Map Kibera has been working for the past two years with some of Kenya’s county governments to create maps of their primary features and funded projects. After implementing a Participatory Budgeting process, these counties realized that without good maps it was difficult for people to not only allocate resources, but to work with citizens to identify needs and prioritize funds. Map Kibera has been assisting counties to map key features and projects in OSM by working with youth from the local communities. The maps not only serve to connect citizens to the budgeting process and hold county government accountable for the funded projects, but, they have also become central to county functions in all areas. This talk will share all about the process used and outcomes.

We have seen an explosion of OSM mapping in the last few years around maps for development and humanitarian uses, particularly in Africa. During this time it has also become clear that sustaining this essential mapping work, and keeping maps up to date, was going to be a primary concern. Building a healthy mapping ecosystem around mapping for development will not necessarily be able to follow the same model as it has in more developed countries. In this talk, I will share the culmination of my research on sustainability with the World Bank’s Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery and their Open Cities Africa project, and some ways that we can best support mappers and grow a healthier global OSM ecosystem.