Rwanda History Wikipedia Campaign Begins in Kigali
A Rwanda history Wikipedia campaign has officially started in Kigali, led by young volunteers passionate about telling Rwanda’s story. This two-week writing project brings together youth to create and improve articles in Kinyarwanda on Wikipedia, focusing on the country’s rich culture, history, development, and natural resources.
The campaign was launched on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, at Irza Workspace in Kigali. It is part of a growing effort to make reliable local knowledge available online — in a language most Rwandans speak and understand.
Youth Lead Article Writing on Rwanda’s Past and Progress
This Wikipedia campaign in Rwanda is not just about writing. It is about empowering young people to take charge of their country’s narrative. With support from Wikimedia Rwanda, participants are creating articles on topics such as infrastructure, rivers, historical figures, cultural sites, and development achievements.
Organizers say the campaign is open to anyone willing to volunteer their time and skills to help preserve Rwanda’s identity and promote free knowledge in Kinyarwanda.
“We Must Own Our History,” Say Young Volunteers
Jacques Niyigena, the campaign coordinator, emphasized the importance of documenting Rwanda’s achievements.
“This campaign is a great chance for us, the youth, to support our country by preserving its history online. We want future generations to find accurate information easily.”
Robert Rugamba, who leads small writing teams for Kinyarwanda Wikipedia, added:
“We need to tell our own story. If there’s wrong information online, it’s up to us to fix it. That’s why we’re here.”
Their words reflect a growing movement in Rwanda to take control of local digital content and protect national memory in the age of the internet.
Wikimedia Rwanda Supports Local Language Projects
The Rwanda history Wikipedia campaign is part of broader projects run by Wikimedia Rwanda. These projects aim to increase digital content written in Kinyarwanda and hosted on platforms like Wikipedia.
Through such efforts, Wikimedia encourages communities to contribute to free knowledge — especially in underrepresented languages. The campaign also promotes critical thinking, digital literacy, and media skills among youth.
Why This Campaign Is Important for Rwanda
Local stories often go untold or are misrepresented online. This youth-led initiative ensures that the information about Rwanda comes from Rwandans themselves. Writing in Kinyarwanda not only supports language preservation but also helps people find knowledge in a language they fully understand.
With the rise of digital tools, it’s more important than ever to build trustworthy content that reflects Rwanda’s values, culture, and journey.
