For years, I’ve been an active contributor to OpenStreetMap (OSM) – starting as a mapper in college (2017) and evolving into a trainer, leading over 30 trainings and reaching more than 1500 people. Recently, I took my commitment to the next level as a Trainer Fellow with Open Mapping Hub Asia Pacific (OMH AP). This 5-month journey wasn’t just about delivering training; it was about wearing a new hat – that of an organizer.

The Guru fellowship involved five trainings, including three online, one in-person (which I’ll delve into), and one where I acted as a support trainer. While every training experience is unique, this in-person workshop held a special place.

The in-person training titled “Map and Chat: Open Mapping Hands-on Workshop for DRR 2024”, held on April 28-29 2024, was designed for bachelor students with diverse backgrounds in Kathmandu, Nepal, in collaboration with Open Mapping Hub Asia-Pacific, Sendai Stakeholders Children and Youth Group, UN Major Group for Children and Youth (UNMGCY) and ALIN Foundation Nepal. The workshop aimed to equip them with hands-on open mapping tools and knowledge for disaster risk reduction (DRR).

Stepping Up: The Organizer’s Hat

While I was accustomed to crafting training materials and schedules, organizing demanded a whole new set of skills. The in-person aspect brought a new layer of complexity of logistics. Suddenly, I was creating Google Forms, counting water bottles and pens, designing posters and certificates, budgeting and managing finances and also analyzing participants’ backgrounds to tailor content effectively (as I usually do as a trainer. Gone were the days of solely focusing on the curriculum.)

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