Decolonising the digital environment: what you can do with Wikipedia

In universities, government departments and non-governmental organizations across Africa, students, lecturers and practitioners are increasingly turning to the internet for information. The digital world has become our library, from Wikipedia and artificial intelligence (AI) platforms to academic databases, online journals and social media discussions. We use these platforms to access definitions, theories, policies and histories related to social work including developmental social work, political social work, community work and rural development.

Yet a deeper look reveals a concerning pattern. Much of this online information, even when presented as universal, is written from a western lens. It is authored mostly by middle to upper class white people, in English language, and grounded in western theories that often disregard African knowledge systems, realities and voices.

The digital knowledge imbalance

Wikipedia, the largest open access source of information in the world, exemplifies this imbalance. Although anyone can edit Wikipedia, eighty percent of its content is written by white European and American men. Out of seventy thousand active contributors, only about one thousand are based in Africa. The result is predictable, our continent’s perspectives, histories and innovations are marginalized.

Even more troubling, Wikipedia and other online platforms prioritize printed and digitally verifiable literature, forms of knowledge that are scarce in Africa where oral traditions and unpublished local sources remain dominant. Consequently, African wisdom is dismissed as unverified while western texts are automatically accepted as credible.

Artificial intelligence for example ChatGPT which stands for Chat Generative Pretrained Transformer is another source of online knowledge that relies on the same western biased databases. ChatGPT, created in the United States of America, uses algorithms trained mainly on English and western authored material. This means that even when Africans use artificial intelligence tools for learning or writing, they are often reproducing western perspectives. Artificial intelligence therefore must also be part of our decolonisation agenda. We need to feed African knowledge into these systems and challenge bias in digital data.

Still, we must acknowledge that Wikipedia and artificial intelligence tools have potential. They are accessible, easy to use and available in multiple languages. Anyone can create a new article, correct misinformation or translate content into African languages. I personally edit and translate pages, using Wikipedia as a guide rather than a gospel. The challenge lies not only in participation but in ensuring that African literature, both oral and written, finds a legitimate space in the digital ecosystem.

What we can do

Decolonising the digital space requires collective effort. Here are practical ways to start

• Start a blog, website or online page to share your ideas, research and community experiences
• Correct misinformation when you find inaccurate or biased information online
• Share useful works and exchange digital resources among students, lecturers and practitioners
• Empower libraries and librarians by ensuring they have access to African authored materials and online archives
• Use history and archives to revive forgotten African contributions to social work and development
• Translate Wikipedia and other resources into African languages to make them accessible to local communities

Types of Wikipedia pages you can create or edit

Wikipedia welcomes contributions in many categories. Here are examples of wikis that Africans can start or edit to increase African knowledge representation

• Biographies of African figures including social workers, academics, community leaders, traditional leaders, activists, innovators, writers, and pioneers in social development
• Institutions such as universities, colleges, social work associations, training centers, non-governmental organizations, and government departments related to welfare and development
• Theories and models that originated or are practiced in Africa including indigenous theories of social work, community work methods, Ubuntu philosophy, and participatory development models
• Policies and programs highlighting African social welfare systems, national social protection strategies, and development programs
• Events and movements such as conferences, social work reforms, social justice campaigns, or international days celebrated with African focus
• Books, journals and publications that promote African scholarship and thought
• Languages and oral traditions documenting African terms, idioms and cultural concepts relevant to social development
• Communities and regions showcasing local innovations in social work, community development and humanitarian work

Each of these categories can become a space for decolonising digital information. By writing about Africa’s people, institutions and ideas, we reclaim digital authorship.

How to create or revise a Wikipedia article

Wikipedia is open to everyone. You do not need to be a professional editor or academic to contribute. Below are step-by-step guidelines for creating a new Wikipedia page or editing an existing one to correct colonising or inaccurate information.

Step 1: Create a Wikipedia account

Visit https://www.wikipedia.org and click on your preferred language. On the top right corner, click Create account. You will need to provide a username and password. Having an account allows your edits to be recorded under your username rather than as anonymous contributions.

Step 2: Learn about Wikipedia rules

Wikipedia has five key pillars including neutrality, verifiability and no original research. Take a few minutes to read the Wikipedia five pillars. Understanding these helps you write in the accepted format and avoid your edits being reversed.

Step 3: Choose your topic or article to edit

You can search for a topic on Wikipedia Search. If it already exists but contains wrong or colonising information, open the article and click the Edit button at the top. If it does not exist, you can start a new one by typing your chosen title in the search bar and then clicking Create the page “YourTitle” on this wiki.

Step 4: Use reliable sources

Wikipedia requires information to be supported by reliable sources. However, in the African context, reliable sources include books, journal articles, organizational reports, historical records, and local publications. You can cite these using the Cite tool in the editor or by typing references manually using the <ref> tags.

Step 5: Write with an African perspective

When editing, avoid reproducing western biases. Instead, insert context and examples from African realities. For example, when revising a definition of social work that ignores African family systems, you might include a section on Ubuntu philosophy or community-based care. Use neutral but assertive language.

Step 6: Revise colonising content

If you find content that marginalizes African perspectives or presents western theories as universal, click Edit, remove the biased statement and replace it with a balanced one. Include a citation from an African source to strengthen your point. Use the Edit summary box to explain briefly what you changed, for example “Added African perspective on community development” or “Removed colonising description”.

Step 7: Translate into African languages

Wikipedia supports translation into hundreds of languages. Click on the Languages link in the sidebar of any article and choose Add a language. Translating social work content into Kiswahili, Shona, Yoruba, Amharic or any African language expands access and strengthens our digital presence.

Step 8: Publish and monitor your edits

After saving, your changes go live instantly. You can track them by clicking View history on the top tab. If other editors revert or question your edits, discuss respectfully on the Talk page. Collaboration is central to Wikipedia.

For more guidance, you can explore these official resources

Wikipedia Editing Tutorial

Wikipedia Help for New Contributors

Wikipedia African Languages Initiative

Challenges on the path

The barriers are real. Many Africans still face limited access to the internet, costly data and inadequate digital infrastructure. Despite these obstacles, increasing Africa’s online presence is not optional, it is essential.

While we work toward greater access, we must be vigilant. Always screen the information you read, download or use in teaching and research. Question sources. Avoid uncritical reproduction of western content. When possible, rely on African literature and community knowledge and if it does not exist yet, create it.

The role of Mtandao

Mtandao is leading initiatives to expand African voices online. The network is supporting the creation of blogs, book chapters in both print and digital versions, journals in social work and development, open lecture slides and many more initiatives.

Every contribution, a translated Wikipedia page, a blog post or a shared story, is a step toward decolonising digital knowledge. Each African scholar, student and practitioner who publishes online is reshaping what global audiences learn about our continent and our profession.

Final thoughts

To decolonise is to reclaim authorship and to ensure that our experiences, theories and histories are not erased or misrepresented. The digital environment will only be truly global when African voices are heard, seen and cited.

Let us continue to write, edit and teach from an African perspective, both online and offline. The internet should reflect not only the western world, but also the richness and diversity of African knowledge.