OpenStreetMap Rwanda Monthly Mapathon 2024 Updates.

24th Feb 2024.

Open Mapping is growing in Rwanda , with amazing stories , after facing challenges of open data representation and severe disaster outbreak and after 2021_2022 the pandemic out break the story has changed 💔. Since then Rwandan youths and women realized that open mapping initiatives are key 🗝️ activities to drive the community into transformative journey and especially being well represented in data. we took a step ahead and map our community as a passion and fun to support data driven decision making where in need.

Local problems , local solutions.

OSM Rwanda started 2015 with limited skills about mapping tools , the journey was not easy to grow the community with passion in data representation among the global competitive communities well equipped. But equipping women means this to Us. we consider Men as Brain and Women as heart as the saying goes that, “The heart represents a more compassionate approach, whilst the brain usually plays a more stern and analytical part.”

Feb 20th 2024 The Community gathering to learn and map urban green in Kigali city and building in Muhanga District city, many from the team were beginners young Men and Women. They all had a passion to participate in Open Mapping development. In most cases Men are the decision makers, but women are decision implementers in our daily usual activities , putting more effort in this ecosystem means a lot for sustainable future especially in three planetary crisis , Climate change, Biodiversity loss and and Pollution. This is why we decided to encourage and train women and girls about open mapping projects as championship program for sustainable change.

We organize mapathon Events every month with 30% of women participation affirmative action. This drive is to smooth, smart and soft fun mapathon Events of course because of that small number of women and girls the work and number of edits goes slow , but the impact is bigger even for the future we look forward to have more collaboration among the world experienced Mappers to take these initiatives on the next stage.