Gurene Wikimedia Community has organized translation sessions focused on environmentally-related articles.
The sessions were held on April 7, 2023, in the Central Region of Ghana, and on April 10, 2023, at the Bolgatanga Social Center in the Upper East Region with over 30 participants actively contributing to the enrichment of Gurene-language content on Wikipedia.
The first translation session took place at the Ajumako campus of the University of Education in Ghana consisted of 19 Gurene-learning students, three Dagaare-major students, and two community facilitators.
They collaborated on creating new Gurene words for environmental terms such as climate change, temperature, carbon, green energy, fossil fuel, and more.
This initiative aimed to expand the Gurene vocabulary and enable the community to discuss and raise awareness about environmental issues using their native language.
The session also welcomed new students at the beginner level (Level 100) who were majoring in the Gurene language. These newcomers received orientation and were provided with resources to enhance their contributions to Wikipedia and its sister projects.
The gathering served as an opportunity to provide physical training on the recently launched platform, gur.wikipedia.org, and allowed for the mentorship of these new members by the more experienced Wikipedians.
The collaboration between seasoned and novice contributors fostered knowledge sharing, unity, and a sense of communalism within the Gurene Wikimedians community.
The facilitation of the meeting was led by Kolog Savlen Yensoŋerɛ, also known as Elisave1 on Wikipedia. Alongside Kolog were Atubiga Matthew (Atubigabia) and Lawrencia Asaadare Awinsongya (Rain Crown), who played vital roles in guiding the participants through the translation process and providing assistance as needed.
Meanwhile, at the Bolgatanga Social Centre, Akakiiri (Wiki Username) took charge of the training session focused on editing articles related to climate change. More than ten participants actively participated in this session, working alongside Akakiiri to contribute valuable content on the topic.
The session served as a platform for knowledge exchange and skill development, empowering participants to make meaningful contributions to the Gurene-language content available on Wikipedia.
The Gurene Wikimedians’ translation sessions and training initiatives have played a crucial role in preserving the Gurene language and promoting environmental education within the community.
Through their dedicated efforts, they are ensuring that vital information about climate change and other environmental topics is accessible to Gurene speakers, fostering a sense of cultural pride and environmental consciousness.