Africa Wiki Challenge (2021)

Bridging the Africa content gap online through Wikipedia 

We live in a heterogeneous world made up of people from diverse cultures, with diverse beliefs who practice diverse religions and traditions. The untold story of Africa’s diversity remains a challenge in the 21st century. Over the years, the internet has been flooded with content about every other thing except Africa.

Africa’s digital representation on the web is nothing to write home about… Literally. Thus individuals and organisations alike, over the years, have organised numerous campaigns to improve both the narrative and representation of Africa on the web.

One of such campaigns is the Africa Wiki Challenge (AWC)– a campaign that calls on Africans around the world to contribute content about Africa on the world’s largest encyclopedia; Wikipedia.

The theme for this year is Landmarks in Africa and requires participants to contribute content around the significant places and sights on the continent. From the Pyramids of Egypt to the whalebone pier of South Africa; from the fertile lands of Guinea-Bissau,
to the arid lands of Somalia; Africa is rife with landmarks and stories fit for the second largest continent in the world.

Stories that need telling. Who better to tell our own stories than us-Africans? Considering how diverse the continent is, projecting Africa by highlighting its landmarks will ease the burden of information access for Content Creators, Tourists, Researchers and anyone struck by the beauty and potential of the continent. 

This is a call to anyone with a passion for making information available. Cease the moment today! Write about a landmark near you. Take a photo and upload it!

Join our first AWC virtual office hour on Friday 21st May 2021 via Google Meet at 5pm to 6pm UTC

Don’t forget to sign up to participate.

Visit the AWC website to read more about the campaign and how you can participate.