The Dagbani Wikimedians User Group is a not-for-profit organization promoting free knowledge through Wikipedia and sister projects. The group, mostly students and educators of all ages, is made up of 153 volunteers with a vision to increase the visibility of Dagbani and all other Gur/Mabia languages spoken in Ghana, Burkina Faso, Togo and Benin on the internet using Wikimedia projects such as Wikipedia. The fascinating history of the group is explored in this session, tracing its origin, growth, and contributions to the Wikimedia movement. After getting the Dagbani language approved on Wikipedia in 2021 as the third Ghanaian language to be recognized by Wikipedia, the group went ahead to get three other Gur/Mabia languages (ie Gurene, Dagaare and Kusaal) recognized on Wikipedia as of March 2024, with another one (Moore) currently being incubated for approval. In fact the Dagaare language secured its approval in record time by chalking this feet in just nine months.
Attendees of this session will be able to:- Appreciate the challenges encountered by the group in promoting diversity and inclusion within the Wikimedia space;
- Learn the evolution of the Dagbani Wikimedians User Group; and
- Discuss community-building strategies and initiatives for collaboration within the context of Wikimedia projects.
