Wikimania Attendance
I attended Wikimania both virtually and in-person. Virtually I attended the sessions through YouTube since Pheedloop had technical challenges. I however used Pheedloop for the schedules and networking. I also attended our local Wikimedia Community User Group Uganda in Person event that was on Friday, 12th August 2022 at Capital Kitchen, Thobani Centre.
Scholarship Funds Usage
I spent the scholarship funds on data costs to buy internet bundles to be able to stream videos virtually via YouTube and check out schedules via Pheedloop. I also used it on transport costs to the Wikimedia Community User Group Uganda in Person event. The funds also helped me get my meals that is lunch and dinner for the days I attended virtually at home
Take aways from 3 Specific Wikimania Sessions
The challenges and opportunities of building a community: This shade some more light on challenges that exist in building Wikimedian communities. Some of these included lack of a volunteering culture where wikimedians expect payments to participate in projects. Lack of internet access in some countries making it hard to for example submit images to photo contests of follow through with most Wikimedia projects that require data. Lessons on building a wikimedian communities were also shared such as organizing in-person and online meetups for wikimedians to understand the projects of Wikimedia better and to network, working as a team, knowing your community status and the people of your community, transparency, creating rules etc.
How Russia’s war in Ukraine impacted the wiki community in Ukraine and beyond: This session shade light on how the Russian invasion has affected the Wikimedians in Ukraine and beyond. Millions of Ukrainians and dozens of people from the Ukraine Wikimedian community have had to flee their homes. Many though have been able to return to Kyiv. Still many aren’t able to return particularly parents with young children.By June, 68% of Wikimedia Ukraine members reported their activity had decreased due to lack of time, and technical issues such as lack of internet acess, shelter and psychological stress
Copyright and the Wikis roundtable: This session helped me as a photographer to understand the commons licence better. It also helped me be a cautious of copyright especially when taking photos in line with photo contests such as Wiki Loves Monuments. Some monuments may be copyrighted especially those in museums and not open to fair use so it is important to find out before taking a photo of them and uploading it to the commons and avoid trouble such as law suits. It also helped me understand what kind of picture to upload to the Wiki commons e.g photos taken by me of uncopyrightable subjects such as views, nature, people who have given their consent for me to photograph and publish them.
Connections
I connected with other people by networking via Pheedloop. They were groups such as Photographers Commons which helped me get to know other photographers in other countries. I also connected with people at the local local Wikimedia Community User Group Uganda in Person event. I met colleagues whom I hadn’t met before and we got to exchange contacts and keep in touch. I celebrated at Wikimania through the Global dance off session. This helped me stay at home and yet celebrate as I listened to the soothing music from the DJ