Chalo Chatu:The ZedWiki Podcast
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| Status | Active |
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| Country | Zambia |
| Language | English (with local languages featured) |
| Genre | Wikimedia / Knowledge / Culture |
| Created by | Wikimedia Community User Group Zambia |
| Partner | Chalo Chatu |
| Hosts | Thandiwe Kasanda |
| Producers | Isaac Chabota Kanguya (User:Icem4k) |
| Editors | Louis Kanguya, Isaac Chabota Kanguya |
| Sound designers | Louis Kanguya |
| Writers / Researchers | Isaac Chabota Kanguya, Jason Mulikita (Chalo Chatu Founder), Edward Phiri, Grace Nalungwe |
| First episode | 1 October 2025 |
| Sound by | Louis Kanguya |
| Release schedule | First day of each month |
| Distribution | Spotify, Chalo Chatu website, Wikimedia Zambia website |
The ZedWiki Podcast is a premier collaborative initiative developed by the Wikimedia Community User Group Zambia in partnership with the Chalo Chatu Foundation. Since its official launch on 1 October 2025, the podcast has served as a digital bridge between written archives and oral tradition, advancing the shared mission of preserving Zambia’s history, culture, and national heritage through open-access media.
By 2026, the project expanded its scope through the "Knowledge Without Borders" initiative. By transforming verified historical records from Chalo Chatu and the global Wikimedia ecosystem into immersive audio storytelling, the podcast ensures that Zambian cultural memory is accessible to both local audiences and the global diaspora. The program highlights the diverse pillars of Zambian identity—ranging from traditional ceremonies and natural landmarks like Mosi-oa-Tunya to the nation’s sporting history and creative arts.
While the inaugural season focused on foundational heritage sites such as the Embassy Park Presidential Burial Site, Season Two, launched in January 2026, introduced a deeper emphasis on the intersection of modern technology and indigenous knowledge systems. During this period, the podcast transitioned from an AI-generated host known as Blueprint to a human presenter. On 14 January 2026, Thandiwe Kasanda, a registered nurse based in Zambia, was officially introduced as the host. As of February 2026, the ZedWiki Podcast is fully human-hosted, marking the conclusion of its AI-powered presentation phase and the beginning of a presenter-led production model.
Beyond its role as an archive, the ZedWiki Podcast functions as a vital outreach tool for the Wikimedia movement in Zambia. it actively promotes national participation in international campaigns such as Wiki Loves Folklore and Wiki Loves Earth, reinforcing Zambia’s visibility in the global digital landscape. Through this partnership, the podcast solidifies Chalo Chatu’s position as the nation’s leading free knowledge repository while amplifying Wikimedia Zambia’s commitment to community-driven documentation.
Format
Episodes are released monthly and typically run between 20 to 40 minutes in length. The structure of each broadcast includes:
- Executive Summary: Quick headlines and key movement updates.
- Article Spotlight: A deep dive into a recommended read from the Chalo Chatu database or Wikipedia.
- Today in History: A chronological look at significant Zambian and global milestones.
- Editor Spotlight: Profiles and interviews with contributors within the Zambian movement.
- Wikimedia News plus Tech & Tools: Updates on software developments and digital archiving tools.
- Community Noticeboard: Announcements regarding upcoming workshops and edit-a-thons.
Partnership
The ZedWiki Podcast is the result of a strategic partnership between the Wikimedia Community User Group Zambia and the Chalo Chatu Foundation. This collaboration is designed to leverage the strengths of both organizations:
- Wikimedia Zambia: Provides technical expertise, movement governance, and a connection to the global Wikimedia ecosystem, ensuring Zambian content meets international open-knowledge standards.
- Chalo Chatu: Serves as the primary source for localized historical data and cultural research, offering a vast repository of Zambian-specific information that informs the "Article Spotlight" and "Today in History" segments.
Together, the partners aim to bridge the gap between Zambia’s rich oral traditions and the digital world, ensuring that indigenous knowledge is documented, preserved, and shared for free under Creative Commons licensing.
Episodes
| No. | Title | Release date | Summary | Audio | Length | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot: Introducing Zambia's Voice in Free Knowledge | 1 October 2025 | An introductory overview of the podcast's mission to digitize Zambian knowledge. Features a spotlight on the Embassy Park Presidential Burial Site and the role of local contributors in the global movement. | File:ZED Wiki Podcast S1 E1.mp3 | 05:20min |
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| 2 | Episode 2: ZedWiki Podcast: From First Edit to Impact | 1 November 2025 | A biographical profile of Zambian Wikimedian Isaac Chabota Kanguya. The episode examines the impact of free knowledge on local communities and features a research spotlight on the State House of Zambia. | Apple Podcast | 17:24min |
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| 3 | Episode 3: ZedWiki Podcast: Wikimedia Knowledge Without Borders Project 2026 | 1 December 2025 | This episode focuses on the strategic launch of the Knowledge Without Borders 2026 initiative. It documents the history of the Zambia National Service (ZNS) and provides an operational briefing on regional movement governance. | On Apple Podcast | 40:06min | <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"></templatestyles>
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| 4 (S2E1) | ZedWiki Podcast S2E1: Wikipedia @25 Years | 1 January 2026 | The Season Two premiere commemorates the 25th anniversary of Wikipedia. It features a heritage analysis of Mosi-oa-Tunya (Victoria Falls) and outlines the 2026 technical roadmap for preserving Zambian oral histories through digital archives. | On Apple Podcast | 39:53min |
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