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  "path": "/2026/03/20/amplifying-youth-voices-through-digital-rights-my-journey-with-the-awa-digitalise-youth-project-2026/",
  "publishedAt": "2026-03-20T07:00:00.000Z",
  "site": "https://diff.wikimedia.org",
  "tags": [
    "AWA\nDigitalise Youth Project 2026",
    "African\nWikipedian Alliance",
    "Robertjamal12",
    "Wikimedia\nGhana User Group",
    "Fante\nWikimedians Community",
    "Affiliations\nCommittee",
    "Conference Grants Committee",
    "https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Event:AWA_Digitalise_Youth_Fellow-Robert_Obiri_Okyere"
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  "textContent": "The internet has become one of the most powerful spaces for civic engagement, storytelling, and advocacy. Yet, across many parts of Africa, there are still significant gaps in how issues like digital rights, online freedom, and civic participation are documented and represented on open knowledge platforms.\n\nI am excited to share that I have been selected as a fellow for the AWA\nDigitalise Youth Project 2026, an initiative by Code for Africa in partnership with the African\nWikipedian Alliance. This project aims to empower experienced African Wikimedians to amplify youth voices and contribute to critical conversations around digital rights on Wikimedia platforms.\n\nMy name is Robert Obiri (User: _Robertjamal12_), a Wikimedia volunteer since 2019. I am a member of the Wikimedia\nGhana User Group and the Founder and Lead of the Fante\nWikimedians Community. I also contribute to the broader Wikimedia movement through my roles as a member of the Affiliations\nCommittee and the \nConference Grants Committee, supporting the growth of affiliates and community initiatives globally.\n\nDigital rights are human rights. From freedom of expression to access to information, the ability to safely participate online shapes how individuals and communities engage with society. However, topics such as online disinformation, internet shutdowns, surveillance, and digital activism remain underrepresented—especially in the context of African countries.\n\nThrough this fellowship, I will focus on addressing these gaps by contributing content related to:\n\n  * Digital rights and freedom of expression\n  * E-democracy and civic technology\n  * Online activism and social movements\n  * SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions)\n  * Disinformation, censorship, and surveillance\n\n\n\nMy regional focus will be on **South Sudan** , **Somalia** , and **Eritrea** —countries where digital rights challenges are significant yet underrepresented on Wikimedia platforms.\n\nThis project directly contributes to the broader goals of the Wikimedia movement in several key ways\n\nA key part of my work will involve engaging contributors to translate content into Ghanaian languages. Language plays a crucial role in accessibility, and by localizing knowledge, we make information more inclusive and relevant to diverse audiences.\n\nThis effort builds on my work with the Fante Wikimedians Community, where we continue to promote indigenous language contributions and strengthen participation within the Wikimedia movement.\n\nBeyond content creation, this project is about people. Over the next six months, I will be working with a growing community of volunteers—new and experienced editors alike—through:\n\n  * Online training sessions on Wikipedia and Wikidata\n  * Translation workshops\n  * Monthly office hours and mentorship\n  * Collaborative editing campaigns\n\n\n\nInterested participants can join the project event page here:\n\nhttps://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Event:AWA_Digitalise_Youth_Fellow-Robert_Obiri_Okyere\n\nI look forward to sharing updates from this journey, highlighting contributions from participants, and reflecting on the impact we create together.",
  "title": "Amplifying Youth Voices Through Digital Rights: My Journey with the\nAWA Digitalise Youth Project 2026"
}