Introduction
The Empower Her Edit-a-thon, hosted by Charter Africa in partnership with Africa Wikipedian Alliance (AWA), equipped participants with the skills necessary to contribute effectively to the English Wikipedia, especially the aspect of women in politics. This report summarises the two training sessions I conducted on March 26th and March 28th, 2024, as well as the office hours and the Wikidata training I attended in the Anglophone Community.
Training Sessions
The first training session was carried out March 28th 2024 and it focused on the fundamentals of editing articles on Wikipedia. It introduced topics on editing tools, categories, and infoboxes. The session was designed to be interactive, allowing over thirty participants in attendance to engage actively with the material and ask questions for clarification.
The second session was carried out on March 28th 2024 and it built upon the skills learned in the previous session, focusing on article creation. Participants were given a refresher on editing tools and demonstrated the process of creating an article from scratch using the draft box feature. As part of the hands-on experience, I created a new article explaining the Notability Guidelines that can grant any subject an article on the Wikipedia main space. The session fostered a dynamic learning environment, characterized by active participation and thoughtful discussions.
On April 2nd, 2024, I participated in the Anglophone office hours, where I had the opportunity to support and guide fellow editors. During the session, participants sought additional clarification on Wikipedia's notability guidelines and specific criteria for establishing notability. I provided insights and explanations, helping participants navigate these essential aspects of article creation and editing. Additionally, participants shared their challenges in improving articles and solicited advice, which I addressed by offering tailored suggestions and strategies to enhance the quality and relevance of their contributions.
The following day, on April 3rd, 2024, I attended a Wikidata session led by James Rhoda. The session focused on understanding data entries and emphasized the importance of adhering to policies and guidelines when entering data. James Rhoda provided insights into best practices for entering data on Wikidata, emphasizing the need for precision and adherence to established standards. Participants were encouraged to familiarize themselves with Wikidata's policies and guidelines to ensure accurate and reliable data entry.
Personal Reflection
As an experienced trainer who has focused primarily on creating articles for academics and scientists in Africa, it has never come to my mind to research gender differences. However, during the training, I came to know about the wide gender gaps on Wikipedia and the urgent need to close the gap. I also got to meet new enthusiastic editors who are highly motivated to contribute to Wikimedia foundation projects. Editors that are intrinsically motivated and very eager to learn and contribute.
Challenges and Solutions
Just like other training around the Wikimedia movement, my fear is how to retain these passionate editors in the movement so that we will continue to encourage them to do their best. However, I believe that the Africa Wikipedia Alliance will continue to initiate credible projects that would continue to train and engage them in the movement.
Conclusion
Participation in the Empower Her Edit-a-thon training sessions and Wikimedia events such as the Anglophone office hours and Wikidata session provided valuable learning opportunities and networking experiences. Engaging with participants from different countries enabled me to diversify my knowledge of Wikipedia's guidelines, contribute insights to fellow editors, and refine their editing skills. Through interactive instruction and practical demonstrations, participants gained proficiency in editing and article creation. The sessions not only equipped participants with technical skills but also fostered a deeper understanding of Wikipedia's principles and guidelines. Moving forward, it is anticipated that participants will utilize their newfound skills to amplify the representation of women and marginalized communities on Wikipedia, thereby contributing to a more diverse and inclusive online encyclopedia.