Africa Youth Month Campaign

Knowledge gap about the African continent on Wikipedia has persisted for so long. The fact that there are more articles on Wikipedia about Paris, than there are about Africa, is quite alarming. In 2018, UNESCO reported that over 300 African languages are endangered and more than 52 have already become extinct. Wikipedia has also become one of the greatest tools for preserving and stalling the rate at which these languages are dissipating yet there are not more than 100,000 articles written in any single African language.

The gaps are glare with the current demographics of Wikipedia contributors all points to the fact that there is a systematic bias in the knowledge that is being produced on the site and the fact that we have the opportunity to improve the narrative is heartwarming. Part of the problem is low awareness, lack of capacity building, and low contribution from the region.

In view of this, Open Foundation West Africa has been selected as an implementing partner of the Wikivibrance Campaign for Ghana to engage Wikimedia communities to improve this narrative through the Africa Knowledge Initiative (AKI).

Frequently Asked Questions

What is AKI?

Africa Knowledge Initiative (AKI) is an initiative with a focus on closing the knowledge and content gap that exists on the internet about Africa, leveraging Wikipedia and other Wikimedia projects. AKI has decided to kick off its activities using three AU holidays; Africa Youth day - on 1st Nov 2022, Environment/Wangari Maathai day 3rd Mar 2023, and Africa day 25th May 2023.

What is Wiki Vibrance?

Youth-focused initiative in the movement that acknowledges and supports young wikimedians through community engagement activities to create synergies, share knowledge and build capacities to contribute to the content of selected thematic drives across Wikimedia projects.

What?

Africa Youth Day under The Africa Knowledge Initiative and Agenda 2063 for this year. Africa Youth Day among two others has been strategically selected because of its ability to engage a wide variety of African audiences and also the need to grow the capacity of knowledge producers over time. “The Agenda 2063 is Africa’s blueprint and master plan for transforming Africa into the global powerhouse of the future. ensuring that Africa’s development is driven by investment that is sustainable and benefits all people and that development activities will promote unity, self-determination, freedom progress, and collective prosperity pursued under the ideals of Pan Africanism and the vision of the Africa renaissance. The agenda 2063 aims to increase infrastructure, access to quality health and education, promote good governance, peaceful and secure Africa, productive employment and decent work for all, innovation and advanced technology, health renewable technology, united Africa with a strong common identity etc.” In this regard, the campaign will focus on increasing multilingual contributions of content about Africa in aspects related to; Tourism Trade Education Advance Technology Health Human Rights Peace and security Renewable Energy Culture, etc.

Who can participate?

We encourage all Wikimedia communities and editors across Ghana to actively participate in the various activities that will be organized during the campaign. We also implore more new folks to participate and take advantage of the training opportunities which are being organized throughout the period of the campaign.

When and where?

This is an online campaign with pockets of in-person training in respective regions. There will be an online writing contest from 1st Nov. to 15th December. Do well to sign up on the Ghana WikiVibrance dashboard or sign up here. There are also some proposed articles for those interested in translating existing articles into their language wiki.

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