Wikimedia Community User Group South Sudan

Wikimedia Community
User Group
South Sudan
Wikimedia Community ; User Group ; South Sudan
	; South Sudan
Location	South Sudan
Country code	SSD
Approval date	In Process
Volunteers	50
Official language(s)	Juba Arabic , English
Facebook	Wikisouthsudan

Translate this page

Wikimedia Community User Group South Sudan
Home	Programs	Events	Join	Members	Contact

The Wikimedia Community User Group South Sudan is a vibrant and growing community dedicated to advancing the mission of the Wikimedia movement within South Sudan. Despite facing unique challenges due to the dynamics and geography of the country, the community has successfully established itself and continues to thrive with the support of the grants team and its commitment to capacity building and collaboration.

Introduction

Objectives

To promote the use of Wikimedia projects to people in South Sudan.
To help people in South Sudan learn how to contribute to Wikimedia projects
Generally to add South Sudan-related content to Wikipedia and sister projects.
To establish the presence of Wikimedia in South Sudan.
To serve as a contact for Wikimedia projects in South Sudan.

Proposed Activities

Organizing Wikipedia edit-a-thons in South Sudan.
Promote editing of contents on Wikimedia projects that relates to South Sudan and neighboring countries.
Training South Sudanese on how they can contribute to Wikimedia projects.
Participating in Wiki Loves Activities.
Creating partners to extend the course of Wikimedia in South Sudan.

Happening now [ Events and Projects]

Wikimedia South Sudan Learning Lab

The "Wikimedia South Sudan Learning Lab" is an innovative and experimental virtual learning space created by the Wikimedia South Sudan User Group. Its primary goal is to foster community engagement and skill-building among its members. This unique platform hosts weekly skill-building sessions where community members come together to select and explore a variety of topics. These topics are carefully chosen to enhance the quality of contributions to Wikimedia projects while also emphasizing the broader importance of open knowledge.

Oral History Project South Sudan 2024

The main change the "Oral History 2023" project seeks to bring is the preservation and accessibility of the oral traditions, stories, and cultural heritage of South Sudan's diverse tribes and ethnic groups.

- Application for 2024 projects

Wiki Loves Folklore 2024 In South Sudan

Wiki Loves Folklore is an international photographic contest organized annually at Wikimedia Commons to document folk cultures in different regions of the world. Wiki Loves Folklore 2024 is a continuation of Wiki Loves Folklore 2023 with the theme of folk culture. The origin of the project started in 2018 from Wiki Loves Love 2019 in the theme of ceremonies and festivals of love.

Upcoming Programs/ Meetings

Wiki in School - Feb 2024

1Lib1ref- January

1Lib1Ref stands for "One Librarian, One Reference," an annual campaign by the Wikipedia Library team. The primary goal is to boost the reliability and verifiability of Wikipedia articles by encouraging librarians globally to add reputable citations.

Objectives

The campaign aims to improve Wikipedia articles by:

Enhancing the credibility through reliable citations.
Engaging librarians in the editing process.
Bridging knowledge gaps between libraries and Wikipedia.

-Significance and Impact in South Sudan

For South Sudan, participating in the 1Lib1Ref campaign holds particular significance:

Promotion of Digital Literacy: The campaign encourages librarians and students in South Sudan to critically engage with digital platforms like Wikipedia, fostering digital literacy in the region.
Community Engagement: Engaging with the campaign enhances South Sudan's visibility within the broader Wikipedia and open knowledge communities, showcasing the country's rich heritage and information resources.
Advocacy for Open Access: Contributing to Wikipedia supports South Sudan's commitment to open access to information, aligning with efforts to promote transparency, education, and knowledge dissemination within the country.

By emphasizing the significance of the 1Lib1Ref campaign in South Sudan, we highlight the country's commitment to digital literacy, community engagement, and open access to information, aligning with broader global objectives.

-Wiki Loves Africa - Feb-April

Wiki Loves Africa is an annual public photo competition that aims to capture the essence of Africa's diverse cultures, people, and landscapes through the lens of photography. Initiated in 2014, this endeavor seeks to enrich Wikipedia and its sister projects with images that showcase the continent's beauty and heritage.

