From Learner to Facilitator: How Africa Wiki Women Shaped My Wikimedia Journey

Screenshot from an Africa Wiki Women EditHer April training session on translating Wikipedia articles from English to French.

One of the most rewarding aspects of the Wikimedia movement is the opportunity to learn while contributing to free knowledge. Sometimes, however, the learning becomes even deeper when you are given the responsibility to teach others.

During the Africa Wiki Women April Edit-a-thon Campaign, I was allowed to facilitate a training session on translating articles from English to French. While I initially approached the session intending to help participants understand the translation process, I soon realised that I was learning just as much as the editors attending the training.

Screenshot of participants attending the EditHer Africa launch event in an online meeting.

What did I discover while preparing for the session?

Preparing for the session required me to explore Wikimedia’s translation tools more thoroughly and to examine existing content across different language editions. As I reviewed articles, I discovered numerous topics that existed in one language but were missing in another. This highlighted the important role translation plays in bridging knowledge gaps and ensuring that information is accessible to wider audiences.

Important lesson for me

The experience reinforced an important lesson for me: knowledge equity is not only about creating new content. It is also about making existing knowledge available to communities that speak different languages. Through translation, contributors can amplify the reach and impact of articles, allowing more people to access information in languages they understand and use daily. For example, the Cameroonian community has more articles in French than in English.

What changed when I facilitated the session?

Facilitating the session also helped me develop skills beyond technical editing. It challenged me to communicate concepts clearly in my second language, which is French(francais), respond to questions from a participant, and think critically about how people learn within the Wikimedia ecosystem. I gained a deeper appreciation for the work of mentors and trainers who invest their time in supporting new contributors.

How did this experience impact my growth afterwards?

Perhaps the most significant impact of this opportunity became evident after the campaign. The confidence and experience I gained as a facilitator inspired me to take a more active role in mentoring other editors and supporting community growth. The training experience demonstrated that leadership within Wikimedia is not limited to creating content; it also involves empowering others to contribute effectively.

Am I grateful for this opportunity?

Yes, I remain grateful to @Africa Wiki Women for providing emerging Wikimedians with opportunities to lead, share knowledge, and develop new skills. Being trusted to facilitate a session was more than a speaking opportunity; it was a learning experience that expanded my understanding of Wikimedia’s multilingual ecosystem and strengthened my commitment to community development.

Why am I grateful for this opportunity?

The lessons from that training session would later play a significant role in another journey: launching and mentoring contributors through the Mboa Forward May 20 Community Days Campaign. In a future post, I will share how those experiences translated into building a new initiative, the challenges we encountered, and the lessons we learned along the way.