Open Media Foundation | Preserving Heritage. Empowering Communities.
Open Media Foundation

Preserving Heritage. Empowering Communities. Expanding Knowledge.

Documenting Today. Preserving Forever. Sharing with the World.

We document, preserve, and share Africa's histories, traditions, identities, and lived experiences through photography, film, archives, research, technology, education, and open knowledge.

100,000+Heritage photographs by 2030
10,000+Wikimedia contributions
5,000+Young people trained
50+Communities participating
Who We Are

A modern media-driven foundation built around access, culture, and public knowledge.

Open Media Foundation (OMF) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to cultural heritage preservation, open knowledge, community storytelling, creative education, and digital inclusion.

Vision 2050

To become Africa's leading institution for cultural preservation, open knowledge, community storytelling, and creative empowerment.

Our Mission

To preserve cultural heritage, expand access to knowledge, empower communities through storytelling, and train the next generation of creators, documentarians, and knowledge contributors.

We believe that every community has stories worth preserving, every culture deserves documentation, and every citizen should have access to reliable knowledge.

Through photography, film, archives, research, technology, and open knowledge platforms, we document, preserve, and share Africa's histories, traditions, identities, and lived experiences.

OMF serves as a bridge between heritage preservation, media innovation, civic documentation, and public access to knowledge.

By empowering communities to tell their own stories and contribute to the world's knowledge, we help preserve cultural memory while creating opportunities for learning, participation, and development.

Brand promise

Access. Visibility. Transformation. Communication. Opportunity.

Our Values

Principles that guide how we document, teach, collaborate, and serve.

H

Heritage

Protecting and preserving cultural memory for future generations.

K

Knowledge

Promoting access to reliable, inclusive, and freely available information.

C

Community

Ensuring communities are represented in documenting their own histories and identities.

✦

Creativity

Using storytelling, media, and innovation to inspire positive change.

✓

Integrity

Operating with transparency, accountability, and ethical responsibility.

∞

Collaboration

Building partnerships that strengthen impact and sustainability.

Strategic Pillars

Six connected areas of work.

Our programs connect heritage preservation with open knowledge, media development, education, digital inclusion, and public memory.

01

Cultural Heritage Preservation

Documenting and safeguarding tangible and intangible heritage through photography, film, oral history, research, and digital archiving.

02

Open Knowledge & Wikimedia

Supporting free knowledge initiatives that improve public access to information through Wikimedia projects and other open platforms.

03

Storytelling & Media Development

Empowering communities and emerging storytellers through photography, filmmaking, journalism, and digital media.

04

Education & Capacity Building

Providing training, mentorship, fellowships, and learning opportunities for creatives and knowledge contributors.

05

Community Development & Digital Inclusion

Using technology and media to create opportunities for participation, innovation, and social development.

06

Governance Documentation & Public Memory

Preserving the visual and historical records of public leadership and governance institutions for civic education and historical reference.

Flagship Programs

Programs designed to turn documentation into lasting public value.

From annual heritage celebrations to Wikimedia programs and youth digital inclusion, OMF combines media, education, research, and community participation.

01 · VHF

Visual Heritage Festival

Africa's Annual Celebration of Heritage and Storytelling

Our flagship annual event brings together photographers, filmmakers, archivists, historians, researchers, cultural institutions, Wikimedia contributors, and creative professionals.

View activities
  • Photography exhibitions
  • Documentary screenings
  • Heritage tours
  • Cultural showcases
  • Storytelling sessions
  • Panel discussions
  • Workshops & masterclasses
  • Community documentation
  • Heritage awards
02 · WNDHC

Wiki Niger Delta Heritage Collective

Preserving the Heritage of the Niger Delta

A community-led initiative documenting history, traditions, architecture, monuments, festivals, languages, and cultural practices through Wikimedia platforms and partnerships.

Visit Wiki Niger Delta Heritage Collective ↗

View focus areas
  • Historical landmarks
  • Traditional architecture
  • Cultural festivals
  • Indigenous knowledge
  • Oral traditions
  • Community histories
  • Heritage photography
03 · FOG

Faces of Governance

Documenting Leadership. Preserving Public Memory.

A flagship initiative focused on documenting public leadership and strengthening visual representation on open knowledge platforms.

View objectives & activities
  • Official portrait photography
  • Wikimedia Commons uploads
  • Wikipedia article enhancement
  • Leadership archives
  • Historical record preservation
  • Capacity building
  • Civic education
  • Government partnerships
04 · OHDI

Open Heritage Documentation Initiative

Documenting Africa's Living Heritage

A long-term initiative creating visual and digital archives of endangered heritage sites, cultural practices, traditional institutions, and historical narratives.

