Wikimedia South Africa/Operational Meeting/8 February 2022

WMZA Operational Meeting: 8 February 2022

Attendees

• Douglas Ian Scott
• Bobby Shabangu
• Michael Graaf
• Deon Steyn
• Maqueen Lawrence
• Nobantu Modise
• Coenraad Loubser

Apologies

• Khetiwe Marais
• Delight Chipunza
• Wynand van der Walt

Grant discussion

• Briefly talked about two different grant types the WMF is suggesting we apply for. The Strategy grant (and possibly hosting a hub for Africa) [1] that Bobby and Douglas had a meeting with Zita about; and the Knowledge Sharing and Development [2] that Veronica shared with us.

Afrikaans Wikipedia community

• It was said that their are countries with many languages, where they have their own user groups and a budget is allocated to them with their own staff.
• Deon has been communicating with his super editors in regards to Afrikaans Wikipedia. Afrikaans Wikipedia feels that there is a lack of support from the Chapter.
• Deon would like to be part of the Belgium user group, because the most important to him is creating content.
• It was suggested that the Chapter Administrator will not be able to manage all user groups in all languages.
• There is a budget to have money allocated to the Afrikaans Wikipedia, a part time administrator can be hired to manage the Afrikaans Wikepedia. This person can work few hours in a month.
• Deon is in the process of looking for a administrator, this administrator can be based in Gauteng. There is a 5 months to do to avoid unnecessary long procedures in hiring we can follow Deon's lead on the hiring.
• WMZA exists to support language communities, each and every one of them.
• There is an importance of working together cohesively to support different communities.
• If someone wants help they must ask for it in detail
• We should do more to give language communities ideas for projects and ideas for how we can help, eg with organizing or publicizing events.
• One can go on Zulip and seek for support and see how they can help other communities. There needs to be a stronger culture on using Zulip.
• Meeting and being part of conversation is helpful, that's where you can get people for support and get funding.
• Afrikaans wikipedia should report on their meetings, this can be written as a concept note, this can be included in the grant request the Chapter can get a full picture of what the user group needs and how the chapter can help.
• The chapter can focus on discussions that relate to the Chapter's goals. Douglas offered to assist Deon in writing up the concept for the Afrikaans Wikipedia grant.
• If anyone feels like they're "fighting a lone battle" it means we need to improve and we need help with that.
• The conversation is to see how the Chapter keeps on supporting and growing free knowledge in all languages
• [3]
• The Afrikaans Wikipedia is facing challenges and support is needed as well as another small language Wikipedia is facing its own unique language and support is needed to be rallied for their support.
• It was said there is no resource that outlines how communities can be supported in a South African context. There has been some work on community support on Meta and discussions hosted by the WMF on this issue but none of them have been suitable for the South African context in terms of languages. However, there might be some good ideas out there and I think it would be good to pick the brains of other chapters in regard to this matter.
• It was suggested that the Chapter should email them and ask how they can help us support local communities
• Our agenda is to without any prejudice or politics or favoritism, promote and support all Southern African languages
• Proposals in any language, we can find volunteers to translate them.
• Coenraad has volunteered to translate the Afrikaans wiki proposal that will be drafted. And also to do fundraising if given a script and leads would help.
• It was suggested to have a meeting with veronica and any member can join the meeting in regards to the grant request
• If the Afrikaans Wikipedia was constituted accordingly it can get its own funding from different sources.

Southern African Content

• Afrikaans has A LOT of Southern African content that can be translated into other local languages.

Resolutions

• Ways of supporting Deon and the Afrikaans Wikipedia were drafted. An application is to be written as the first steps, to be translated by Coenrad.
• A meeting to be held with Veronica to advise chapter members on how they can go about acquiring funding for the user group.
• Coenraad volunteers to "volunteer to do fundraising for specific goals " for the chapter.