Join the Digital Elder Project
Your Materials Help Preserve Gĩkũyũ for Future Generations
How to Contribute (3 Simple Steps)
📧 Express Interest
Contact the project coordinator via email or WhatsApp. Just say "I'm interested in contributing" - no commitment required to learn more.
Contact: mndiritu@gmail.com | WhatsApp: +254721641516
📂 Get Folder Access
You'll receive links to Google Drive folders organized by material type. Optional: Quick orientation call to walk through the system.
📤 Upload Materials
Find Gĩkũyũ materials (books, documents, audio) and upload to the appropriate folder. Work whenever convenient - no deadlines!
Materials We Need
📚 Tier 1: Pure Gĩkũyũ
What: Content with NO English mixed in
- Traditional stories (ng'ano)
- Proverbs with explanations
- Elder speeches
- Radio broadcasts in Gĩkũyũ
- Church materials
- Historical documents
Priority: Highest (50MB target)
🌉 Tier 2: Bilingual
What: Materials in BOTH Gĩkũyũ and English
- Dictionaries / Glossaries
- Bible (parallel text)
- Teaching materials
- Word lists
- Legal documents (both languages)
Priority: High (20MB target)
🔄 Tier 3: Modern Mixed
What: Contemporary text with code-switching
- Contemporary literature
- Newspaper articles
- Social media posts (substantial)
- Modern correspondence
Priority: Medium (helpful but not critical)
Not Sure Which Tier?
No problem! There's an "Unsorted" folder for materials you're unsure about. We'll review and categorize them for you.
All Formats Welcome
Phone Photos
Clear photos of book pages work great! Just ensure good lighting and the text is readable.
Digital Documents
Word files, PDFs, text files - any digital format is perfect. We can process them all.
Spreadsheets
Excel/CSV word lists and glossaries are extremely valuable for building translation capabilities.
Audio Recordings
Recordings with transcripts help us add voice capabilities. Even without transcripts, they're useful!
Handwritten
Modern OCR can handle handwriting! Old letters, journals, notes - all welcome.
Old/Damaged
Faded, torn, yellowed? We can work with it. If you can read it, we can likely digitize it.
What's Required From You
You DON'T Need:
- ❌ Programming or technical skills
- ❌ Special software (just Google Drive)
- ❌ Professional scanners (phone photos work!)
- ❌ Ongoing commitment (contribute once if you want)
- ❌ Perfect materials (we handle damaged/old documents)
You DO Need:
- ✅ Access to Google Drive
- ✅ Ability to find/photograph Gĩkũyũ materials
- ✅ Care about preserving our language
Benefits for Contributors
Free Lifetime Access
Contributors receive free access to the Digital Elder translation tool forever. Use for personal, educational, and community purposes.
Heritage Preserved
Your materials are digitally preserved and protected. Future generations will have access to this cultural knowledge.
Recognition
Be acknowledged as a contributor to this historic language preservation effort. Your impact matters!
Community Connection
Join other Gĩkũyũ speakers passionate about preserving our language. Be part of something bigger.
Ready to Contribute?
Join us in building the Digital Elder. Every document, every photo, every contribution helps preserve Gĩkũyũ for future generations.
Nĩ wega mũno! (Thank you very much!)