Crowdsourced Mapping to Prevent FGM in Tanzania

Its been a very busy few months for Crowd2Map. We've spoken about our work in many different online events and conferences and welcomed many new mappers from all over the world.

The Digital Champion programme we started in Serengeti 2 years ago, whereby 1 woman per village trains others in her village in digital skills and mapping, has now been expanded into Butiama and Tarime, thanks to funding from UNFPA. We are very excited that 208 more women will be able to empower their communities and get online for the first time. You can read more about this project here. 

Our mapping training to community groups in Tanzania is going strong, thanks to volunteer GIS specialist Herry Kassunga who has been delivering training via zoom every week, as well as in person. This has paid dividends in building up capacity across Tanzania.  Last month we were delighted that 3 of the groups he trained were awarded microgrants from Open Map Development Tanzania.  So now these groups will start mapping border points in Katavi to help with disease control with the Red Cross. In Mwanza they will be monitoring hotspots of gender based violence, and Hope for Girls and Women in Mara will be mapping access to health facitlities.  More details to come later. 

Also Herry and 2 girls from the FGM Safe House in Mugumu were picked to take part in drone training in Tanga, as part of an Open Skies Initiative.  We are hoping in future they will be able to build their own drone to help map Mara.

Thank you for all your support that has made this possible.

Best wishes

Janet