Dagbani Wikimedians User Group holds capacity-building training for its team members at Royal Basin Resort in Kumasi, Ghana

Introduction

The Dagbani Wikimedians User Group embarked on an inspiring journey to enhance their collaborative expertise and capacity. In a two-day team capacity-building training held at the Royal Basin Resort in Kumasi, Ghana, 25 team members came together from Dagbani Wikimedians and its sister communities, including Gurene, Moore, Dagaare, and the Kusaal Wikimedia Community, to acquire essential knowledge, skills, and tools to further the mission of promoting knowledge sharing through the Wikimedia platforms. The training was led by team members sharing their experience through hands-on workshops to better equip the team to contribute more effectively to the Wikimedia movement.

Day One: Knowledge for All

The first day of the training began with excitement and suspense. Sadik Shahadu, the Executive Director of the Dagbani Wikimedians User Group, delivered the opening remarks, setting the pace for the transformative training program.

Dr. Richard Lamptey from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) then enlightened the team on information retrieval for research, providing valuable insights into effective research methodologies. Participants gained knowledge on sourcing reliable information and employing appropriate techniques to bolster the quality of their contributions.

Sadik Shahadu, known for his multifaceted leadership, delved into the importance of Art+Feminism Wikipedia Campaigns. This session highlighted the significance of gender equity in the Wikimedia community and demonstrated the power of collective action. The team members were encouraged to champion this cause and actively engage in campaigns that promote the representation of women on Wikimedia platforms.

Alhassan Mohammed Awal who is the Co-Lead for Dagaare Wikimedia Community, introduced the fundamentals of Wikipedia editing to the participants, equipping them with the necessary skills to create and edit Wikipedia articles. This session also highlighted adding citations and references to Wikipedia and categorizing the articles.

Sadik Shahadu returned to the stage to share insights on preparing successful proposals for the Wikimedia Conference and securing scholarships. The team members gained valuable knowledge to navigate the complex landscape of conference applications and funding opportunities, empowering them to showcase their ideas and secure resources for future endeavors.

Rukaya Hamidu (User:Ruky Wunpini) shed light on Wikimedia Commons, exploring the world of multimedia content. Participants learned about photo, document, and video uploads on Wikimedia Commons. 

To streamline project management processes, Sadik Shahadu introduced the team to various digital tools such as Element, Asana, Gmail, and Google Drive. These platforms enhance collaboration, task management, and communication within the team to ensure efficiency and synergy in their collective efforts.

Mohammed Kamal-Deen Fuseini (User:Dnshitobu), Co-Lead for Gurene Wikimedia Community, shared insights on optimizing the usage of ChatGPT and Google Bard, two powerful tools that can revolutionize the team’s repetitive actions and brainstorming. This session offered valuable guidance on leveraging AI technologies to streamline content creation and provide enhanced support to the community.

Day Two: Nurturing a Vision for the Future

As the second day of the Dagbani Wikimedians User Group’s team capacity-building training commenced, Building upon the foundation laid the previous day, the training continued to offer invaluable insights and tools to empower the team members in their contributions to the Wikimedia movement.

Sadik Shahadu, a guiding light within the group, initiated the day with a session on the Introduction to the Wikimedia Movement. This session provided a comprehensive overview of the movement’s history, values, and global impact. Participants gained a deeper understanding of the Wikimedia ecosystem and their pivotal role within it.

Fuseini Abdul-Rafiu (User:Alhaji Darajati), Co-Lead for Moore Wikimedia Community, introduced the team to quantitative data tools such as the Outreach dashboard, hashtags, and Fountain. This session equipped them with practical knowledge on leveraging these tools to analyze and track the impact of their outreach efforts. By harnessing data-driven insights, the team members can optimize their strategies and amplify their reach within the Wikimedia community.

Alhassan Abdul-Wadudu (Achiri Bitamsimli), Hub coordinator for the User Group, shared his expertise through an Introduction to Quickstatements. This session unveiled the power of this tool in facilitating large-scale data importation into Wikimedia projects. Armed with this knowledge, the team members can efficiently contribute vast amounts of structured data, enriching the Wikimedia repositories with valuable information.

An Open Forum session provided a platform for all participants to engage in an exchange of ideas, experiences, and challenges. This collaborative discussion fostered a spirit of inclusivity, enabling the team members to learn from one another’s perspectives and explore solutions collectively.

Sadik Shahadu returned to guide the team in building a culture of diversity and inclusion within the Wikimedia community. This session emphasized the significance of ensuring equitable representation and fostering an environment that embraces the richness of diverse perspectives. By cultivating inclusivity, the team members can create a more comprehensive and accurate body of knowledge on Wikimedia platforms.

Mohammed Kamal-Deen Fuseini (Dnshitobu) introduced the team to OpenRefine, a powerful tool for data cleaning and transformation. This session equipped the participants with the skills to enhance the quality and reliability of data, ensuring that Wikimedia projects maintain a high standard of accuracy and usability.

Sadik Shahadu explored the realm of community communications and social media, highlighting effective strategies for engaging with the Wikimedia community and promoting their initiatives. This session emphasized the importance of clear and compelling communication to mobilize support and foster collaboration.

Mohammed Kamal-Deen Fuseini (Dnshitobu) continued to expand the team’s knowledge with an Introduction to the SPARQL Query Service. This session delved into the intricacies of querying Wikidata, empowering the team members to extract meaningful insights and connections from the vast knowledge base.

Alhassan Mohammed Awal shared valuable techniques for navigating Meta-Wiki, Diff, and Translate Wiki. These platforms enable effective collaboration, version control, and translation of Wikimedia projects. With these skills, the team members can seamlessly contribute to the collective knowledge and ensure accessibility to a wider audience.

Conclusion

Abdul Rasheed Yussif delivered the closing remarks, expressing gratitude to the participants for their active engagement and unwavering commitment. This conclusion acknowledged the transformative journey that the team had embarked upon and inspired them to carry the spirit of collaboration and knowledge-sharing forward. He also shed light on the future of the community’s mission and vision and the need for a hands on deck attitude by all.