Forget that show “Off the Map.” Real live on the map is way more interesting.
Last July via the Youth Empowerment through Arts and Media project, we did some GPS and Open Street Map (OSM) training with Ernest Kunbega in Bamenda, Cameroon. I left for Kenya to attend a similar training with Map Kibera, and Ernest continued working with staff, local partners and youth in Ndop, Okola and Pitoa over the next several months to make maps of the 3 areas where the project is being implemented.
I got an email this week from Ernest and I was thrilled to hear that maps of the 3 areas have been completed. They did a fab job, too. Check these out.
This is what you used to find when you looked for Ndop on Open Street Map, and what you will still find on Google Maps (eg., not much):
and this is what you’ll find now if you look for Ndop on Open Street Map (close up):
This is what Okola looked like before on OSM, and what you will currently find on Google maps:
And what Okola looks like now on OSM (close up):
But in addition, they mapped out the chefferies in the larger Okola area:
And I’m pretty sure this is the youth’s work because nothing else around is mapped in this level of detail:
And lastly we have Pitoa as it is on Google/was on OSM:
And Pitoa after Ernest and the youth mapped it on OSM (close up):
And the chefferies in the whole area of Pitoa:
And Pitoa (on the right) compared to Garoua (lower left):
For more background on the training in Cameroon, check out this post: A catalyst for positive change.
Wait... What? 
This is fantastic to see, thank you for your work in helping to make it happen, and of course to all of the people who did the maps.
I did the mapping for nearby Bambili on Google MapMapker some time back; I probably should do the same for OSM as soon as I get some free time.
[…] the original post here: On the Map: Ndop, Okola and Pitoa AKPC_IDS += […]
Hi Linda
This is project is (already) really inspirational!
I am dying to know the “what next” after these amazing maps, the “wait… *and now* what?” if you will.
Janet
Good question! We know ppl can make maps. So what? And agreed. The idea is that the maps are used for 1) program planning and coordination locally (by youth, communities and municipalities) and 2) they will replace the current empty google maps on http://www.planyouth.org/virtual-villages, where the youth’s videos and other art/photos are being uploaded so that we can improve the experience of anyone visiting to see these materials and on that website we want to 3) encourage more networked dialogue and conversation among youth in various countries around issues that they share or want to learn more about from each other.
At a broader level, now that people internally can see what can be done, we’re advocating internally to integrate digital mapping into our normal community program planning cycle, and to have digital maps integrated into our disaster risk reduction efforts, and our normal institutional procedures also for keeping better geographical information on any/all programs that we are implementing.
And just another thing is that it seems somehow important in principle for people and communities to simply take their place on the map rather than be non-existent in terms of one of the largest information portals in the world (the internet) and also in principle, it seems important that it’s local people themselves who are defining their maps, not outsiders.
fantastic judith and linda