Wikitech Student Developers, Kumasi
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About Us
[edit]The Wikitech Student Developers Club, Kumasi is a student-led technical community based at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi, Ghana. We are one of the first clubs established under the Africa Wikimedia Technical Community (AWMT) initiative, supported by Open Foundation West Africa (OFWA).
The club creates a structured pathway for students to move from learners to active open-source contributors — building real skills in software development, technical documentation, UI/UX design, and data, while connecting to a global community of developers through the Wikimedia ecosystem.
We were officially launched on 1 June 2024 at the College of Science, TF-34, KNUST, as a hybrid event — one of the first milestones of the AWMT campus club initiative across Africa.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1 June 2024 |
| Location | KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana |
| Affiliation | Africa Wikimedia Technical Community · Open Foundation West Africa |
| Wikidata | Q126420762 |
| wikitech.knust@gmail.com | |
| X (Twitter) | @wikitech_knust |
| Wikitech Student Developers Club, Kumasi | |
| Technical Student Lead | Pnlarbi |
What We Do
[edit]We work at the intersection of open-source software and knowledge equity. Our members contribute to Wikimedia Foundation projects and build skills that extend well beyond the campus.
Our areas of focus include:
| Area | Description |
|---|---|
| MediaWiki Development | Contributing patches, extensions, and fixes to the MediaWiki codebase via Gerrit |
| UI/UX and Design | Working with Codex, Wikimedia's design system, on interface improvements |
| Technical Documentation | Writing and improving documentation for Wikimedia tools and projects |
| Open Hardware | Projects including Braille technology and embedded systems with open-source principles |
| 3D Modelling | Exploring contributions to open knowledge through 3D content and Wikimedia Commons |
| Data and Wikidata | Contributing structured data to Wikidata and learning SPARQL and open datasets |
| Software Localisation | Translating Wikimedia software and content into Ghanaian and African languages |
Programmes and Opportunities
[edit]Club members are prepared and supported to apply for major funded open-source programmes:
| Programme | Organisation | When | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Summer of Code (GSoC) | Annual, applications ~March–April | Paid coding internship; Wikimedia participates every year | |
| Outreachy | Software Freedom Conservancy | Twice yearly | Paid internship for underrepresented groups in tech |
| Google Season of Docs | Annual | Paid technical writing internship with open-source orgs | |
| Wikimedia Hackathon | Wikimedia Foundation | Annual | In-person hackathon; travel grants available |
| Wikimania Hackathon | Wikimedia Foundation | Annual | Largest Wikimedia conference; technical hackathon included |
Events
[edit]Full details of all past and upcoming events are on the Programs page.
| Event | Date | Format | Report / Page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Club Launch and Onboarding Season | 1 June 2024 | Hybrid — KNUST College of Science, TF-34 | Report |
| Africa Wiki Challenge 2025 | 2025 | Online editing campaign | Event page |
| GSoC Training Programme | March 2026 | Event page |
Add new events to the Programs page as they are organised.
Collaborations
[edit]The club works closely with the following organisations and communities:
| Partner | Nature of collaboration |
|---|---|
| Africa Wikimedia Technical Community (AWMT) | Parent community; provides mentorship, programme support and event coordination |
| Open Foundation West Africa (OFWA) | Sponsor and operational support; co-organiser of the Africa Wiki Challenge |
| Wikimedia Tech Safari Program | Club members have participated in the AWMT-run Tech Safari programme |
| Wikimedia Foundation | Wikimedia movement umbrella; GSoC, Outreachy, and Hackathon programmes |
Get Involved
[edit]The club is open to all KNUST students regardless of prior experience. We welcome anyone interested in:
- Software development and open-source contribution
- Technical documentation and writing
- UI/UX design for wiki tools
- Software translation and localisation
- Data, Wikidata, and open datasets
- Open hardware, embedded systems, and 3D modelling
How to join
[edit]- Create a Wikimedia account at mediawiki.org
- Add your name to the Members page
- Send an email to wikitech.knust@gmail.com to introduce yourself
- Follow @wikitech_knust on X for announcements
- Show up to the next event — see Programs
All participants are expected to uphold the Wikimedia Code of Conduct for Technical Spaces and the Friendly Space Policy.
See Also
[edit]- Africa Wikimedia Technical Community
- Open Foundation West Africa
- Wikimedia Tech Safari Program
- KNUST Wikitech Club Launching and Onboarding Season
- Wikimedia GSoC page
- New Developers guide
Maintained by Pnlarbi and members of the Wikitech Student Developers Club, Kumasi · Questions? Use the talk page or leave us a message