Visibility Projects

Visibility Project – East Africa

The Visibility Project for East Africa is a gender-focused initiative launched in partnership with African Women in Media and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The program aimed to train female journalists in East Africa on the fundamentals of Wikipedia editing and copyright literacy.

As part of our mission to bridge the gender gap online and recruit women contributors to Wikipedia, more than 200 East African journalists were trained between 5th June – 6th July 2020. The training sessions were conducted online and coordinated by Wikimedia User Group Nigeria, Wikimedia Community User Group Tanzania, and Wikimedia Community User Group Uganda, with logistical support from our partners at African Women in Media and UNESCO.

Media Coverage Highlights

Our advocacy efforts have received significant attention across national media and broadcast platforms. Selected highlights include:

• Wikipedia needs more editors from Nigeria — People’s Daily, March 26, 2016
• Wikipedia partners Nigerian NGOs to promote women — The Guardian & The Nigerian Voice, July 23, 2016
• Wikipedians organize Wiki Loves Women in Nigeria — News Express Nigeria, July 23, 2016
• Wiki Loves Women encourages Nigerian women's presence on Wikipedia — Punch & Daily Trust, October 14, 2016
• Mental illness: Wikipedia to create awareness in Nigeria — January 23, 2017
• BBC video for Wikimedia UG Nigeria (w/ World of Knowledge) — March 13, 2018
• Olaniyan Olushola on One-on-One — PlusTV Africa, December 19, 2018
• NTDC needs to exploit digital space — August 19, 2018
• Wikipedia out to get more content online — January 19, 2018
• Wikimedia Nigeria wins Best NGO Award — December 25, 2018
• Swedish Ambassador empowers 30 women — Featured on Herad, Todays.ng, and SunReporter
• Wiki Loves Earth Contest in Nigeria — Channels TV, June 15, 2019
• 2019 Merit Awards: PlusTV Africa honors Wikimedia — December 2, 2019
• Int'l Mother Tongue Day Coverage — Guardian (Feb 24, 2024) & Independent (Feb 26, 2024)
• Commitment to Indigenous Languages — February 27, 2024
• NAWOJ & Wikimedia advocate equal gender opportunities
• Wikimedia and NAWOJ seek more women in leadership roles
• Wikimedia Nigeria celebrates women on IWD
• Wikipedia Needs Women initiative launched by Wikimedia Foundation