Wiki in Africa is excited to announce that the Prize winners of this year’s WikiChallenge African Schools (WikiChallenge Écoles d’Afrique) have been awarded in a special ceremony in Rabat, Morocco, during the POLA 2024.
The sixth edition of the WikiChallenge African Schools competition was officially launched in December 2023, with record participation from eight French-speaking African countries and, for the very first time, an Anglophone country, Sierra Leone. The competition teaches students, who wouldn’t otherwise have access to digital tools and resources, an invaluable tech skillset, opening up opportunities to advance in a world driven increasingly by technology. It does so by promoting the creation of educational content and encouraging students to actively contribute to Vikidia, Wikipedia’s little sister, which also adds their voices, narratives and experiences to the global knowledge.
This year, 337 schools registered, and students participated in the competition, enthusiastically contributing local knowledge about their cultures and traditions. During this edition, an impressive total of 151 articles were produced on Vikidia, with 715 images and 38 videos uploaded to Wikimedia Commons. These contributions significantly enrich the online library of accessible knowledge for all and contribute to the democratization of education across Africa.
WikiChallenge African Schools has two tiers of prizes: national and international. At the national level, each winning school receives a €2,000 prize. National award ceremonies will be held at the beginning of the 2024 school year in each participating country.
The international winning schools receive a €5,000 prize.
Prizes are not monetary, but are awarded in equipment and school supplies, including backpacks, notebooks, computers, and other educational items that benefit the students directly. The monetary value of the prize can also be awarded in improvement of the studying environment for the children: building ablution facilities for better hygiene, and other renovations to buildings such as painting the school have been awarded in the past. These interventions have a long lasting impact and can benefit future students as well as the current prize winners.
The winners of the 2024 edition of the WikiChallenge African Schools are:
International Prizes:
The three articles selected for the grand international prizes are:
- IVORY COAST: Depeumankeukleu, EEP Kouepleu from the Kouepleu neighborhood in Zouan-Hounien
- SENEGAL: Village of turtles, Ndiakhirate Ndiobène School from Rufisque
- SIERRA LEONE: The Krio’s Print Dress in Sierra Leone, Dele Preparatory School
National Prizes:
The nine articles selected for national prizes are:
- CAMEROON: Lak Mbeza, Public School of Mokolo
- IVORY COAST: Manzamouan, EEP Mafere from the Mafere neighborhood in Aboisso
- GUINEA CONAKRY: Baramassa, EP Manda Saran from Lelouma
- MADAGASCAR: Toamasina, SOS VE Mangarano
- MALI: Songhai Braid, Sossokoïra A School from Gao
- DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO (DRC): Bayeke Kingdom, CS Jamaa Yetu
- SENEGAL: Kankourang, Ataba Tabar School from Ziguinchor
- SIERRA LEONE: Krio marriage in Sierra Leone, Kelmond Preparatory School
- TUNISIA: Tifinagh Alphabet, El Fehmine School from Djerba
To read all the articles submitted to the 2024 WikiChallenge African Schools contest, including the winners, go to https://bit.ly/ArticlesWC2024.
Congratulations to all the winning schools and students!