Plenary 1 - African Affiliates : Growth and what else?

Notes from Session

  • How can communities like Wikimedia South Africa support other African countries to acquire partnership

  • Wikimedia South Africa was the first to gain affiliation status in Africa in 2011. Then followed Wikimedia Kenya. However, Wikimedia Kenya lost its affiliation status due to some challenges, but after 10 years, a new affiliate in Kenya has been born.

  • The growth of affiliates in Africa has increased. How can we ensure the effectiveness and productivity of the existing affiliates

  • What are the challenges that affiliates face, and what support is available to support these affiliates?
    `-Although majority of the membership of user groups in Africa are women, less women occupy leadership positions within the user groups

  • Affiliates in Africa are struggling to self sustain themselves
  • Opportunities for Growth

-Very few GLAM institutions have worked on digitization or cataloguing

-Volunteers do not know what format to capture the knowledge within their countries.