Digital Mapping in Kenya, a case study of Map Kibera

YETAM workshop, July 21, 2010GroundTruth Initiative

OpenStreetMap

photo: http://gallery.me.com/dbullington#100816&view=null&bgcolor=black&sel=12

Overview

• Geography terminology

• History/background of Map

Kibera

• Voice of Kibera platform

• Questions, comments and

discussion

What is geography?

• The study of patterns and

process that take place on the

earth‟s surface

• Everybody experiences their own

geography each and every day!

…citizen geography!

(also known as neogeography)

History of new geography tools

(new media) in 60 seconds…

GIS, GPS, Mapping…

• Geographic Information Systems (GIS) (information management for geography)– ArcGIS $$$

• Global Positioning System (GPS)

• Digitize and Geo-reference

• The expansion of:

– The internet

– Cheap GPS devices

– Software that is less technically demanding (on the user and data processing)

Internet mapping

• Google (or Yahoo! or Microsoft)

proprietary software

• Open Street Map (free software)

Internet mapping cont.

• Open Street Map

Free and Open Source

• Data and/or Software itself is free

• Anyone can use it and customize it

• What else do you need to think about?

– Human resources, skills, time, training, etc

– Technical customizations (vs out-

of-the-box)

Kibera 500,000 people(?), 2.5 km2

was a blank spot on the map

Existing Datasatellite imagery

Partners and Allies

NGOs/CBOs: Social Development Network (Infonet), Carolina for Kibera, KiberaCommunity Development Agenda (KCODA)

Broadcast and Community Media: Pamoja FM, Kibera Journal, KiberaWorldWide

Tech Community: Ushahidi, OpenStreetMap

Funding partner: Jumpstart, International – American NGO

* Recruited MappersRecruited Mappers

* The MappersThe Mappers

Map Kibera

• Uses Open Street Map (free and

open source)

• GPS devices (more on this

later…)

• Phase I and Phase II

• Walking Paper

• Digitizing and georeferencing

Mappers took to GPS Surveying naturally

* open data ... all about potentialPotential of Open DataCan be a little abstract in Kibera

How does Map Kibera benefit or

impact the people in Kibera?

• Develop Entities and Skills

• Kibera Mappers

• Kibera News Network

• Citizen journalism

• Voice of Kibera

• SMS Reporting

Phase II

• Health

• Education (informal)

• Security (focus on girl‟s

security

• Water and Sanitation

Voice of Kibera

• Uses the Ushahidiplatform to aggregate data and maps the info on the Map Kibera map

• Ushahidi does not run the website; VoKAdvisory/Editorial Board runs the site

• http://ushahidi.com

Out-of-the-box

Customized

Customized - Voice of

Kibera

What is Voice of Kibera?

• Non-profit and independent community information

sharing platform by, for and about Kibera

• It uses a. articles, photos, videos and SMS b. a

unique information mapping tool and c. moderation

of content to ensure accurate reporting

• A unifying and catalytic agent to contribute to

positive change in Kibera and Kenya

• A citizen journalist website sharing the real

story of what Kibera is

• Aims to fill current information gaps in terms of

emergency and accurate information adding location

data when relevant

Reports

One website, lots of

media!• Media on the site

• Video: creating videos and posting on the site

• Examples: Kibera News Network & Kibera TV

• Photos: featuring work by local photographers

• Reports: sending SMS to 3002 or submitting online

• Twitter: see „tweets‟ about Kibera

• Local Media

• Report may be featured in other media

• Creating awareness through radio and print

Sending in Reports

There are two ways you can

submit reports:

1. Sending an SMS to 3002

• Make sure SMS includes the word

“Kibera” and as much detail as

possible, including location.

2. Clicking SUBMIT A REPORT

on the website.

SMS Reporting• Send message to short code, 3002, including “Kibera” in the text [cost: 5 KSH]

• SMS Reporters

• Possibilities of things to submit:

• Things happening right now in the community whether good or bad (e.g. a fire, street festival)

• Info about local organisations (e.g. events)

• Opinions on local businesses or services (e.g. experience at a clinic)

• Other news and events

SMS Demo

• Submitting a report

using SMS

• Include “Kibera” and as

much detail as possible,

including location in

message

• Send the message to 3002

• Check the site to see

your report!

Kibera News Network (KNN)www.youtube.com/KiberaNewsNetwork(in partnership with KCODA)

Future plans…

Expansion – to other locations in Kenya

Challenges

• Engaging with youth – resources

(paid vs volunteer)?

• The map is not enough

– The digital divide is both

infrastructral and social

– Otherwise, you're simply

contributing to status quo of

inequality

• large agencies (UN, govt) are

very interested

• how to support them without

simply allowing them to co-opt

the work the citizens are doing

• without extra effort, open

source and open data really

just means, open to the elites

which is not actually open at

all.

Regynnah’s story

Other tools

• Budget tracking tool

Constituency Development Funds (CDF)Budget Tracking Tool (SODNET) http://www.opengovernance.infoSMS 3002 with constiuency#issue (eg: matuga#education)

Other tools cont.

• Huduma

Recap

• Open Street Map (open source data)

• Ushahidi (open source software, but remember other inputs needed)

• FrontlineSMS

• Budget tracking tool (3002 plus constituency #issue 3002: kwale#water)

• Huduma

• Flip cameras (YouTube)