Exploring how open mapping / OpenStreetMap can support improved lives and livelihoods for slum communities and how we can mobilise as a humanitarian mapping community towards this goal.

Including an opening talk on the past, present and future of OpenStreetMap as an impactful tool for slum and informal settlement communities, as well as an expert panel discussion on the topic, with:

Royal Mabakeng (NUST, Namibia)
Jacob Nwachan (Bamenda City Council, Cameroon)
Noukoua Simon (Président de l'ARZON : Association des Résidents de la Zone Nkolbikok, Cameroon)
Emmanuel Bama (HOT & Open Mapping Hub - WNA, Ivory Coast)
Jorieke Vyncke (MSF, Belgium) - HOST

The four Humanitarian Open Mapping Sessions at State of the Map Africa bring a focus on different aspects of humanitarian open mapping and OpenStreetMap, covering mapping informal settlements, mapping for climate resilience and new humanitarian open mapping technologies.

Exploring the role of OpenStreetMap / open mapping in providing spatial intelligence and community representation for decision-making and action in response to the effects of climate change in Africa.

Including two presentations from HOT's African Open Mapping Hubs on their experience and ambitions in the open mapping / climate space, as well as an expert panel discussion on the topic, with representatives from GEOTE, Heigit Institute, FAO Somalia and OMDTZ (Tanzania).

Geoffrey Kateregga is an ardent advocate for open mapping and community building, embarking on his journey in 2012 when he joined OpenStreetMap following a memorable Mapping Party in Kampala. Since then, he has been an active and influential contributor to the local community in Uganda, playing a key role in its transformation into a thriving non-profit organisation. In 2015, he joined the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team, where he currently serves as the Community Projects Lead.

Marie Makuate recently joined HOT (Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team) as Senior Associate in Disaster Services and Training. She is a Ph.D. candidate and researcher in Geomatics at the ministry of scientific research and innovation in Cameroon; her work focuses on using computer science in geographic information science for environmental management.

Kennedy Jomokela is an environmentalist, senior mapping supervisor, projects team lead, active member & trainer osm community, data analyst and consultant. He works for HOT at the Open Mapping Hub - East & Southern Africa

Omowonuola Akintola is a Geospatial Data Analyst highly involved in utilising geospatial technology for good. She works for HOT at the Open Mapping Hub - West and Northern Africa

Janeth Mwakisole is a graduate with a degree in Environmental Sciences and Management and an ADDA-certified drone pilot and geospatial data analyst. She is secretary and drone pilot of a non-profit organization (GEOTE) that is aiming to solve environmental problems using geospatial technology and open data for sustainable development.

Benjamin Herfort is a researcher at HeiGIT and Heidelberg University. He has recently finished his PhD, for which he investigated questions of representation and data quality in OpenStreetMap from the perspectives of humanitarian and machine learning-assisted mapping in order to map what is not mapped.

Emanuel Kombe works for OMDTZ and is a highly skilled professional in Geography and Environmental studies, known for his expertise in OpenStreetMap (OSM) and his role as an OSM Advanced Level, Project Manager, and GIS Person. With a passion for geospatial technology and a deep understanding of its applications, Emanuel has made significant contributions to the mapping community.

Michael Makokha is Deputy Head of the FAO SWALIM Geospatial Unit and accomplished International GIS Specialist. Holding a Bachelor's Degree in Geospatial Engineering and a Master's Degree in Geographic Information Systems he is passionate about utilizing GIS/RS Mapping for humanitarian support, early warning, anticipatory action, post-disaster impact analysis & recovery, GIS/RS capacity building, land tenure systems, community participatory mapping, and urban governance mapping.

The four Humanitarian Open Mapping Sessions at State of the Map Africa bring a focus on different aspects of humanitarian open mapping and OpenStreetMap, covering mapping informal settlements, mapping for climate resilience and new humanitarian open mapping technologies.

The challenges of open mapping in global communities are daunting, but the opportunities provided by innovative Free and Open technology are tremendous. Open mapping relies upon imagery, digitization tools, field mapping tools, and various technologies to display, share, and use the data.

Many of the technologies for mapping have, in the past, failed to empower local communities. Satellite data is often old, cloudy, and low-resolution outside of wealthy countries. Drones seem expensive and require extensive training and licensing to operate. AI tools seem to be the province of large corporations with huge engineering and computing resources. Field mapping is difficult to coordinate at scale.

We have been working on many of these challenges. In this overview session, we’ll discuss current and future tools designed and built for communities to take the lead in open mapping; platforms to use inexpensive drones and GNSS receivers for high-quality imagery, community-based, local AI tools, and better coordination for mobile-based field mapping tools.

** This was previously scheduled to be a series of two in-person, hands on sessions / workshops but due to unfortunate visa issues, our presenter, Ivan Gayton, can no longer be physically at the conference, so will run a shorter session virtually.

Join Michael Makokha from FAO Somalia, Benni Herfort from Heigit and Isabell Klipper from the German Red Cross in this special two-part humanitarian open mapping session.

Michael will talk us through the work of FAO SWALIM and specifically a recent collaboration with HOT's Open Mapping Hub - East and Southern Africa on El Niño early warning and anticipatory action in Somalia.

Benni and Isabell will introdcue us to the Sketch Map Tool, a low-tech, open-source and free of charge application which can be used to support the digitization process of local community mapping. OpenStreetMap basemaps, layouted and created with the tool, can be printed out and used for analogue and offline data collection to map the communities experience and perception of risk in their neighbourhood. Uploading a picture or scan of those paper maps, the tool identifies and selects the marked information and provides them, georeferenced, in different geodata files for further usage and analysis in the own preferred GIS system.

** This was previously scheduled to be a hands on session focusing on the Field Mapping Tasking Manager but due to unfortunate visa issues, our presenter, Ivan Gayton, can no longer be physically at the conference.