View activities
  • Heritage photography
  • Documentary filmmaking
  • Oral history documentation
  • Archival preservation
  • Research publications
  • Digital collections
05 · SCMA

Storytelling & Creative Media Academy

Training the Next Generation of Storytellers

A learning platform equipping photographers, filmmakers, journalists, researchers, and cultural documentarians with practical skills and mentorship.

View training areas
  • Photography
  • Cinematography
  • Documentary filmmaking
  • Visual storytelling
  • Digital publishing
  • Wikimedia contributions
  • Archiving
  • Media ethics
06 · OKWP

Open Knowledge & Wikimedia Program

Building Knowledge Equity

A program dedicated to expanding access to free and reliable knowledge through Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, Wikidata, and related platforms.

View activities
  • Edit-a-thons
  • Photowalks
  • Content campaigns
  • Contributor training
  • Open licensing workshops
  • Knowledge equity projects
  • Documentation drives
07 · YIDI

Youth Innovation & Digital Inclusion Program

Empowering Future Leaders

A community development initiative helping young people acquire digital, creative, and leadership skills.

View focus areas
  • Digital literacy
  • Civic technology
  • Media literacy
  • Creative entrepreneurship
  • Innovation labs
  • Leadership development
  • Community engagement
Special Projects

Focused documentation projects rooted in place, people, and memory.

King Jaja Heritage Documentation Project

Preserving the history, cultural significance, and legacy of King Jaja and the Opobo Kingdom.

Heritage Buildings Documentation Campaign

Photographing significant architectural and historical landmarks across Nigeria and Africa.

Cultural Festivals Documentation Series

Creating permanent visual archives of traditional festivals and cultural celebrations.

Women of the Markets Project

Documenting the lives and contributions of women driving local economies.

Oral Histories of the Niger Delta

Recording and preserving community memories, traditions, and lived experiences.

Resource Center

Tools that make good documentation easier to learn and share.

Free educational resources for creators, researchers, educators, students, and community organizations.

Heritage Documentation Guides
Photography Manuals
Wikimedia Training Resources
Oral History Toolkits
Open Licensing Guides
Community Documentation Frameworks
Cultural Preservation Toolkits
Media, Archives & Publications

Building a public record that can be seen, studied, and remembered.

Documentary Films

Films focused on culture, identity, heritage, governance, and social development.

Photography Collections

Curated visual archives documenting people, places, cultures, and traditions.

Research & Reports

Documentation reports, heritage assessments, findings, and educational resources.

Digital Archives

Accessible repositories of photographs, interviews, and historical materials.

Leadership & Governance

Oversight, expertise, and accountability.

Board of Trustees

Strategic oversight, governance, and accountability.

Advisory Council

Experts in heritage, media, technology, education, governance, and community development.

Executive Leadership Team

Implementing OMF's mission, programs, partnerships, and long-term strategy.

Transparency & Accountability

Ethical management, responsible stewardship, annual reporting, and institutional transparency.

Partners & Collaborators
Wikimedia Foundation & AffiliatesCultural InstitutionsMuseums & ArchivesEducational InstitutionsGovernment AgenciesTraditional InstitutionsDevelopment OrganizationsMedia OrganizationsInternational FoundationsCommunity-Based Organizations
Our Impact Goals by 2030

Scale preservation. Expand participation. Open knowledge to millions.

100,000+Heritage photographs documented and preserved
10,000+Wikipedia & Wikimedia Commons contributions
5,000+Young people trained through workshops and fellowships
500+Oral histories archived
200+Festivals and cultural events documented
100+Government institutions and public officials documented
50+Communities actively participating
MillionsAnnual global views through open knowledge platforms
Get Involved

Help preserve stories that matter.

Whether you contribute your skills, build a partnership, sponsor a program, or donate, you can help communities preserve and share their own histories.

01

Volunteer

Join our network of photographers, filmmakers, researchers, archivists, historians, and Wikimedia contributors.

02

Partner With Us

Collaborate to preserve heritage, strengthen public knowledge, and empower communities.

03

Sponsor a Program

Support documentation, training, education, and preservation initiatives.

04

Donate

Help ensure Africa's stories, cultures, and histories are preserved for future generations.

Contact Us

Start a conversation with Open Media Foundation.

For partnerships, programs, volunteering, documentation projects, media inquiries, or general questions, reach out to us.

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