Grants/LGBT Edit-a-thon, Kerala/Report

Completion
YES
 * Is your project completed?

Yes (Have submitted the scanned copies of bills and have sent original bills via post to Wikimedia India chapter)
 * Have you submitted all receipts for any expenses paid?

Activities
The one day program could impart new entries, especially queer terminologies in Malayalam, besides various sub topics like Queer history and movement in Kerala, LGBT element in Malayalam cinema and literature, Coming out, United Nations’ Free and Equal, Yogyakarta Principles, IPC377, Homosexuality and psychology etc., Inclusion of precise Malayalam terms for words like gay, lesbian, bisexual, intersex, transgender was much needed as recent mis-interpretations by printed media, through local slangs instead of exact terms, has been defaming the minority community.

Lessons learned
We could successfully realize the Wiki Loves Pride project in Kochi with effective co-ordination by wikimedians Netha Hussian and Abishek Jacob. The internal support from Wikimedia India chapter regarding approving the grant request and assigning trainers helped us a lot besides expert guidance on how to run the event. Though initially we needed to postpone the event from the pre-planned date due to non-availability of a low cost venue for the program, the extended date fell well in time and the program came out good. We could have done better promotions is more colleges to get more participants who are totally ignorant on various wiki projects and edit-a-thons.


 * What went well?

The Wiki Loves Pride event in Kochi, that had around 55 participants including students from media, law, journalism, literature, social work, gender studies, queer activists etc., was quite an eye-opener for all the participants not only for the information they got on the much debated LGBT topic, which is of recent social importance, but also for the hands on training they got on regarding how to empower themselves to be active Wikipedians.


 * What did not go well?

We could have assigned more trainers for the program. Presence of only one trainer made his session tiring though he was all calm to deal the participants.


 * What would you do differently if you plan a similar project in the future?

We would organize a similar project, if we undertake any in recent future, in a campus/college, so that we shall have potential candidates from the institution itself.

Expected outcomes
Our grant request was approved on time and before the event happened and we are waiting to get the amount re-imbursed. We could finish the program with an amount less than the grant we actually proposed and requested.

Impact

 * What impact did this project have on WMIN's mission and the strategic goals?

The media and general public in Kerala to a great extent became aware of the Queer topic through this project, which, in turn made the participants contribute/edit articles to both English and Malayalam Wikipedia

Reporting and documentation of expenditures
Yes

Final comments
Thanks to Wikimedia foundation for their initiative, 'Wiki Loves Pride', to support the LGBT community and Wikimedia India chapter for helping us to realize the event in Kochi.