be careful, it may be that you are not allowed to photograph everything officially. At the State House I am not sure if it is allowed. If the photographer is unsure, better ask questions and if it is not clear, do not take the photo. We do not want that someone is taken into arrest!

Also because of COVIS19 all important hygiene regulations must (!) be observed, rather do without a photo - than to break rules or even seriously endanger health!

Is the purpose of Wiki Loves Monument clear? Are there any questions? Or are there any other open questions? What does your activity look like? Did you already talk to someone, did you already inspire someone? --Atamari (talk) 22:09, 16 September 2020 (UTC)

Hi Onix228,

Romaine has clarified the last technical things (https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=User_talk:Romaine&diff=prev&oldid=476421995). What is your situation? --Atamari (talk) 17:10, 30 September 2020 (UTC)

Hello Atamari, sorry for the delayed response but the internet had been a challenge here lately because of the rains and lack of electricity constantly. So also as you can see, having access to informations and responses here from institutions is not so easy as you have experienced with the NCAC that I finally reached on call to verify the list of monuments. We are good to go and I saw the nice work you did with the landing page I'll be sharing asap if you think we can go ahead. Thanks for your offer for the prize, I tried to talk to some agencies and businesses but no chance because of complex procedures to have access to contact people. If we can get more from the WLM chapters or partners that will be great too. Personally I can't actually get funding from WMF because I need to file the expenses from our first meetup but the member who was in charge of such is still unreachable. Regarding the judges, I will volunteer additionally to two other people to form the committee to office as judges and I will help for account creations and guiding the participants through the uploading as well. My best Regards and feel free to reach me out for anything else.

Hey Atamari, please check my updates if you are available. Thanks Onix228 (talk) 10:27, 14 October 2020 (UTC)

Hello Onix228/Slamraz,

I am happy to hear from you again and I am also happy that you have been able to take some steps offline.

I think technically the landing page is ready and can be distributed. If I notice uploads I will try to give support for the categorization of the pictures here and there.

Good that three gambian jury members were found. It should be a gambian competition and not a course controlled from outside. I and my colleagues from Germany offer help here - if it is brought. (by the way: I will be a member of the German jury this year as well). Also note that a chosen picture is not a picture of a jury member in the end.

Because of the prize I stand by my statement that if no other sources open up, that I will provide 10000 Dalasi (about 160 Euro) for the first prize. Maybe we will get this budget increased, so that a second or third prize - besides the recognition of the achieved rank - can also be awarded.

Then I look forward to further cooperation. And sorry my English is on a low level (I use help with a translation program).

Greetings, Atamari

Hello Atamari, nice reading you again. Ok we are good to go now. Yes will be great if we can have more prize for the second and third positions. Maybe https://meta.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Romaine could give a little info about that. Thanks for your coordination. Onix228 (talk) 12:40, 14 October 2020 (UTC)

via e-mail User:KCVelaga contacted me and offered his help. I had asked him to get in touch with you. He is a native English speaker and also works closely with WMF. He is from Wiki Loves Monuments international team. --Atamari (talk) 12:52, 14 October 2020 (UTC)

Ok that's great. I started the campaign on the social networks in Gambia now to call for participants. Onix228 (talk) 13:17, 14 October 2020 (UTC)

very good --Atamari (talk) 13:44, 14 October 2020 (UTC)

@Atamari: Thanks for supporting Onix228, it is great work that you have done so far. As we were discussing on email, this effort can indeed lay foundation for further Wikimedia outreach and movement growth in Gambia. I am quite happy to see this coming. @Onix228: Kudos to you for taking initiative on this. From the above conversation, specifically related to WLM, I see that a few more funds would really help you in this. Have you considered of applying for a grant to the Wikimedia Foundation - if you are not already aware, you can consider applying to the rapid grants program, which allows a maximum of US$2000, can be applied through 15th of each month. If this is something that you would like to explore, we can talk more on this. You can send me an email at Special:EmailUser/KCVelaga, and we can talk more. Let me know if you I missed anything, with regards to support related to WLM. KCVelaga (talk) 17:28, 14 October 2020 (UTC)

Hello https://meta.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:KCVelaga, thanks for the additional informations and guidelines. Actually I'm aware of the rapid grants but cannot apply for one because we to file the expenses of our first grant for planning Wikimedia Gambia meetup but cannot reach out the volunteer member who were responsible of that task but any more ideas about funding the activities or the event are still welcome. Thanks Onix228 (talk) 19:21, 14 October 2020 (UTC)

Support from AffCom

Hello Onix228, I have learned that you are willing to start a focused group and seeking support with affiliate recognition process. You can reach out to me at mkaur-ctr[at]wikimedia.org and we can schedule a call to discuss this further.

Regards,

MKaur (WMF) (talk) 19:51, 11 December 2020 (UTC)

Hello Mkaur, thanks for reaching out. Yes having your advice and guidance would be great. What is the best way for you to get in touch ? Zoom or hangout would be fine for me. My best regards. Onix228 (talk) 19:22, 12 December 2020 (UTC)