2024-09-06 –, Tsavo Hall
In this presentation, we will share our experience conducting an OpenStreetMap training program with the Kibera Girls' Soccer Academy in Kenya. We will cover various aspects such as the planning process, development of curriculum, hands-on mapping activities, and achieved outcomes. Our aim is to provide practical insights that attendees can use to run similar programs in other schools or regions, promoting greater OpenStreetMap engagement among youth.
In 2022, Map Kibera collaborated with YouthMappers to launch and manage a technical training program for an all-girls secondary school in Kenya. The training program primarily focused on OpenStreetMap (OSM) but also included sessions on career guidance and digital wellbeing to introduce the students to STEM.
In this session, we aim to share the resources that were used to model how OSM communities and organizations can join forces with secondary schools to conduct impactful training programs. We will also emphasize the significance of OpenStreetMap in developing technical skills and advocating for STEM education in young learners. Additionally, we will include how such programs promote inclusivity and the strategies to make training programs accessible and encouraging, especially for girls in marginalized communities.
The attendees will gain a better understanding of the steps involved in planning an OpenStreetMap training program for high school students and acquire insights into customizing mapping activities to cater to a younger audience.
Zacharia works as project coordinator at Map Kibera, his main focus has been to oversee and coordinate several mapping projects in the informal settlements of Nairobi and other parts of Kenya on OSM since 2009. He is a strong champion of citizen involvement and engagement in mapping and generation of OSM data to advocate for better service provision through policy making and development plans within marginalized communities. On the side, he has been engaged in several forums on developing frameworks and guides for citizen-generated data and open data in Kenya
Laura is a Geospatial engineer and technical community manager working at the intersection of open data, free and open-source software, and sustainable development. She is currently a Community Coordinator at Code for Africa, where she manages the africanDRONE and sensors.AFRICA project and community activities.
In addition to this, Laura is an active volunteer and enjoys giving back to tech communities. She has been a YouthMappers regional ambassador for the past four years, supporting student-led university clubs in East and Central Africa. She also co-created OSM Kenya, advocating for the adoption of open data locally.