The Wiki Indaba Conference 2024 in Johannesburg was a vibrant gathering, pulsating with the energy of African Wikimedians coming together to exchange knowledge and advance Wikimedia projects across the continent. Open Foundation West Africa (OFWA) was proud to be part of this dynamic space, with key team members contributing to discussions, panels, and presentations that focused on empowering African communities through Wikimedia. Here’s a recap of our activities during this exhilarating event.

The OFWA team started the conference on a high note, with community member Abdul Rahim Ziblim making his debut at the Wiki Indaba. As the President of the Tamale Wiki Hub, a subsidiary of OFWA,  his attendance was a significant part of our mission to support community members in gaining exposure to Wikimedia efforts beyond local communities. We are proud to have been a part of this milestone in Abdul's journey and are excited about providing similar opportunities for other OFWA members in the future.

Panel Discussion: Resourcing Wikimedians in Africa…

The Executive Director, Jael Serwaa Boateng, joined a panel discussion titled “Resourcing Wikimedians in Africa: What We Are Learning & What’s Next.” Jael shared insights into OFWA’s impact through its programs, particularly capacity building and community engagement. She highlighted initiatives such as the Newbie Course 101 and 102, which have equipped young people with the skills to contribute meaningfully to Wikimedia projects. Her contribution underscored the importance of resource-driven support to ensure the sustainability of African Wikimedia communities.

Session on Leveraging Kiwix4Schools to Bridge the Digital Divide

Eugene Masiku, OFWA’s Communications Officer, led an insightful session on “Leveraging Kiwix4Schools to Bridge the Digital Divide in African Education.” Eugene introduced participants to the Kiwix4Schools program, which provides educators and communities with offline access to high-quality educational resources. The session featured practical demonstrations of the new module, which sparked remarkable feedback and ideas from attendees. By offering offline solutions, this initiative helps bridge the digital divide, especially in areas with limited internet connectivity, allowing more students and educators to access vital knowledge.

Panel Discussion: Africa Wiki Women

Jael also joined a panel discussion that focused on African Women in the Wikimedia space. She spoke about the challenges women face in contributing to Wikimedia projects and how including different ways of measuring women’s contributions in organizational strategy can help women feel recognised and encourage them to be active.

Roundtable Discussion: Building the Internet we want across Africa through policy advocacy

Jael Serwaa Boateng participated in a roundtable discussion focused on "Building the Internet We Want Across Africa Through Policy Advocacy." During the session, she discussed how OFWA is leveraging a key moment—an election year—to elevate the profile of Wikimedians in Ghana by positioning Wikipedia as a credible source of information for the Ghana Polls 2024.

Jael highlighted the importance of establishing partnerships outside the Wikimedia space, while ensuring alignment with OFWA’s objectives. These partnerships aim to support peace campaigns that promote peaceful dialogue and encourage voters, political parties, and stakeholders to maintain peace throughout the election period. Additionally, a key goal of the project is combating misinformation and disinformation, ensuring that Wikipedia remains a reliable source of information during the elections.

Day 2 Highlights: Africa Wiki Challenge Presentation

On Day 2, Eugene Masiku represented the organization by presenting one of OFWA’s flagship programs,  the Africa Wiki Challenge (AWC). His presentation highlighted the importance of amplifying African content in the global knowledge sphere through Wikimedia projects. AWC fosters collaboration between Wikimedians from different regions, aiming to enrich Wikipedia with diverse African narratives.

 Eugene emphasized that this initiative is key to achieving global representation of African culture, history, and heritage on Wikimedia platforms.

Looking Ahead: Building a Stronger Future for African Wikimedians

The Wiki Indaba Conference 2024 offered OFWA a valuable platform to share our successes and learn from fellow Wikimedians working toward similar goals. Our participation underscored the need for continuous collaboration, innovation, and capacity building in Africa’s Wikimedia community.

We look forward to continuing our efforts to bridge gaps in knowledge and empower African communities to be part of the global Wikimedia movement.