Objectives of Wiki Loves Africa

Promote African Content: Motivate photographers from all over Africa to capture and contribute images that represent the continent's vibrant culture, landscapes, and communities.
Address Content Gaps: Increase the availability of high-quality, freely licensed images related to Africa on Wikimedia Commons to offer a more comprehensive and authentic depiction of the continent.
Engage and Collaborate: Encourage collaboration among photographers, Wikimedia affiliates, cultural institutions, and communities to build a comprehensive repository of African-themed photographs.
Educate and Raise Awareness: Conduct workshops, training sessions, and outreach programs to educate participants about the significance of freely licensed content and the broader Wikimedia movement.

Significance and Impact in South Sudan

Cultural Representation: Participation in Wiki Loves Africa provides South Sudan with a platform to showcase its rich cultural heritage, traditions, festivals, and daily life. This initiative allows for the documentation and preservation of unique aspects of the country's culture and identity.
Enhanced Wikimedia Content: By contributing images to Wiki Loves Africa, South Sudanese photographers contribute to enriching Wikipedia articles, enhancing their visual appeal, and providing an authentic portrayal of the nation's culture, landscapes, and traditions.
Community Engagement: Involvement in Wiki Loves Africa fosters a sense of community among South Sudanese photographers, Wikimedia contributors, and enthusiasts, promoting local collaboration, knowledge sharing, and skill development.
Global Recognition: South Sudan's participation in Wiki Loves Africa connects the nation to a broader global audience, raising awareness about its cultural richness, landscapes, and traditions on an international platform.

In summary, while Wiki Loves Africa celebrates the entire African continent, its objectives, significance, and impact hold particular relevance and importance for South Sudan, offering a unique opportunity to showcase, preserve, and celebrate the nation's cultural and natural heritage.

Wiki Gap - March

Wiki Gap is an influential global initiative aimed at reducing the gender disparity on Wikipedia by emphasizing the representation of women and their accomplishments. While it's a global movement, its relevance and impact on countries like South Sudan cannot be understated.

Objectives of Wiki Gap

Increase Female Representation: Enhance and amplify content related to women from South Sudan, highlighting their achievements, contributions, and narratives.
Engage New Editors: Encourage both novice and experienced editors from South Sudan to contribute content centered on women, ensuring diverse perspectives.
Host Edit-a-thons: Organize events, workshops, and edit-a-thons within South Sudan to collaboratively create and edit articles about women and gender-related topics.
Collaboration: Foster partnerships and collaborations between South Sudanese Wikimedia chapters, institutions, and individuals to promote gender equality on Wikipedia.

Relevance and Impact on South Sudan

Promoting Gender Equality: By focusing on South Sudanese women's stories and contributions, Wiki Gap contributes to the broader gender equality dialogue within the nation.
Enriching Knowledge Base: The initiative enriches Wikipedia with South Sudan-specific content, ensuring that the country's women are adequately represented and recognized.
Community Empowerment: Wiki Gap events in South Sudan foster community participation, inclusivity, and empowerment, providing networking and skill development opportunities.

Art + Feminism - March

Art+Feminism is an intersectional and international initiative focused on improving content on feminism, gender, and the arts on Wikipedia. The project aims to address the gender gap and lack of diversity on Wikipedia by hosting edit-a-thons and other events where participants are trained to create and edit Wikipedia articles on women artists, feminist movements, and other related topics.

Competition Objectives

The primary objective of Art+Feminism is to:

Address the gender imbalance and systemic biases on Wikipedia by increasing content related to women artists, feminist movements, and gender-related topics.
Engage communities globally in edit-a-thons and workshops to train participants in Wikipedia editing, contributing to the creation of accurate and comprehensive content.
Foster collaboration among participants, Wikimedia chapters, and cultural institutions to enhance content quality and representation.

Relevance to South Sudan

In the context of South Sudan, Art+Feminism holds significant relevance as it:

Provides a platform to highlight the contributions of South Sudanese women artists, activists, and leaders who have made significant strides in various fields.
Addresses the underrepresentation of South Sudanese women and their stories on Wikipedia, ensuring their voices are heard and documented.
Encourages local participation and collaboration, fostering a sense of community and empowerment among South Sudanese women and the broader Wikimedia community.
Promotes awareness and understanding of gender issues, feminism, and women's rights within the South Sudanese context, contributing to broader societal discussions and advocacy efforts.

By participating in Art+Feminism events and initiatives, individuals in South Sudan can contribute to a more inclusive, diverse, and representative Wikipedia, reflecting the rich cultural heritage, achievements, and narratives of South Sudanese women.

