State of the Map 2022
Janet Chapman Community

Reflections on our 4th State of the Map Firenze

Reflections on our 4th State of the Map Firenze from Crowd2Map

Posted by JanetChapman on 28 August 2022 in English (English).

It was wonderful, if slightly overwhelming and sometimes surreal to finally meet so many fellow mappers again at SOTM Firenze last week, as well as so many new friends that I’d only interacted with online. This was my 4th in person event and it reinforced not only how much Crowd2Map has grown since Brussels 2016 but also how the mapping community has changed.

State of the Map 2022
State of the Map 2022

In 2016 arrived in Brussels late at night, a bit disconcerted to find that I was sharing a bed with a stranger – Miriam from GeoChicas. We quickly got over this surprise and she became a great friend and ally, even visiting the FGM Safe Houses we work with in Tanzania en route to FOSS4G 2018. In Brussels I was a newcomer who knew no one. I tried to navigate the seeming chasm between the brown shirted craft mapper gang and the humanitarian team. In Firenze I was very pleased to note much less of this divide. Arriving felt like coming home after a long journey, meeting so many people from previous events and others for the first time IRL.

Particular highlights for me were talking about the impact of our Digital Champion project, meeting colleagues from Missing Maps HOTand Youthmappers who I’d only interacted with online. Kristen Tonga’s talk on the challenges of mobile mapping in rural Tanzania really resonated with our experiences setting up our Digital Champions program, and we look forwards to working with her going forwards.

Ilya is always enthusiastically working on something interesting and this year was no exception, we’re looking forwards to working with him on Every Door soon. The We’re also looking forward

We were particular proud that Binyam Dele Youthmapper Ambassador from Ethiopia wants to replicate our work fighting FGM there.

Greatly looking forward to next meet up – particularly State of the Map Tanzania in January 2023 and hope to see many of the mapping community there either in person or online!

Janet Chapman Community

As Crowd2Map turns 6, we celebrate the work being done to empower rural communities in Tanzania

Crowd2Map Tanzania has a cohort of 16,000 volunteers based in Tanzania and around the world, all of whom are driven by a passion to help rural communities in Tanzania and to ensure girls and women in these areas are empowered. As we celebrate 6 years of mapping, we take a look at some of the work and partnerships that we have developed to ensure Tanzania is mapped.

Crowd2Map Tanzania has been training local activists (NGOs), Local Government, communities and Youth Mappers Chapters in Tanzania on open data and mapping and how can they integrate mapping knowledge with their activities to solve community challenges.

Some of the tools used for mapping and open data that Crowd2Map has been training these group on are:

  • Smartphone applications such as Maps.me, OSMAnd, ODK and Mapillary for mapping features around their community and collecting data for different uses
  • Other tools that require the use of a computer for mapping and Data collection such as ID Editor, JOSM and Kobo toolbox

Some of the NGO’s have managed to win Community mapping microgrants and are running projects in their communities in various areas in Tanzania to share mapping and open data knowledge with a wider audience.

Tanzanian NGOs who have been trained include:

  • Agri-Thamani based in Bukoba Tanzania are running garden community mapping and Schools mapping project in their community
  • Red Cross Katavi community are mapping vulnerable areas around Mine sites in Katavi
  • Good Harvest Organization who were trained in the use of Open Data Tools and other internet-enabled devices
  • LAVISHENI group in Mwanza mapping vulnerable areas for GBV cases in their community
  • Institute of Rural Development and Planning College in Dodoma Youth mappers are mapping Dump sites in Dodoma
  • Serengeti Tourism College Youth Mappers are involved in mapping health centre facilities in Mugumu-Serengeti

Institute of Accountancy in Arusha (IAA) Youth Mappers, Tumaini College in Arusha Youth Mappers, Institute of Rural Development and Planning Youth Mappers in Mwanza are still continuing with mapping Training.

Miller’s Group in Muleba Tanzania, Kibondo mapping Group, ESTL NGO are still continuing with mapping and Open Data training.

Local Government in Serengeti and Singida are now involved in mapping and Open data training conducted by Crowd2Map.

We are seeing a great deal of interest from these local and broader organisations who are understanding of the benefit of accurate maps for the growth of Tanzanian communities.

You can watch the recording of our 6th birthday event here (you will be taken to YouTube).

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, you can find out more and get involved here.