Wikipack Africa, an action pack to facilitate outreach work on Wikipedia in Africa

Wikipack Africa is an action pack that contains the WikiFundi software, materials and content that facilitates the outreach work done by local Wikimedia chapters, local Wikimedia User Group or isolated individuals in African countries. The pack allows for training and contribution to continue when technology, access and electricity outages fail or are not available at all.

The Wikipack Africa empowers volunteer communities to grow as Wikimedia organisations and paves the way for a self-reliant future. Further, it can be adapted to empower educators to assist with access to key educational resources, although it is primarily meant for individuals and groups who want to implement outreach projects

• work with galleries, libraries, archives and museums to bring cultural content online;
• work with education partners to get educators and students contribute or better understand Wikimedia projects;
• to be used by educational partners to work with students as an educational resource
• more generally, organise edit-a-thons, photo hunts, workshops, press conferences, etc. to promote Wikimedia projects.

The WikiAfrica team has conducted several Wikipedian activation projects across Africa. During the course of these projects, there were some challenges that curtailed the success of the Wikipedians in Residence/Community. These challenges included:

• a lack of access to online services in community or rural settings;
• personal access being in most cases only by phone;
• the inability to access resources via one ‘gateway’ (our solution was the wikiafrica.net/toolkits portal – but if offline, no one could access); and
• the lack of marketing and communication material available to hand out to potential partners or trainees.

Content and software are currently available in French and English.

Hardware

• a raspberry PI 3 server and a 200 GB mini SD card

Software

• WikiFundi  – an editing platform that provides an offline editable environment that provides a similar experience to editing Wikipedia online. WikiFundi allows for training and contribution when technology, access and electricity outages fail or are not available at all. It enables individuals, groups and communities to learn how to edit Wikipedia, and to work on articles collaboratively. Once completed and connected to the internet, these articles can be uploaded to Wikipedia.

Digital content

• An offline version of Wikipedia encyclopaedia via Kiwix (as well as other Wikimedia projects, such as Wiktionary, Wikisource…)
• Lot’s of (Wikipedia related) educational content
• An offline version of the #OpenAfrica toolkit (http://www.wikiafrica.net/toolkits/)
• Selection of best outreach material from outreach wiki and other wikimedia websites
• Templates versions (for custom editing and remix) and high quality versions (for local printing) of marketing and communication material (leaflets, pull-up banners, tee-shirts design, etc.)

Non digital content

• a collection of basic marketing material about wikipedia and other wikimedia projects to distribute to interested people during events (stickers, leaflets, etc.)
• a few generic marketing and communication material to “populate” a physical space, bookshelf style (a couple of tee-shirts, mugs, etc.)
• posters and other communication material about former and ongoing Wiki Loves Africa photo contest
• samples of “best-off” marketing and communication material made by other chapters and user groups in Africa.

• The WikiAfrica pack is described on meta.wikimedia.org.
• It has been advertised on the usual channels used by Wikimedians : the African Wikimedian mailing list, WikiAfrica meta page, Wikimedia Foundation blog (digest-wiki-fundi), through Twitter and Facebook, and during Wikimedia organisational events (such as Wiki Indaba, GLAM meetings, Wikimania, etc.)
• The Wikipack has been distributed as a one shot to local chapters, usergroups, non official groups or even individuals, provided that they have:

1. Made an official documented request showing their interest and need,
2. A group of eager volunteers, or at least a solid plan to encourage volunteers, and
3. A track record of wikimedian activity in your country.

If you are a Wikimedian or Wikimedia group working in Africa, you can apply for a Wikipack!! Apply here.