Over the past year, the Wikimedia Community User Group Uganda has made meaningful progress in building skills, inclusion and community engagement on Wikisource , Wikimedia’s digital library of public domain and freely licensed texts. Through two targeted training programmes and Uganda’s first-ever Wikisource birthday celebration, we introduced new contributors to digital preservation and expanded local participation in this project.
Wikisource 101/102: Introducing Students to Digital Heritage
Project page : https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Community_User_Group_Uganda/Wikisource_Uganda_101
In September 2024, we launched Wikisource 101/102, a six-week learning series designed to introduce university students and early-career information workers to Wikisource. Although students were familiar with digital tools, very few had encountered Wikisource despite its central role in archiving historical materials.
How We Ran the Training
All sessions followed a structured, in-person model that later became the blueprint for Women in Wikisource. The programme combined demonstrations, guided editing, group assignments and weekly practice tasks that ensured participants gained confidence through hands-on work. We recruited 10 participants from Kyambogo University, Makerere University, the National Library of Uganda and the Wikimedia Community User Group Uganda. Sessions covered editing basics, policies, transcribing, indexing and advanced features such as adding images
What We Achieved
By the end of the training, 12 contributors had collectively proofread, validated and enhanced over seven historical texts. Participants reported increased digital literacy and a deeper appreciation for the value of open knowledge.
What We Learnt Along the Way
Some learners did not have laptops and others had tight academic schedules. We also experienced temporary service disruptions, as well as unexpected reversions from external editors. A key takeaway was the need for even more hands-on time during advanced sessions
Women in Wikisource: A Focused Drive for Inclusion
Project page: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Community_User_Group_Uganda/_Women_in_Wikisource#Activities
Using the same training model from Wikisource 101/102, we launched Women in Wikisource, a focused initiative aimed at increasing female participation on the platform. Held from March to April 2025, the programme offered practical training, mentorship and opportunities for women editors to build skills in digital preservation.
What the Programme Offered
Hosted at Goethe-Zentrum Kampala, the sessions introduced participants to the wider Wikiverse, the principles of public domain materials and the role of archives. They learnt how to proofread and validate pages, track their progress using the contest dashboard and identify suitable texts from partner sites. Practical demonstrations covered importing, indexing and adding images to enhance texts. The programme concluded with a discussion on emerging opportunities within Wikisource and how women contributors can play a stronger role in shaping digital knowledge spaces.
Participants applied these skills by working on selected texts that highlight African narratives, further strengthening both content diversity and their own editing confidence.
Uganda’s First Wikisource Birthday Celebration
Event page: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Community_User_Group_Uganda/Wikisource_at_22_in_Uganda
In November 2025, Uganda joined the global Wikisource community in celebrating the platform’s 22nd birthday for the first time. Held at Hive Colab Kampala, the event brought together volunteers, librarians and newcomers for a lively day of learning and collaborative editing. Participants took part in a refresher training session before diving into a proofread-a-thon focused on The Flame Tree and Other Folk-Lore Stories from Uganda. The celebration ended on a cheerful note with a cake-cutting moment and informal networking, which helped raise the visibility of Wikisource within the User Group and further strengthened local engagement.
Looking Forward
These three milestones represent a growing commitment to building a vibrant Wikisource community in Uganda. The shared training model has proven effective in equipping new editors with practical skills, fostering inclusion and inspiring long-term participation.
As we look ahead, we plan to continue expanding training opportunities, strengthen partnerships with cultural institutions and support more contributors in editing Wikisource. We welcome anyone interested in joining us in the preservation and accessibility of knowledge.
Special thanks go out to Alice Kibombo, whose mentorship across all these events was instrumental to our progress.
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