Personal, consistent and deeply human: CEE Hub support for the region organizations

While reading the strategic plan of Wikimedia Community UG Cyprus you can see that there is a big sense of momentum: plans to grow the community, bring in more diverse voices, and team up with educational institutions. The group is clearly full of potential.

It’s hard to believe that not long ago, things looked very different. As Anna Prodromou from the user group recalls, just three years ago, the core members were feeling disconnected, burnt out, and unsure of how to keep things moving. This is when they learned about the newly formed CEE Hub – and decided to reach out.

“That changed everything,” Anna says. “Thanks to the CEE Hub, we managed to get officially recognised by the Wikimedia Foundation and received our first annual funding. These are two major milestones that honestly, we wouldn’t have reached without the CEE Hub’s involvement.”

It wasn’t just about the fact that support was available, it was the kind of support that made the difference. According to Anna, “The support we received wasn’t just technical or procedural, it was personal, consistent, and deeply human,” she recollects, and points to the special engagement of the hub staff, Barbara Klen and Toni Ristovski, who showed up with encouragement, guidance and even hands-on wiki support, whenever it was needed. 

Throughout 2024, the CEE Hub played a role in helping Wikimedia Community UG Cyprus grow: through event support, meaningful discussions and by simply being a thought partner and cheerleader when it mattered most. In 2025, the group proudly celebrated the launch of its first annual plan.

Support you can CEE at each step!

And while Cyprus is one of the most visible examples, it’s far from being the only one. The Hub stays in regular contact with around 30 communities and affiliates across the region. With a mix of personal relationships and the combined experience of the Hub staff, Steering Committee, advisors, and other supporters, they’re able to tailor support to each community’s unique needs, whether large or small. 

Among many forms of support the hub provided to the Wikimedia organizations in the region there are: 

• Providing hands-on support in preparing Rapid and General Support Fund grant applications, helping affiliates and individuals articulate their goals, plan effectively, and secure funding for their local activities.

• Piloting tailored support for two communities by providing part-time staff dedicated to assist them in administrative tasks, educational initiatives, communication and community development.
• Supporting regional affiliates in writing external grant applications, which led to the successful involvement in the creation of the  Heritage Guard Network project – a cross-affiliate cooperation led by WM Sweden and financed by the Swedish Institute, focusing on heritage protection. This process not only enabled a unique international initiative but also helped build local capacity and confidence in applying for external funding.
• Facilitating knowledge exchange across the region by creating spaces for collaboration and shared learning, including the CEE Newsletter, CEE Catch-up Calls, and different learning sessions. These initiatives help organizations and communities stay connected, share experiences, and learn from one another.
• Working with Wikimedia Czech Republic on facilitating the CEE Youth Group and supporting WMCZ in their groundbreaking Wikimedia Youth Conference 2025. And bringing us closer to a truly multigenerational Wikimedia Movement through strengthening young voices!
• Helping movement organizations hosting CEE Meeting, helping them create meaningful and unforgettable events while ensuring the process is sustainable
• Organizing research deepening knowledge about the CEE region, making sure their support is always based in the true knowledge of the region and the real needs of the communities. 

But most importantly, the CEE Hub – guided by its Steering Committee and working through staff, including newly employed community specialist, Karolina – stays close to the people behind the projects, listening, thinking through challenges together, and celebrating every step forward. Because the real superpower of this region isn’t just what we do, but how we do it: through collaboration, support, and a deep sense of community. The Hub itself is more than just a structure: it is a CEErious sum of its stakeholders, shaped by their voices, needs, and dreams.

Want to know more? Join the next CEE Hub office hours and connect with the team!