Scholarship Code

Cracking

About Us

The African Wiki Women is a growing African women’s community collaboratively addressing the underrepresentation of African women on Wikipedia and its sister projects by empowering them with the necessary skills and support to thrive as contributors and leaders within the open knowledge community.

�Our Socials Contacts:�Facebook | X | Instagram | LinkedIn | ���

Bukola James

• Bukola James is a certified librarian and open knowledge advocate dedicated to access to information and community empowerment.
• She co-founded Africa Wiki Women and serves as Sub-Saharan Liaison for Let's Connect, Community Coordinator for the African Wikipedian Alliance, Vice Chair of the Wikipedia+Education User Group, and Chairperson of the Learnovation Network Foundation, championing digital literacy, collaboration, and innovation.

Learning Objectives

• Discover key Wikimedia conferences & how to pick the right one.�
• Decode scholarship requirements, deadlines, and evaluation criteria.�
• Understand how to craft a compelling essay that showcases your impact.

Agenda

01

02

• What is a conference scholarship?
• Wikimedia Conference types
• Scholarship Blueprint
• Crafting Your Essay
• Practical Exercise
• Key takeaways!
• Q&A and Interactive Discussion

What is a conference scholarship?

Financial support that helps individuals attend a conference by covering some or all related costs.

Purpose: To promote inclusion, diversity, and equal access, especially for volunteers and students, underrepresented groups, and individuals with limited funding.

Typically Covers: Conference registration, Travel and accommodation, Meals stipends, Visa and insurance fees

Why It Matters: Conference scholarships open doors to global platforms, enabling participants to learn, network, and share knowledge without financial barriers.

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EduWiki 2025 group photo by Heidy Amaya, licensed under CC BY 4.0

Types of Wikimedia Conference

Category

Scope

Examples

Opportunities

Scholarship Blueprint

1. Eligibility & Deadlines
• Check Meta pages for each conference (apply early!)
2. Evaluation Criteria
• Alignment with conference goals
• Demonstrated impact and capacity to share learnings
3. Benefits
• Travel, registration, sometimes lodging + stipend

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General Evaluation Criteria for Wikimedia Conference Scholarships

• Movement Involvement� – How have you made active edits, helped organize meetups, or mentored new contributors?�
• Theme Alignment� – In what ways does your work tie into this year’s theme, offer fresh perspectives, and spark real change?�
• Skills & Growth� – Which concrete skills (e.g., data analysis, multimedia creation) do you bring, and how will you learn from peers and share those insights back home?�
• Diversity & Need� – How do you represent an under‑served region or community, and why do you need financial support to attend?�
• Recommendations & Motivation� – What endorsements or recommendations can you share, and how do you demonstrate a clear passion for collaboration and long-term commitment to Wikimedia?�
• Ethics & Eligibility� – How do you adhere to the Universal Code of Conduct, and can you confirm you have no active bans or conduct violations?
2. ​

Matatu bus illustration with passengers. by Francis Akuka for the Wikimedia Foundation, licensed under CC0

Crafting your Essay

Common Questions:

• “Why do you want to attend?”
• “What skills will you gain?”
• “How will you share learnings?”

Sample Excerpt:

“Attending WikiIndaba will enable me to… [specific project plan]… After the conference, I will host a local workshop in my city, training 20 new editors.”

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Key Takeaways

• Conference types, scholarship rules, essay strategies

• Identify best-fit events & craft a persuasive application

• Check deadlines on Meta; start drafting today!

Practical Exercise

1. Choose one out of any of the Wikimedia Conference types that appeals to you.
2. Prompt: Why should you be considered for a scholarship?
1. “How will you contribute during the conference?”�
3. Group work (5 min): Draft 2–3 sentences answering this prompt�
4. Share back: Volunteers read their draft and receive quick feedback

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Q&A

Resources:

• List of Wikimedia Conferences and Events - Meta
• Grants:Conference - Meta
• Grants:Conference/Funded Conferences/2025 - Meta
• WikiIndaba conference 2025 - Meta

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Thank you very much!

bukolajames2017@gmail.com