Botswana’s creative and digital industries are growing rapidly, yet much of this growth remains underrepresented on Wikimedia projects and other global knowledge platforms. To address this gap, the Wikimedia Community User Group Botswana, in partnership with Limkokwing University of Creative Technology, implemented the Limkokwing University of Creative Technology School Adoption Program 2026 from 28 February to 30 April 2026.
Under the theme, “Botswana’s Creative and Digital Industries: Arts, Innovation, Culture, and Inclusion,” the three-month program introduced students to Wikipedia and Wikidata editing while equipping them with practical skills to document Botswana’s creative economy. The initiative focused on improving content related to arts, culture, innovation, technology, and indigenous knowledge systems.
The program trained 10 active student editors through a series of workshops, edit-a-thons, and mentorship sessions. Participants learned how to create and improve Wikipedia articles, contribute structured data on Wikidata, and apply Wikimedia principles such as verifiability, neutrality, and notability.
The impact of the program exceeded expectations. During the three months, participants:
- Created 139 new Wikipedia articles
- Improved 158 existing articles
- Made 1,420 edits across Wikimedia projects
- Added more than 212,000 words to Wikipedia
- Added 964 references to improve the reliability of articles
- Uploaded 324 files to Wikimedia Commons, with 13 files currently used in Wikipedia articles
- Generated approximately 5,390 article views, increasing global access to information about Botswana.
On Wikidata, participants also made significant contributions by:
- Creating 83 new items
- Making 1,720 revisions
- Adding 744 statements (claims)
- Adding 176 labels, 155 descriptions, and 54 aliases
- Adding 7 interwiki links, strengthening connections between Wikimedia projects.
Beyond content contributions, the program strengthened student’s research, writing, digital literacy, and information evaluation skills. It also laid the foundation for a sustainable Wikimedia student community at Limkokwing University and strengthened collaboration between the university and the Wikimedia Community User Group Botswana.
The program recognised outstanding contributors whose commitment and consistency stood out throughout the three months. The top participants were:
🥇 First Place: KaoGalenamong
🥈 Second Place: OtengPortia
🥉 Third Place: Blackgirlmighty
The Limkokwing University of Creative Technology School Adoption Program 2026 demonstrates how universities can play a meaningful role in advancing knowledge equity and ensuring that Botswana’s creative and digital industries are represented on global knowledge platforms. It also highlights the important role that students can play as contributors to open knowledge and digital heritage preservation.
To learn more about the project, visit the program page http://bit.ly/3Sp5ZT3.
To follow future activities or get involved with the Wikimedia Community User Group Botswana, visit:https://bit.ly/4vyLaDi. Students, educators, volunteers, and partners are encouraged to join future initiatives and contribute to documenting Botswana’s knowledge on Wikimedia platforms.
- Facebook Page: Wikimedia Botswana Community Usergroup
- Instagram: WikimediaBw
- YouTube: Wikimedia Community User Group Botswana
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