Antidius Kawamala

an:

• Innovator
• OSM Translator (Swahili)
• OSMF Member
• Active Mapper
• GIS Guru

and technology enthusiast who is optimistic about the future of OSM, Open Mapping and Open Data Systems in Tanzania and Africa at large.

Antidius is best known for champion on putting Tanga on the map.

He is a founder of ROOTGIS promoting innovation ecosystem in OSM through use of university networks in Tanzania.

In Tanzania, he is mainly known as the first person to innovate OSM Swahili platform that translates OSM information into Swahili language, as the first language spoken in East Africa, also as the who championed establishment of Swahili breakout room in Africa Monthly mapathons that he moderates regularly.

For two successive years 2021 and 2022 he has been advocating on putting Tanga on the map where he has been most influential Tanzanian in OSM spheres .

Antidius was part of the big project named Ramani Huria implemented in Dar es Salaam for five years funded by HOT as the Mapping supervisor and Quality Checks, also he has been involved in different HOT global activities as the volunteer in Trainings, Mapathons and Networking sessions.

In 2022, Antidius was selected by HOT Community Group as the one of the peer mentor in Mentorship Pilot Program, a program that involved experts from across the mapping communities and HOT in general where he came out with microgrant playbook that focuses on how mapping communities can secure grants and be sustainable.

Antidius is also a blogger focusing on innovation, technology entrepreneurship and the future of Open Mapping and Open Data Systems. He has written several thought-provoking articles about the innovation ecosystem in Open Mapping and Open Data Systems.