Wiki Loves Earth South Sudan May-July 2024

Wiki Loves Earth (WLE) is an annual international photographic competition organized by the Wikimedia Foundation. The primary objective of Wiki Loves Earth is to encourage individuals to capture photographs of natural landscapes, flora, fauna, and other heritage sites in their respective countries and upload these images to Wikimedia Commons, the media repository of the Wikimedia Foundation.

Competition Objectives - Engage photographers across South Sudan in capturing the unique beauty of local natural landscapes. - Provide training opportunities for participants on contributing photos and content to Wikimedia Commons. - Strengthen the South Sudanese Wikimedia community through collaborative efforts.

Relevance for South Sudan

Wiki Loves Earth South Sudan is more than just a photography competition. It's a chance to: - Showcase the breathtaking landscapes and biodiversity unique to South Sudan. - Encourage local photographers to play an active role in preserving and sharing the country's natural beauty. - Strengthen the presence of South Sudanese content on Wikimedia projects, contributing to a more comprehensive representation.

WPWP- July- August

Wikipedia Pages Wanting Photos is a collaborative initiative within the broader Wikimedia ecosystem that focuses on identifying and enhancing Wikipedia articles that lack accompanying images or visual content. The goal is to improve the comprehensiveness, quality, and user experience of Wikipedia articles by adding relevant and free-use images. This initiative underscores the importance of visual representation in conveying information effectively, enhancing reader engagement, and making content more accessible.

Wiki Loves Monuments - Sept- October

Wiki Loves Monuments is an annual international photography competition primarily focused on monuments and heritage sites worldwide. The primary objective of this campaign is to document cultural heritage monuments and sites and to encourage photographers to contribute high-quality images to Wikimedia Commons for free use on Wikipedia and other Wikimedia Foundation projects.

Objectives

The main objectives of Wiki Loves Monuments are:

To encourage photographers to capture images of monuments and heritage sites.
To enhance Wikimedia Commons with high-quality images of cultural heritage.
To raise awareness about the significance of preserving and documenting cultural heritage globally.
To promote the use of open-licensed content on Wikipedia and other Wikimedia projects.

Significance and Impact

In the context of global heritage conservation and documentation, Wiki Loves Monuments plays a crucial role. However, when contextualized to specific regions like South Sudan, its significance becomes even more pronounced:

Cultural Preservation: South Sudan, with its diverse cultural heritage, can benefit from the documentation of its monuments and heritage sites, ensuring they are recognized and preserved for future generations.
Education and Awareness: Participation in Wiki Loves Monuments can raise awareness among South Sudanese citizens about the importance of their cultural heritage, fostering a sense of pride and identity.
International Collaboration: Contributing to Wiki Loves Monuments allows South Sudan to collaborate on a global platform, sharing its unique heritage and learning from best practices worldwide.

By participating in Wiki Loves Monuments, South Sudan has the opportunity to showcase its rich cultural heritage, engage its citizens in the preservation of monuments, and contribute valuable content to the global Wikimedia community.

African Cinema Contests - Oct to November

Wiki for Human rights

Wiki for Human Right refers to a collaborative platform or initiative that leverages wiki technology to document, advocate for, and promote human rights principles, violations, education, and activism. This platform enables individuals, activists, organizations, and communities to collaboratively compile information, share resources, raise awareness, and foster dialogue on human rights issues globally.

Archived Projects

Wikivibrance 2022 in South Sudan
Africa Youth Month 2022 in South Sudan

Archived Meetings

Wikimedia South Sudan AGM 2023

Future Plans

To conduct more editathons and workshops which seek to create awareness of Wikimedia projects on South Sudan.
To participate in different global Wikimedia projects such as Wiki Loves Africa, Wiki Loves Monuments, Wikiloves Women, Wiki Loves Earth, etc.
To become an Organizational entity (Chapter)
To form the East Africa Wiki Community
To find more partners for the group to have capacity of implementing more projects

Gallery

Members

How to join

Join the Wikimedia Community User Group South Sudan and make a difference! Contribute to open education resources, raise awareness about climate change, preserve cultural heritage, and empower women's involvement. Collaborate, network, and be part of a passionate community dedicated to positive change. Visit our social media platforms @wikisouthsudan and join to get updates of trainings, editathons and programs to get started. Alternatively, you can join either our WhatsApp or Telegram groups to get more immediate feedback!

Together, we can create impact in South Sudan!

Contact information

Email us at wikimediasouthsudan gmail.com
or contact
- Romeo Ronald Lomora lomoronald gmail.com
- Mandenya Samuel Francis mandenyasamuel500 gmail.com

You can also join the discussion on our talk page