ZedWiki Podcast
| |
| Status | Active |
|---|---|
| Country | Zambia |
| Language | English (with local languages featured) |
| Genre | Wikimedia / Knowledge / Culture |
| Created by | Wikimedia Community User Group Zambia |
| Partner | Chalo Chatu |
| Host | Joy Chikonde (As Feb 2026)[1] |
| Producer | Icem4k |
| Sound engineer | Revention24 |
| First episode | 1 October, 2025 |
| Release schedule | First day of each month |
| Distribution | Spotify, Wikimedia Zambia website |
| Blogging | ZedWiki News on Medium |
The ZedWiki Podcast is a digital media initiative produced by the Wikimedia Community User Group Zambia in collaboration with the Chalo Chatu.[2] Officially launched on 1 October 2025, the podcast serves as a primary communication channel for the Wikimedia movement in Zambia.[3] It is designed to document indigenous knowledge, highlight community projects, and foster a culture of open-access information.[4] By 2026, the project expanded its scope to include the Knowledge Without Borders initiative, focusing on the preservation of Zambian cultural heritage and oral histories through digital documentation.
Background
[edit]The ZEDWiki Podcast was launched in October 2025 as part of the Wikimedia Community User Group Zambia's outreach activities. It was introduced alongside the group's workshops, edit-a-thons, and other community engagement programmes, and has been used to support the establishment of Wiki Fan Clubs in schools and universities.
The second season premiered on 1 January 2026 to coincide with the 25th anniversary of Wikipedia. During the season, the podcast included episodes on Zambian oral history and digital documentation. The season was produced under Knowledge Without Borders, the Wikimedia Community User Group Zambia's 2026 theme and project, which focused on documenting and improving access to information about Zambia's cultural and historical heritage.[5]
In January 2026, the production team announced that the podcast would replace its AI-generated host with a human presenter. On 31 January 2026, Joy Chikonde was announced as the new host.[1] The change also accompanied plans to produce video editions of the podcast for distribution on digital and social media platforms.
Objectives
[edit]The main objectives of the ZEDWiki Podcast are to:
- Share updates on Wikimedia projects and activities in Zambia.
- Highlight cultural, historical, and contemporary Zambian topics.
- Provide a platform for Zambian Wikimedians to share their experiences.
- Strengthen partnerships with local institutions and initiatives, including Chalo Chatu.
- Build awareness of Wikimedia’s role in knowledge preservation and digital literacy.
Format
[edit]Episodes are released monthly and typically run for 10–40 minutes. Each episode follows a recurring format with the following segments:
- Intro: Introduces the episode and its main topic.
- Today in History: Reviews notable events associated with the date of the broadcast, using the English Wikipedia's Selected anniversaries for the first day of each month.
- Weird Finds of Wikipedia: Highlights unusual or lesser-known articles from the English Wikipedia.
- Article Spotlight: Examines a selected article from Chalo Chatu or Wikipedia, often covering Zambian history, geography, culture, or other notable topics.
- My Town, Your Town, Our Town: Focuses on a town or community in Zambia through on-location recordings and discussions of its history, people, and local features.
- Wikimedia News, Tech, and Tools: Covers recent developments from the Wikimedia movement, including technical updates, community activities, and related news.
- Outro: Concludes the episode with credits and closing remarks.
Seasons
[edit]| No. | Title | Release date | Summary | Featured Article | Audio | Length | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S1E1 | Pilot: Introducing Zambia's Voice in Free Knowledge | 1 October 2025 | Introduction to the podcast, its goals, and a discussion on the importance of local knowledge in Zambia. | Embassy Park Presidential Burial Site | 05:20min |
| |
| S1E2 | Episode 2: ZedWiki Podcast: From First Edit to Impact | 1 November 2025 | In this episode, host Blueprint chats with Chabota Kanguya, a dedicated Wikimedian from Zambia, about his inspiring journey in the Wikimedia movement — from his first edit to becoming one of Zambia’s most active contributors. Together, they explore how free knowledge empowers communities, highlight current Wikimedia projects, and unpack the latest global tech and tools updates from the Wikimedia Foundation. | Zambian State House | Apple Podcast | 17:24min |
|
| S1E3 | Episode 3: ZedWiki Podcast: Wikimedia Knowledge Without Borders Project 2026 | 1 December 2025 | Blueprint takes you through a high-impact episode built around the Wikimedia Knowledge Beyond Borders 2026 initiative. | Zambia National Service (ZNS) | On Apple Podcast | 40:06min |
|
