Co-founder of Ghana Pidgin Language Community, Maxwell Beganim has charged Ghanaians to contribute to the digitization process of Ghanaian languages on Wikimedia Foundation projects.
Speaking at the maiden edition of the Ghanaian Wikimedia Languages Meetup held in Tamale, Mr Beganim noted that this will bolster Ghanaian heritage and the identities of the unique cultural groups on the internet.
Citing oral tradition as an integral part of Ghana’s socio-cultural development, the Basari native explained that, digitizing local language on Wikimedia projects will propel development.
He called for the unionization of Wikimedia communities focused on indigenous languages in Ghana as there is “the importance of unity in diversity, which fundamentally gives essence to the local language”.
The Executive Director of Dagbani Wikimedians User Group, Sadik Shahadu, in his address, reiterated the need for a united front stating that “irrespective of the language you speak, let’s embrace the fact that all of us are unique.”
With a call to promote collaborative projects among the communities as a way to bolster the digitization process, he highlighted the essence of the workshop which provides an avenue “to recruit new volunteers: meetups provide avenues for creating awareness about the existence of Wikimedia volunteers which attract the attention of the general public hence leading to the recruitment of more volunteers.”
Among the list of challenges faced in the process are internet connectivity challenges, retaining active editors, IT technical know-how, and technical proficiency in using Wikimedia tools and platforms to ensure effective contributions.
Mr Beganim further called on the communities not to be relentless in their contribution since “sustaining active contributors and editors over the long term is a common challenge for many Wikimedia communities. Encouraging individuals to continue their involvement requires ongoing support, motivation, and opportunities for skill development.”
The workshop hosted 12 communities namely; Gurene Wikimedia Community, Moore Wikimedia Community, Ghanaian Pidgin Wikimedians Community, Dagbani Wikimedians User Group, Ewe Wikimedians User Group, Fante Wikimedians Community, Dagaare Wikimedians Community, Kusaal Wikimedia Community, Wikimedians of Twi Language, Rising Voices, Wikimedia Language Diversity Hub, and Art+Feminism.
The organizing team consisted of two members from the language community, who assumed leadership roles in organizing the meetup, with active participation from other language community members.
The idea behind the meet-up can be traced back to a conversation between Sadik Shahadu, Founder of the Dagbani Wikimedians User Group, and Maxwell Beganim, co-founder of the Ghanaian Pidgin Community.