Meet The Ghanaian Wikipedian Documenting Women Into History
Pamela Ofori-Boateng
Pamela Ofori-Boateng, a digital media practitioner with about 6 years’ experience. She is currently the editor for business world Ghana (an online platform for business stories). They specifically highlight business stories for both sexes with much focus on women in business.
Pamela Ofori-Boateng, a digital media practitioner with about 6 years’ experience. She is currently the editor for business world Ghana (an online platform for business stories). They specifically highlight business stories for both sexes with much focus on women in business.
• Her inspiration in life is to cause a change in society
• Joining wikipedia gave her a new life and something to live for
• She uses wikipedia to highlight more on the achievements of women in business
• Being a wikipedian doesn’t pay. But it’s just for the love of it.
• She is motivated to do what she does due to love of humanity and the preservation of Ghana’s culture
Pamela is a proud product of Ghana Institute of Journalism. She studied BA in Communication studies with journalism as option.
Growing up as a person, she realized everyone was created for a purpose, making her to believe that she is here on earth to serve. Therefore, her inspiration in life is to cause a change in society. Thus, doing things that will benefit others and cause a change in their life.
One will ask “why being a Wikipedian if she really want to cause a change in someone’s life“.
Pamela went further to narrate her story…
She was introduced into Wikipedia within the year of 2017-2018 by a man called “Felix Nartey” after she attended a training in Accra. Fast forward the training she signed up on Wikipedia and within few days became an editor for Wikipedia based on her enthusiasm and dexterity on the job.
“…JOINING WIKIPEDIA AND BECOMING AN EDITOR GAVE ME A NEW LIFE AND SOMETHING TO LIVE FOR APART FROM MY FAMILY OR EDUCATION OF WHICH I’M SO PROUD ABOUT” – PAMELA OFORI-BOATENG.
“..BEING A JOURNALIST ALREADY HAS ALSO ADDED A VALUE TO WHAT I DO AT WIKIPEDIA BECAUSE BOTH INVOLVES WRITING AND WRITING IS SOMETHING I ENJOY DOING” – PAMELA OFORI-BOATENG
PAMELA’S WORKS;
Ghana’s first female photographer “Felicia Abban” who happens to be Dr Kwame Nkrumah’s personal photographer
Maame Afia Konadu of Blessed memory. Formerly working with peace fm. Hosting “asomdwie ko mo”. She worked with GBC and other radio stations of which contributed tremendously to the media landscape.
On Wikipedia, what we do is to write peoples history, Ghana’s history, Ghana culture, celebritis, persons that has contributed to the Ghanaian society, etc. we basically write about everything that can be preserved online to make information easily accessible to anyone who can access the internet.
Pamela Ofori-Boateng
The woman empowerment comes to play as it also contributed to the reason why Pamela became a Wikipedian.
She explained that “the fact that she can used Wikipedia to highlight the achievements of hardworking women who are under-represented just because of their gender engineered her reasons of becoming a Wikipedian so that she can help document their rich history on the world’s largest encyclopedia.
During the close interview with GhNkomoTv, it came to bear that being a wikipedian doesn’t bring cash to one’s pocket. In other words, it doesn’t pay due to the policy of Wikipedia which says a wikipedian shouldn’t charge in writing a story about someone or something.
Pamela further explained that her source of motivation in doing what she does is because of service to humanity, preserving of Ghana’s culture, identity and history of women even though it doesn’t pay volunteers. She added, that when someone edits or creates a portfolio, that person does it due to the love for the job or the fact that the person want to preserve knowledge for generations to come.
She listed some challenges facing wikipedian in Ghana: time, resources and cost of data. Nevertheless, the joy and feeling one gets in successfully becoming the author of a journal or an article keeps her doing more.
“MONEY IS NOT MY SOURCE OF MOTIVATION” – PAMELA OFORI-BOATENG
…but preserving Ghana’s history, tradition and culture for people to easily access them. CHALLENGES; as a Ghanaian wikipedian
1. How the platforms works. Thus, what is either notable or not notable?
2. Scarce information to use
3. Getting references for information’s in Ghana
4. Internet cost
Pamela told GhNkomoTv that she had her article about Maame Afia Konadu (formerly working with peace fm) deleted by Wikipedia due to the scanty information and that’s how the platform works.
She later sent a peace of advice to young wikipedian to always make sure to have enough referencing when writing an article on Wikipedia. Also, it must be done for free.
“…WHEN A WIKIPEDIAN CHARGES TO EDITS OR WRITES A STORY ABOUT SOMEONE OR A SUBJECT, HIS OR HER ACCOUNT WILL BE TRACED AND DELETED WHEN CAUGHT – PAMELA OFORI-BOATENG
Pamela clarifies the topmost debate in most tertiary institutions which says “information’s, articles or journals on Wikipedia are not authentic”
“WIKIPEDIA, APPARENTLY HAS VERY CREDIBLE, AUTHENTIC, RELIABLE AND ACCURATE INFORMATION’S JUST LIKE THE BOOKS WE TRUST” – PAMELA OFORI-BOATENG
She explained that they use various sources of books and lectures in writing articles on Wikipedia.
According to GhNkomoTv, Pamela wish to see her work on wikipedia attracted to many Ghanaians so that they can also join the wikipedia community and together, help continue in the preservation of knowledge for generation unborn.
“IN THE NEXT FIVE(5) YEARS, I SEE MYSELF TO BE SOMEONE LEADING THE WIKIPEDIA CAMPAIGN IN GHANA AND TO SEE HER MEDIA ORGANIZATION “DISABILITYNEWSAFRICA.COM” BECOME ONE OF THE GOAL DESTINATION OF AUTHENTIC AND VIBRANT STORIES OF PERSONS LIVING WITH DISABILITIES” – PAMELA OFORI-BOATENG.
Get to know Pamela Ofori-Boateng, Ghana’s modest and vibrant wikipedian ;
Facebook ; Pamela Ofori-Boateng
Twitter: @pamebelle12
IG: @pambelle12
Email: pambelle12@gmail.com
Website of her organization: www.disabilitynewsafrica.com
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