The second cohort of the Africa Wiki Women (AWW) On-Wiki Skills Mentorship Program successfully concluded with a vibrant graduation ceremony celebrating the achievements, growth, and resilience of participants from across Africa. The event marked another major milestone in Africa Wiki Women’s ongoing commitment to empowering women and underrepresented communities through digital literacy, Wikimedia editing skills, mentorship, and leadership development.

About the On-Wiki Skills Mentorship Program

The On-Wiki Skills a 3 month mentorship program designed to equip emerging Wikimedians with practical knowledge and hands-on experience in navigating Wikimedia projects effectively. The program is facilitated through structured mentorship sessions, peer learning sessions , practical exercises, and community engagement activities. Additionally, the mentorship offers a safe learning space for women across the African region to collaborate, learn from each other and strengthen their bond in the wikimedia space creating a rich environment for peer learning, collaboration, and cross-cultural exchange. The second cohort graduated 20 women from 5 African countries, including: Benin, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, DR Congo, Ghana, Madagascar, Nigeria, Republic of Congo,Tanzania and Togo.

To ensure effective mentoring, mentees were organized into Anglophone and Francophone cohorts, each supported by mentors who delivered sessions in their respective languages.

Throughout the program, participants received intensive training on key Wikimedia projects including Wikidata, Wikipedia, and Wikimedia Commons. The sessions covered topics such as:

• Wikidata principles, policies, item creation, and item improvement
• Wikipedia’s Five Pillars, article creation, and notability guidelines
• Wikimedia Commons policies, copyright and free licenses, media preparation and uploads, captions, descriptions, metadata, and responsible reuse of Commons content

A Journey of Learning and Transformation

Over the course of the mentorship cycle, participants showed strong commitment throughout the mentorship, consistently attending sessions, completing assignments, and contributing to Wikimedia projects growing from beginners into confident, independent editors.

Mentees contributed in various ways;including:

• Creating and improving 316 Wikipedia articles
• Uploading 50 media files to Wikimedia Commons
• Created 287 Wikidata items
• Participating in campaigns and edit-a-thons
• Learning effective research and sourcing techniques
• Becoming active contributors within Wikimedia communities

These accomplishments reflect the growing impact of mentorship-driven capacity building within the Wikimedia movement, and the Wikimedia Outreach Dashboard created for the mentorship program also provides a detailed record of mentees’ contributions and activities throughout the program.

Highlights from the Graduation Ceremony

The graduation ceremony served as both a celebration and a reflection on the achievements of the cohort. The event featured welcome remarks, mentor appreciations, mentee testimonials, presentations of achievements, and inspiring words from special guest Amanda Jurno.

Speakers commended participants for their resilience, commitment to learning, and willingness to contribute to open knowledge initiatives. Mentors were also recognized for dedicating their time, expertise, and encouragement toward nurturing the next generation of Wikimedians.

Some of the most memorable moments of the ceremony came from mentees sharing personal stories about how the program transformed their confidence, expanded their digital skills, and introduced them to global collaborative communities

Recognizing the Mentors and Organizing Team

The success of the second cohort would not have been possible without the dedication of the guidance of mentors, facilitators, and the organizing team who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure a smooth and impactful learning experience.

Anglophone Mentors

• Chidi Chinonso – Wikidata Mentor
• Muib Shefiu – Wikipedia Mentor
• Baluku Brian – Wikimedia Commons Mentor

Francophone Mentors

• Konan N’Da N’Dri – French Wikipedia Mentor
• Alexandra Tchuileu – French Wikidata Mentor
• Abdel KARIM – French Wikimedia Commons Mentor

In the last month of the program, participants were introduced to Wikimedia Diff, with the session facilitated by Andikan Eduok.

The organizing team and AWW management played a vital role in ensuring the success of the program. Special appreciation goes to:

• Ruby D-Brown , Bukola James, Pellagia Njau
• Coordinating team: Blessing Ojewuyi Timothy, Andikan Eduok, Adel Bigata, Mammysou17, and the AWW Communications department headed by Pascaline and Adeyinka. Their commitment to mentorship, knowledge sharing helped mentees remain motivated and supported throughout the program.

Looking Ahead

As the second cohort has graduated, the On-Wiki Skills Mentorship Programme continues to empower participants as active contributors and future leaders in the Wikimedia movement. Africa Wiki Women remains committed to creating inclusive spaces where women and marginalized communities can build digital skills and contribute to free knowledge. Congratulations to all graduates for their growth and impact. Follow us on all social media handles at Africa wiki women and stay tuned for the announcement of the next cohort. Be a registered member today and be part of the vibrant community.