WikiIndaba 2024/Report/Shikoha Tautiko
Report on the Participation of Shikoha Tautiko at WikiIndaba 2024 in Johannesburg, South Africa
Overview
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As a first-time attendant of the WikiIndaba event from a newly recognised Wikimedia Community User Group Namibia, I am delighted to have attended the 8th WikiIndaba. This conference was an eye-open for me to see, experience and benchmark with likeminded wikimedians and librarians in particular. Hence, networking with likeminded individuals from across the continent and beyond was an enriching experience that forms lasting bond. Therefore conference was an inspirational environment particularly at making deliberate efforts of ensuring that our indigenous Languages are present and accessible at digital space such as Wikipedia. The access and the presence of our indigenous knowledge in the digital infrastructure is an essential phenomenon that need to be embraced. Moreover, I have participated in the Hackthon sessions where I have learned about how to do translation of Wikipedia articles and page interphase into indigenous languages. It was during this session where I discover that my mother togue is still in the incubation phase and this Indaba challenged me to do something to make it visible and accessible . Moreover, as a co-founder of the [[Wikimedia Community User Group Namibia]] I co-presented at lighting discussion on the topic titled “Librarians at the Forefront: Establishing the [[Wikimedia Community User Group Namibia]] ”. We have shared with fellow librarians on how we managed to Create a Community User Group in Namibia as Librarians. Networking with likeminded individuals from across the continent and beyond was an enriching experience that forms lasting bond. Provide insights into your participation at the conference, including details about your contributions, experiences, and noteworthy encounters.
Outcome
editAs an African Wikimedian I left the conference conscientise about the urgency of utalising existing open acess platform such as Wikipedia to preserve our indigenous languages and to create thier digital footprit. Thus I have learned about serveral means that I can make use of to create those digital footprints.
Moreover, another significant take away emerge from this conference was the resourceful network of librarians that I imanaged to exposed to and stay connected. This connection serve as strong essences for future collaboration.
Impact
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As memeber of Wikimedia Community User Group that recently affliate to Wikimedia, the conference has inspired me to continue to building a sustainable Community User Group in Namibia. Therefore the way forward is to enhance existing capacity building inniative for our fellow voluteers to be able to carry out Wikimedia projects with precisions as they were able to host a sucessful satellite conference in Namibia.
Anything else?
editI want to sincerely appreciate the 2024 conference organisers and Wikimedia South Africa for their financial support accorded to Namibian delegate to attended this conference. This was a life changing opportunity that you have provided to our team.