SheSaid 2025 in the Wiki for Senior Citizens Network

The She Said 2025 in the Senior Citizens Network project was implemented from 15 September 2025 to 15 November 2025  to bring the voices of older adults into the digital world of Wikimedia, while helping close the persistent gender content gap. This project which strongly aligned with the Wiki Loves Women and the global SheSaid campaign, promoted greater visibility of women’s voices and documentation of quotes from notable women on Wikiquote. Supported by the Wikimedia Rapid Fund, the project helped to position senior citizens to not just be beneficiaries, but active knowledge contributors.

What We Did

• Mobilization and Outreach: Senior citizens aged 50 and above in Abuja and beyond were invited to participate through physical fliers and digital outreach. Members of the Wiki For Senior Citizens Network were encouraged to research archives, personal libraries, and rare publications to identify valuable quotes by African women.
  
  
• Online Training:  The project began with a virtual training session led by experienced Wikimedia volunteers. This session introduced participants to the campaign’s goals and equipped them with the skills to edit Wikiquote, identifying and citing notable quotations with accuracy.
  
  
• Physical event: Following the online session, we hosted a physical event to build connections and collaborations, and further support participants with hands-on training, while providing answers to questions.
  
  
• Continuous Editing & Reflection: Participants continued editing throughout the campaign period, documenting new quotes and improving existing Wikiquote articles about African women. Regular check-ins helped address challenges and sustain the momentum.
  
  
• Recognition & Showcase: At the end of the campaign, the contributions were reviewed and top contributors were celebrated with gift vouchers annd customized merch, thus inspiring others and showcasing the impact of senior engagement.

Impact & What We Learned

This project demonstrated that age is not a barrier but an asset in closing knowledge gaps. Senior citizens brought invaluable historical perspective and access to printed archival materials, enriching Wikiquote with content that might otherwise never be digitized. The campaign also proved that trainings, active volunteer support, and inclusivity can effectively integrate older adults into digital volunteer spaces. It was very interesting and successful to pair senior citizens with younger editors who assisted with page formatting, sourcing of quotes, and project navigation. We recorded a total of 263 new page creations, and 305 page improvements. The participants did not only add meaningful content but also gained confidence and built capacity in digital literacy.

By empowering senior citizens to contribute, document, and preserve women’s quotes, this project created pathways for expanded participation and a richer, more inclusive digital knowledge landscape. Sincere appreciation goes to all our participants, partners, and mentors. We look forward to sustained impact and more collaborations. Let’s keep the momentum going!