Dear Wikimedians Wikicelebrate <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation/Communications/WikiCelebrate> is a project aimed at bringing the spotlight to Wikimedians from around the world who make our mission possible. In November the celebrations happened during the end of year Edition of Afrika Baraza <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Afrika_Baraza>- a virtual platform for African Wikimedians to connect, and collaborate. During that event we together celebrated Chabota Isaac Kanguya <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Icem4k>, an exceptional Wikimedian from Zambia.
Chabota’s wiki-journey started in 2011 with edits made from a small, pocket smartphone. The beginnings were not easy, his first contributions were far from successful, and he had a lot to learn about Wikimedia. But since his very wiki-beginnings Chabota was driven by a powerful goal: “Knowing that my efforts help bridge information gaps and ensure that Zambian voices are represented globally fuels my passion. I am also inspired by the reminder someone once shared with me: No one will write your story better unless you do it yourself. This drives me to take ownership of our narratives and represent them authentically”, he says. This mission kept him motivated to learn the policies of Wikimedia projects, and to hone his editing skills. With over 27,000 edits across Wikimedia projects, including 11,000 on English Wikipedia, he’s worked tirelessly to highlight local stories and cultural narratives and bring more knowledge about Zambia to the world. Chabota’s impact goes beyond editing. As the founder of the Wikimedia Community User Group Zambia, he trains new editors, supports content creation, and leads projects that celebrate and amplify Zambian and African narratives. As he himself says “The support and collaboration within the Wikimedia community further inspire me—it's motivating to be part of a collective mission where each contribution plays a role in empowering people with accessible, free knowledge” Learn more about this exceptional, resilient and passionate Wikimedian on Diff <https://diff.wikimedia.org/2024/11/21/from-challenges-to-change-making-celebrating-chabota/> and Meta <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimedia_Foundation/Communications/WikiCelebrate/Chabota> And if you would like to help us in celebrating more amazing Wikimedians, you can recommend them through the WikiCelebrate form <https://wikimediafoundation.limesurvey.net/WikiCelebrate>! Happy celebrating! -- *Natalia Szafran-Kozakowska* (she/her) Senior Global Movement Communications Specialist (European Region) Wikimedia Foundation <https://wikimediafoundation.org/>
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