Wiki Loves Monument 2023, Wikimedia Kaduna Network

The project was led by Ramatu A. Haliru (inyor4mr) with micro funding from Wikimedia User Group Nigeria with valuable assistance from experienced facilitators like Ismail Atiba, Luqman Kareem Salati, Friday Musa and Zainab Mu’azu. The main theme of the project is to mark the international campaign of Wiki Love Monuments in Kaduna state by enabling Wikimedians in Kaduna state to contribute to the international project locally. The project specifically trained new and existing editors in Kaduna state on how to add images to Wikimedia Commons and also to Wikipedia pages. Also, the Wikimedia Kaduna Network was officially launched on 28th of September, 2023 by Wikimedia User Group Nigeria with this project as its first project.

The campaign focused on uploading images of notable places, infrastructure, companies among other subjects in northern Nigeria cultural heritage. We documented selected images and topics that aligned with the mission of the international campaign of Wiki Loves Monuments 2023 which aimed at foster a comprehension of Nigeria cultural heritage.

Project goals

1. To provide new and existing editors with better understanding of Creative Commons licensing and best practices.
2. To provide participants with necessary skills and tools needed to contribute quality images and content to Wikimedia Commons and Wikipedia.
3. To established a hub for knowledge sharing among members of the networks, individual or organization who are willing to share knowledge.

Steps developed to achieved the project goals

Planning begin 1st -9th, September, 2023. by identifying the main approaches needed to developed for achieving success during the project. we adopted to method which are

• Two Online sessions
• One Physical session

During the planning stage we draft the proposals, receiving funds, creating e-flyers and sharing them in different social media to call for participants. also creating the Meta-wiki page, outreach dashboard and creating whatup app group for communication with participants among others.

Implementation (9th September – 9th October, 2023)

The implementation started with online training sessions than followed by physical training.

1. The first online training was held on 10th September, 2023 which introduce participants to concepts of Wikimedia Commons, Wikipedia info box. Creative Commons licensing, the five pillars of Wikipedia and the notability policy. Then a general introduction to the campaign showing them how to participate with provisions for data reimbursement and one-on-one support. The participants contribution was monitored on the dashboard with daily updates sent to the group to encourage participants through the communication channels.
2. The second online session was on 16th September as weekly follow up on the communication channels sharing videos’ of adding image and answering questions and data reimbursement to top contributors.
3. The Physical Training session was held on 28th, September, 2023 at the National Library of Nigeria, Kaduna state office. the session provide participants with an in-person training experience and questions on issues affecting participants were all answered. The training ended with shared refreshments.

Wikimedia Kaduna Network Launched

Wikimedia Kaduna Network was officially launched by Wikimedia User Group Nigeria on 28th September, 2023 the same day of the physical training of the campaign. Mr. Kayode Yusuf from Wikimedia User Group Nigeria who inaugurated Excos to pilots the affair of the networks under Nigeria User Group.

Learning outcomes

1. 35% are new editors, as a result of previous project. The 65% were familiar with Wikimedia Commons and Wikipedia. however, the new editors we exposed to ways of adding image to Wikimedia Commons and creating infobox and adding image to Wikipedia page, making sentence correction with adding links to Wikipedia articles.
2. The outreach dashboard and metapage was most effective metrics for identifying participants contribution during the campaign.
3. The campaign improved the content gabs in teams of image added to wikicommons and wikipedia page by accuracy.
4. based on the record on dashboard, this campaign met its targets expectation.

Challenges and Recommendation

The new editors were not familiar with Wikimedia Commons and its Creative Commons licensing. Also, we challenge of retention of participants after campaign. To solve this problems we create a network that we have online and physical training every month. this campaign engage them in session before they were able to contribute. The issue of IP block was experience by some editors which discourage them. We recommended that the Wikimedia Foundation should find a solution to this problems.