Following a strong start in June, the AWA Digitalise Youth Project 2025 entered its second month with renewed energy and a focus on deepening participant engagement and editorial capacity. As part of our commitment to bridging knowledge gaps on digital rights and cybersecurity in Sudan and Somalia, our July activities were both impactful and collaborative.
Coordinated Onboarding and Deeper Training
The month began with the circulation of a post onboarding survey form by Bukola James, the Community Coordinator of the African Wikipedian Alliance (AWA). This initiative was instrumental in gathering the fellows feedback and gauging expectations that can help us tailor our activities more effectively.
In the spirit of peer-led learning, I co-facilitated two training sessions alongside two Digitalise Youth Fellows, Linason Blessing and Barakat Adegboye. During the training sessions, participants were guided on how to maintain a Neutral Point of View (NPOV) while contributing to Wikimedia projects. Emphasis was placed on the importance of identifying and using reliable sources to support factual content. In addition, they were taught how to select and edit articles that align with the thematic focus of the AWA Digitalise Youth Project, including topics related to the Malabo Convention, e-democracy, digital mobilisation, SDG 16 and human rights.
July Deliverables and Highlights
I worked diligently with my participants and by the mid of the month, we successfully achieved our 30-article/item target, including the creation of four new Wikipedia articles. Two of the standout contributions include:
- Mohammed Adam Moalim – as at July, 2025, he is the current Minister of Communication and Technology of Somalia.
- Idris Ibrahim Jamil– a former Minister of Justice in Sudan
These articles and several others edited marked important steps in addressing the underrepresentation of digital governance, SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Institution) and digitalisation from Sudan and Somalia on Wikipedia and Wikidata.
Community Feedback and Reflection
We concluded the month with a scheduled Office Hour, which served as an open space for feedback, reflections, and troubleshooting. Participants shared their progress, challenges, and suggestions. The session reinforced our commitment to continuous learning and responsive support within the AWA community.
Looking Ahead
As we move into August, we are excited to keep up this momentum by exploring more advanced Wikidata tools, expanding our article scope, and continuing to train and mentor our peers. The collective energy of our community continues to drive meaningful progress in digital knowledge equity across Africa.
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