Your point is well noted. Quoting Asaf's message ( found at: https://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/african-wikimedians/2016-March/000614.html ):
"I also invite you to think about what else might be done to support and promote the creation and sharing of free knowledge in Africa, beyond awarding a few more scholarships to Africans. I remind you that the Wikimedia Foundation is eager to support mission-aligned work, including experimentation, through the various grants programs[1], and that there is a wealth of written materials about program design and best practices[2][3][4], for African volunteers motivated to do more programmatic work in Africa. If you would take me up on this invitation, I would love to hear your thoughts on work in Africa, beyond Wikimania scholarships. A. [1] https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Grants:Start [2] https://outreach.wikimedia.org/ [3] https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Grants:Learning_patterns [4] https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Grants:Evaluation/Program_Toolkits " Perhaps we can come together to brainstorm of ways to improve the system? On Friday, March 11, 2016, Gnangarra <[email protected]> wrote: > Olatunde raises a significant issue in that call for communities to > participate in the community village is demoralising if communities dont > have the opportunity to attend the event which is suppose to be bringing > everyone together. We have the underlying principle of sharing the sum > of all knowledge, if we dont do it internally then we cant do it > successfully externally. > > As for the response the process for Wikimania has been changed, in Mexico > last year a decision was taken with many communities unaware and excluded > from the discussion because they didnt have anyone there. With Wikmania > being every 2 years its becomes more significant that all communities have > representatives attend every wikimania otherwise it ends up isolating > communities for 4 years from the whole of the movement. The scholarship > process is also broken and its needs to be discussed it needs to be > reconsidered to allow for the changes. > > > > On 11 March 2016 at 23:01, <[email protected] > <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','[email protected]');>> wrote: > >> Nkansah Rexford, I have no idea of why you directed such a non-sequitur >> comment to me. Regrettably, your tone is condescending with lack of >> empathy. Everyone have the right to voice their concerns and you're not in >> the best position to criticize them. That being said, Nobody begged for >> Wikimania scholarship but we have the right as a community to raise concern >> on certain issues and that is none of your business. You're neither a chair >> of the scholarship committee nor the Wikimedia Foundation Events Manager. >> You are not in the best position to respond to this. It is always a good >> idea to learn to be reserved. >> >> I don't like to say you're crude and rude but kindly have the decency to >> be polite when addressing your fellow Wikipedians. >> >> Warmest regards, >> >> Olatunde Isaac. >> >> Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless handheld from Glo Mobile. >> ------------------------------ >> *From: * Nkansah Rexford <[email protected] >> <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','[email protected]');>> >> *Date: *Fri, 11 Mar 2016 14:30:07 +0000 >> *To: *<[email protected] >> <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','[email protected]');>>; Wikimania >> general list (open subscription)<[email protected] >> <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','[email protected]');>> >> *Subject: *Re: [Wikimania-l] Community Village and Meetups at Wikimania >> 2016 >> >> The scholarships are what they are: scholarships, not ticket to heaven. >> >> Many factors go into approving an application for scholarships. Plus, >> hundreds if not thousands apply for the scholarships every year. NOT >> everyone can be accepted. Neither will everyone be rejected. >> >> Some will need to go this year. Others will have to wait on the turn >> (assuming they check all the application requirement boxes) Unfortunately, >> this year, Nigeria couldn't win a scholarship slot. That's unfortunate but >> NOT demoralising, I think. It's not as if anyone promised you a >> scholarship... >> >> To say it's 'demoralising' is a strong word to use here. How is it >> demoralising? No one has guaranteed anyone of a scholarship should they >> edit Wikipedia or not. >> >> If because you didn't get the scholarship, and you think that's >> demoralising and wish to stop contributing to Wikipedia, that's in your >> hands. However, such an approach will defeat the whole purpose behind >> contributing to Wikipedia. >> >> We don't contribute to Wikipedia because we want scholarship. Rather, >> it's primarily for the love of contributing to the freeness and openness of >> knowledge globally. >> >> Nigeria isn't the only country in the world, nor the country without a >> representation this year at wikimania. That doesn't mean a country >> representing is better than Nigeria. It simply means, there're fewer slots >> than the scholarship grant can handle. >> >> Forget about demoralisation! Help improve knowledge freely and openly. I >> find that to be of more concern than anything at the moment. >> >> I'll recommend we work on meeting the application criteria from now until >> next year and hope to be called for scholarship. Even if then we're still >> not called, keep making the world a better place with free knowledge. >> Hi Ginevra, >> >> No scholarship was awarded to any member of the Wikimedia User Group >> Nigeria. This is worrisome as Nigeria will not be represented at Wikimania. >> I don't think this is a good idea and I wonder why American and European >> countries have more representative than Africa. This is demoralizing and >> the community is not happy about it. >> >> Warmest regards, >> >> Olatunde Isaac, >> Manager, Wikipedia Education Program Nigeria >> Coordinator, The Wikipedia Library, Yoruba. >> Secretary, Wikimedia User Group Nigeria. >> Phone: +2348166620737 >> Email: [email protected] >> <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','[email protected]');> >> User page: Wikicology >> Facebook: Olatunde Olalekan Isaac. >> Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless handheld from Glo Mobile. >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: Ginevra Sanvitale <[email protected] >> <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','[email protected]');>> >> Sender: "Wikimania-l" <[email protected] >> <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','[email protected]');>>Date: >> Fri, 11 Mar 2016 10:05:40 >> To: Wikimedia Mailing List<[email protected] >> <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','[email protected]');>>; >> Wikimania general list (open subscription)< >> [email protected] >> <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','[email protected]');>>; < >> [email protected] >> <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','[email protected]');>> >> Reply-To: "Wikimania general list \(open subscription\)" >> <[email protected] >> <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','[email protected]');>> >> Subject: [Wikimania-l] Community Village and Meetups at Wikimania 2016 >> >> Hi people, >> it's finally time to send your applications for the Community Village at >> Wikimania 2016: >> >> https://wikimania2016.wikimedia.org/wiki/Community_village >> >> And you can also start planning your meetups: >> >> https://wikimania2016.wikimedia.org/wiki/Meetups >> >> Finally, remember that the calls for discussions, posters and trainings >> closes on March 20, so you have 10 days left! >> >> Have a nice weekend, >> >> >> Ginevra >> Wikimania Programme Committee >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Wikimania-l mailing list >> [email protected] >> <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','[email protected]');> >> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l >> _______________________________________________ >> Wikimania-l mailing list >> [email protected] >> <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','[email protected]');> >> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Wikimania-l mailing list >> [email protected] >> <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','[email protected]');> >> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l >> >> > > > -- > GN. > President Wikimedia Australia > WMAU: http://www.wikimedia.org.au/wiki/User:Gnangarra > Photo Gallery: http://gnangarra.redbubble.com > >
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