Map kibera

Map Kibera is probably one of the best grassroots technology initiatives to happen in Kenya this year. The idea is to map Kibera slum, one of the biggest slums in Kenya.

If you do not know what a slum is, a slum is like a ghetto but probably worse.

Slums suck worst of all not really due to the crime and poverty prevalent in them, but the unregulated, and unstructured nature of the environment. The lack of information about Kibera slums has very serious repercussions to anyone who wants to foster any change within the community.

The way Map Kibera works is that

“Twelve young residents of Kibera will first be trained on current mapping techniques during a two-day workshop. Individuals from the growing Nairobi technology scene will help train and network with the larger community.

The group will then map all of Kibera over a two-week period in mid-November and share the results through OpenStreetMap, joining a growing global community of tech-savvy grassroots mapmakers. “The project will provide open-source data that will help illustrate the living conditions in Kibera.”

Project Diaspora

It is nice they actually asked twelve Kenyans to do the mapping after they are equipped with the knowledge on how to go about doing so. The press release is below.

Map Kibera Press Release

More information

Visit www.mapkibera.org.

OpenStreetMap, is a web project to create a free and open map of the entire world, built entirely by volunteer map-makers.

The Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team, applies the principles and techniques of OpenStreetMap towards humanitarian response and economic development.

JumpStart International, promotes sustainable economic development and self-sufficiency through active projects that focus on building livelihoods and rebuilding communities to overcome effects of conflict, disaster, and systemic poverty.

[Thanks to Project Diaspora for the original story]

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