OSM Kenya
This is the official page for OpenStreetMap Kenya, a local community of contributors, users advocating and supporting OpenStreetMap in Kenya.
History
The OpenStreetMap (OSM) community in Kenya was established in 2018 during the FOSS4G conference held in Dar es Salaam. Inspired by insights from the conference, a group of Kenyans attending the event came up with the idea of starting OSM Kenya, laying the foundation for collaborative mapping efforts in the country.
OSM Kenya has actively contributed to initiatives like Map Kibera, leading early mapping efforts in Nairobi’s informal settlements.
Vision, Mission & Objectives
Vision
To fully map the country on OpenStreetMap and strongly advocate for its use within different groups such as government, organizations, and academic institutions.
Mission
To create a vibrant community of OpenStreetMap contributors and users in Kenya and provide a platform where members can exchange ideas and support each other.
Objectives
- To create an open and diverse community of OpenStreetMap contributors in Kenya.
- To develop and support local initiatives that are aimed at improving OpenStreetMap in Kenya.
- To promote the use of open data, including OpenStreetMap and FOSS countrywide.
Governance and Structure
Designation |
No. of individuals |
|---|---|
| Board Members | 5 |
| Leadership Committee | 3 |
| Working Groups | 4 |
| Working Group Members | 20 |
| General Members | 250+ |
Designation & Roles
Board Members
Provide guidance and oversight to the leadership committee in executing the society's roles.
Leadership Committee
Coordinate all the activities of the OpenStreetMap community, providing leadership and foresight in the execution of roles and objectives of the community.
Working Group Leads
Provide leadership and coordination to the four working groups
Working Group Members
Support in executing working group's mandates.
General Members
Actively participate in the objectives of the society as guided by the leadership committee. Exercise their full rights as stipulated within the constitution and by-laws of OpenStreetMap Kenya.
How can you participate?
Contribute to mapping on OpenStreetMap.
Engage with OSM by participating in mapping, individual mapping, OSM editing, and local mapping events such as our mapathons!
Join OpenStreetMap Kenya as a member.
Join OpenStreetMap Kenya as a Community member.
Being a member of the OSM Kenya community connects you with passionate mappers dedicated to improving open geospatial data. Membership offers opportunities to collaborate on mapping projects, participate in local and virtual events like mapathons, and contribute to OpenStreetMap through data collection and editing. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced mapper, joining OSM Kenya allows you to network, learn new skills, and support impactful mapping initiatives that benefit communities across the country.
Participate as a volunteer in a committee or an upcoming event.
Reach out to volunteer or offer your support!
Projects & Programs
OSM Kenya Data Quality Internship Program
Community Projects
Nairides: Mapping Public Transport in Nairobi with Trufi Association
OSM Kenya is currently working with Trufi Association to develop an open-source public transport app for Nairobi residents. In this project, we aim to improve urban mobility and accessibility in Kenya’s capital by utilizing OpenStreetMap data to provide accurate and up-to-date transport information.
Open Hardware GNSS and Its Applications in OpenStreetMap Imagery Alignment
OSM Kenya worked with community members in 2023 to collect GNSS data points to research on and have a better understanding on imagery offsets when contributing to OpenStreetMap.
Satellite Imagery for social good
In 2022, OSM Kenya partnered with the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT) and Microsoft’s AI for Humanitarian Action to enhance mapping in key Kenyan counties. During the project period, OSM Kenya members:
- Contributed and validated 1.4 million building footprints and 19,131 km of roads in Nakuru, Turkana, and Kisumu counties.
- Utilized AI-generated and human-verified data to support city planning in Nakuru.
- Collaborated with the Nakuru City Board to identify flood-prone areas.
- Trained 20 OSM members and six county and city planning officials on AI-enabled open mapping tools.
Mapping healthcare in Kenya: HOTOSM Community Impact Microgrants
In 2020, OSM Kenya and YouthMappers Kenya received a microgrant to map health facilities in Nairobi and the surrounding counties. This was administered through a community mentorship program where a cohort of 30 were trained on all aspects of OSM. We then worked to map and enrich existing healthcare data on OpenStreetMap by leveraging open data sources ofrom the Ministry of Health and survey data by GlaxoSmithKline(2019). The project was led by Youth Mappers Kenya and OSM Kenya, and Map Kibera kindly supported the administration of the project and helped to host and coordinate its activities.
Events
State of the Map 2024
State of the Map 2024 took place in Nairobi and online on 6-8 September 2024.
Attendance
In the 3 days of the conference there were ~ 216 participants in Nairobi (also having online tickets) and 95 attendees with only online Venueless tickets. Please note that there were additional community members watching the online stream, without needing a ticket. The online Venueless ticket allowed people to chat and ask questions to the speakers.
54 countries represented. Learn more on the State of the Map 2024 Page.
OSM Kenya Partnerships and Collaborations
At OSM Kenya Partnerships Kenya, we believe in the power of collaboration to achieve our mission of creating a comprehensive, open-source map of Kenya. Our partnerships with various organizations, institutions, and communities have been instrumental in expanding our reach and impact across the country.
- Universities and Educational Institutions
| Inaugural Chapter | University of Nairobi | Geospatial Engineering Students Association | Nairobi | Kenya |
| Member Chapter | Dedan Kimathi University of Technology | Dekut Geospatial Developers Club (GDEV) | NYERI | Kenya |
| Member Chapter | Moi University | Geography Students Association of Moi University | Eldoret | Kenya |
| Member Chapter | Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology | Association of Geomatics Engineering Students | Nairobi | Kenya |
| Member Chapter | Kenyatta University | Kenyatta University GIS Club | Nairobi | Kenya |
| Member Chapter | Karatina University | Nature Club Karatina University | Karatina | Kenya |
| Member Chapter | Technical University of Kenya | Geospatial Science Student Association | Nairobi | Kenya |
| Member Chapter | Maasai Mara University | Maasai Mara University YouthMappers (MMUYM) | Narok | Kenya |
| Member Chapter | Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology | MMUST YouthMappers | Kakamega | Kenya |
| Member Chapter | Egerton University | Geographic Society of Egerton University | Njoro | Kenya |
| Member Chapter | Laikipia University | Laikipia University YouthMappers Association | NYAHURURU | Kenya |
| Member Chapter | Maseno University | Planning and Architecture Students Association of Maseno University (PASAMU) | Kisumu | Kenya |
| Member Chapter | Kenya Institute of Surveying and Mapping | YouthMappers KISM | Nairobi | Kenya |
| Member Chapter | Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of science and technology | Planners association of Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of science and technology | Bondo | Kenya |
| Member Chapter | Garissa University | Garissa University Geospatial Innovation Club | Garissa | Kenya |
- Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)
- Map Kibera Trust: Working together to map informal settlements and improve community services.
- Ushahidi: Leveraging their crisis mapping platform to enhance our disaster response capabilities.
- YouthMappers:A community of students, researchers, educators, and scholars that use public geospatial technologies to highlight and directly address development and environmental challenges worldwide.
- Government Agencies
- Kenya National Bureau of Statistics: Sharing geospatial data to improve national statistics and planning.
- County Governments: Partnerships with various counties to map local infrastructure and services.
- International Organizations
- Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT): Collaborating on disaster preparedness and response projects.
- World Bank: Participating in their Open Cities Africa program to build resilient communities.
- Private Sector
- Safaricom: Utilizing OSM data to improve their location-based services.
- Local tech startups: Providing mentorship and OSM data access for innovative mapping applications.
- TomTom
- Trufi Association: Apps for users making sustainable mobility convenient. Open data for transport innovation, research, and better cities.