My wiki journey didn’t start with this program, it started at university. From contributing at the Botho University Wiki Club, where I won 2nd prize in 2024, to gradually finding my footing in the Wikimedia movement, this has been a long game for me. The AWW On WikiSkills Mentorship Program 2026 was the next level.
Skills Gained
Over the course of the mentorship, I deepened my work across several areas, article editing on Wikipedia, media contributions on Commons, and understanding the broader structure of open knowledge. It pushed me beyond what I had taught myself and gave my contributions more intention and precision. Editing has always sharpened my attention to detail, and this program reinforced that in ways that carry over into everything I do professionally.
Below are the wikidata items I created during my mentorship:
Growth
The program connected my background as a BSc (Hons) Health Information Management graduate and A2 DELF diploma holder to a clearer sense of purpose within the movement. I began to see how my expertise in health data and my growing French proficiency could translate into meaningful, targeted contributions on Wikimedia platforms where African voices are most needed.
Impact
African stories, institutions, and people are still underrepresented online. As someone working in health data in Botswana, I am increasingly aware of how much African health knowledge is missing or poorly represented on Wikipedia. Articles about diseases prevalent in Africa, local health systems, indigenous medicinal practices, and public health institutions are often absent or stub-level yet millions across the continent turn to Wikipedia as a first reference. Every edit helps, and this program gave me the tools and confidence to do more of that work with purpose.
Community
I am committed to bringing what I have learned back to Botswana sharing knowledge through Wikiverse Botswana and Wikimedia Botswana, helping onboard new contributors, and continuing to advocate for open knowledge in my local community. I am also using my A2 DELF French certification to expand contributions to francophone Wikimedia projects, where African representation is especially thin.
Finally
If you are already in the wiki world, keep going. If you are on the edges, this is your nudge.
Archive notice: This is an archived post from blog.wikimedia.org, which operated under different editorial and content guidelines than Diff.
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