| S2E1 | Episode 1: ZedWiki Podcast S2E1: Wikipedia @25 Years | 1 January 2026 | In this opening episode of Season Two, Blueprint takes listeners on a journey through time, knowledge, and community. | Victoria Falls | On Apple Podcast | 39:53min |
|
| S2E2 | Episode 2: Zambian culture and heritage | 1 February 2026 | Joy Chikonde has debuted as the official human host of the ZedWiki Podcast, leading a special episode focused on Zambian heritage, culture, and knowledge sharing. The episode features a Today in History – February 1 segment and an Article Spotlight on the Nc’wala Ceremony of the Ngoni people, highlighting its rituals and cultural significance as documented on Chalo Chatu. | Nc'wala_Ceremony | On Apple Podcast | 22:37mins |
|
| S2E3 | Episode 3: What Makes Us Stand Out | 10 March 2026 | Joy explores what makes open knowledge stand out. We travel through Today in History, spotlight the 1935 Copperbelt Strike, introduce the new “My Town” segment featuring Zambezi Town, and share the latest Wikimedia news and tech updates. | 1935 Copperbelt strike | On Apple Podcast | 16:09mins |
|
| S2E4 | Episode 4: Why Knowing Your History Is Important.[6] | 1 April, 2026 | Join Joy on a journey through history with the story of Chuma and Susi, a local exploration of Kitwe’s mining and football culture, the debut of “Weird Finds of Wikipedia,” and the latest Wikimedia tech updates. | Chuma and Susi | On Apple Podcast | 33:56mins |
|
| S2E5 | Episode 5: Navigating the Digital Age of Information | 1 May, 2026 | From Labour Day history to the digital frontlines of open knowledge, ZedWiki Podcast Season 2 Episode 5 takes you on a powerful journey through time, culture, and information.
This episode explores major events from May 1st across history, the rise of labour movements, the legacy of Zambia’s second president Frederick Chiluba, and the living cultural heritage of Mongu in Western Zambia. We also return with fan-favorite segment Weird Finds of Wikipedia, uncovering some of the internet’s most bizarre yet true stories—from dancing plagues to impossible appetites. |
Frederick Chiluba | On Apple Podcast | 33:56mins |
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| S2E6 | Episode 6: From Information to Innovation | 1 June, 2026 | This month, Joy broadcasts from Nakonde, Zambia's northern gateway, exploring how knowledge travels across borders and transforms societies.
From historic moments on June 1 and the Lusaka Manifesto to Nakonde's rich heritage and the latest Wikimedia tech updates, discover why ideas remain humanity's most powerful export. Theme: Knowledge Without Borders When information is preserved, shared, and applied it becomes innovation. |
Lusaka Manifesto | On Apple Podcast | 42:47mins |
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| S2E7 | Liberté, Équité, Fiabilité (Freedom, Equity, Reliability)[7] | 1 July, 2026 | This month, the Joy and the team travels to the Land of Pineapples, where one of Africa's greatest journeys begins, to explore how knowledge, like nature, starts small and flows beyond borders.
As Wikimania 2026 approaches, we celebrate this year's theme, Liberté, Équité, Fiabilité (Freedom, Equity, Reliability), with a special segment dedicated to the global Wikimedia movement confrence. Join us as we uncover fascinating moments from history, explore some of Wikipedia's weirdest and most surprising articles, spotlight one of Zambia's most important archaeological discoveries, tour a remarkable corner of the country in My Town, Your Town, Our Town, and bring you the latest Wikimedia news, technology, and tools. From local stories to global conversations, discover how free knowledge connects people, cultures, and generations. |
Kabwe One | 54:49min |
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| S2E7 | TBA | 1 August, 2026 | TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA |
External links
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ a b Kanguya, Chabota (2026-01-31). "ZedWiki Podcast Host Update: Welcoming Joy Chikonde". Medium. Retrieved 2026-01-31.
- ↑ Icem4k (2025-12-11). "Wikimedia UG Zambia Launches ZedWiki Podcast". Diff (in en-US). Retrieved 2026-01-02.
- ↑ Kanguya, Chabota (2025-10-21). "ZedWiki Podcast: Giving Zambia a Voice in the Global Free Knowledge Movement". Medium. Retrieved 2026-01-02.
- ↑ Updates, ZedWiki News (2025-10-02). "Wikimedia Zambia Launches ZedWiki Podcast in Collaboration with Chalo Chatu". Medium. Retrieved 2026-01-02.
- ↑ Updates, ZedWiki News (2026-01-01). "ZedWiki Podcast Returns with Season Two: A Journey Through History, Knowledge, and Zambia’s Digital Future". Medium. Retrieved 2026-01-02.
- ↑ Updates, ZedWiki News (2026-03-21). "ZedWiki Podcast Builds Hype for New Episode on the Power of History". Medium. Retrieved 2026-03-23.
- ↑ ZedWikI, News Updates. "The ZedWiki Podcast Returns with a Special Wikimania Month Episode". https://medium.com/.