Introduction
Wiki Afrodemics Mentorship Program is the Wikipedia project that aims to increase the visibility of African Scientists, Researchers and Academics on Wikipedia platform.
Overview
Fortunately I was selected to be among the participants of the first cohort in March 2026 from Tanzania. I had a very good experience during this program, with the help of our dedicated and experienced trainers and mentors alongside with insightful online trainings almost everything went well.
Wikidata Experience
On Wikidata platform before joining this program I only knew how to translate the items labels, but after the whole month of insightful trainings by our Mentor Mr David Palfrey, I learned about how to create a new Wikidata item, how to add a statement and the most important I learnt how to find and add the reliable references on Wikidata items. I also learnt how to query data or information from Wikidata platform.
Among many other things, through this program I succeeded to create the following Wikidata items:
- Atsede Aregay (Q138713983)
- Hilja Eelu (Q138745612)
- Joseph Diing (Q138976265)
- Wol Deng Akech (Q138976660)
- Samuel Ekundayo Oladipo (Q139571810)
Wikipedia Experience
On Wikipedia platform especially on English Wikipedia I had never created any article before this program. I only knew how to edit and translate an article from English language to my Swahili local language. Through the insightful Wikipedia online trainings by our Mentor Mr Muib Shefiu I learnt how to create an article from the scratch and how to determine the notability of the person or the subject you are writing to through finding the reliable sources. On English Wikipedia through this program I succeeded to create an article about a Nigerian Researcher and Professor Samuel Ekundayo Oladipo.
Other Skills
This program also helped me to improve my writing skills, leadership skills, communication skills and collaboration skills. I am so thankful to all our Mentors and all my fellow Mentees or participants for their collaboration in making this program successful.
Conclusion
The knowledge gained from this program is helping me alot to participate confidently in many other Wikipedia Edithathons, also helping new contributors to learn more and the most of all continuing to contribute to the free knowledge movement especially on documenting the information about the African Scientists, Researchers and Academics.
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