Wales, 41, will deliver a motivational keynote at the beginning of each Wikipedia Academy, co-hosted by and iCommons, a South Africa-based nonprofit.

Afterward, teams will hold intensive workshops to coach attendees on how to edit Wikipedia. Attendees can also meet Ndesanjo Macha, who is considered the father of the Swahili Wikipedia. Macha is expected to share his experiences in sustaining local-language Wikipedia Web sites.

The Afrikaans Wikipedia, which is the largest South African language Wikipedia, has slightly fewer than 7,000 articles. Wikipedia sites in languages like Sesotho, Zulu, and Swati contain fewer than 100 entries each.

Wales said he and the foundation are working to strengthen and grow the South African Wikipedia databases, saying it will help preserve the languages and improve cultural knowledge.

"Wikipedia versions are currently available for only 250 of the world's 7,000 languages," Wales said in a prepared statement. "Establishing Wikipedias in more African languages will enable speakers of those languages to more actively participate in the global exchange of knowledge. Additionally, it may, in a small way, help to preserve those languages."

Wales also urged supporters to donate to the current fundraiser to support the "academies."

Wikipedia announced that the first Johannesburg event will take place at CIDA City Campus -- the first free university in South Africa -- on Saturday, Nov. 10. A series of Academies supported by local business and media will follow. An Afrikaans Wikipedia Academy workshop is scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 11. Wikipedia Germany's Frank Schulenburg is scheduled to speak about the culture of contributing to Wikipedia.