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I Just had a brief orientation with Oluwatosin and Ijeoma on OSM and how Unique Mappers contribute to OSM project . I look forward they will pick it up from there… How brief can you make an orientation about OSM? just to get newbies excited and get on board as active Local OSM Mappers?

Its being quite a while on OSM diary and lots have been taking place in Nigeria OSM Community as Unique Mappers,the NGO community for OpenSTreetMap in Nigeria continues to grow and expand the OSM project in Nigeria even in the lock down of #COVID19.

We have had series of COVID19 Community empowerment and Mappers Wanted Training from March though April-the global Citizen Science Month and then into May. The moments include the MapWithAI Webinar traninng ,Mappilary training and the GODAN-Unique Mappers Webinar “Empowering Women in Agriculture with Open Data Mapping :Implications for Land Rights and SDGS. https://landportal.org/blog-post/2020/05/empowering-women-open-data-mapping-agriculture-implications-land-rights-and-sdgs

However,today ,I am so excited having my mentor and one of the corporate supporter of OSM in Nigeria sign up to OSM to add name a road in his village..We made use of google meet for the training and it was fun!! .Prof.Eze who is the managing Consultant of Transparent Earth Nigeria Ltd,-Corporate partner of Unique Mappers Nigeria sponsored as a community service the #Ogrute Ugwue Eru Mapathon for SDG-2 Food Security Project in Nigeria carried out by Unique Mappers . He also sponsors the Unique mappers best Mappers Annual Prize award.

Meanwhile,Victor Ezugwu(Victor1234)one of the state coordinator of Unique mappers Nigeria and HOT Voting member also closed up today succeeding in starting a new Chapter of Unique Mappers by mobilizing 12 newbies using social media . Surprisingly,with his passion ,Unique Mappers Ibadan has just begun…with the creation of a whatsaap group for the coordination and mentoring of these OSM newbies. Amidst,the #COVID19, locakdown,the youths and veveryone staying at home wants to do something new and get off the boring moments and here comes Unique Mappers Ibadan for newbies of OSM in Oyo state,Nigeria. We look forward to providing virtual community engagement for this new chapter as we map COVID19 in Nigeria

Looking back to 2019,I have the following bits of contributions and moments for my diary record in favour of OpenStreetMap Community and sustainability.

1 . Initiated and hosted series of planing meetings to activate community participation ,growth and expansion of OpenStreetMap Community in Nigeria ,especially,in January 2019.

2 . Contributed and also advocated for HOT Microgrant 2019 donations

3 . Applied for HOT Microgrant 2019 to drive Local community projects in Nigeria but luck was not on our side

4 . Participated in Regional Meetings for OSM Africa Coordination ,especially,when,time permits

5 . In April ,I made sure my local community hosted International Women Day (IWD)2019 to drive gender equality in mapping community and geospatial women empowerment.This also was used to campaign for LetGirlsMap program. For me ,this event has come to stay after succesully hosting it same period in 2018. For 2019 IWD ,the event was tagged :Geospatial Technology the Solution for Women Transformation:Balance for better.

6 . From July to August ,facilitated Mapathon training for Local UniqueMappers Communities at Abia State,Imo State ,Enugu State and Anambra State respectively in Nigeria

7 . Started up UniqueMappers Awka at Nmandi Azikiwe University Awka with the help of Prof.Ifeanyi Enete who mobilzed compus community members comprising of students and staff

8 . Started up UniqueMappers Yola credits to Nnadozie Onyeukwu (State Coordinator) and Saliha who worked very hard to kick-start activities for this local team of UniqueMappers without me travelling to Adamawa state to coordinate.And todate their whatsaap group is quite lively and with active osmites.

9 . Finally succeeded in getting UniqueMappers registered with the Federal Government of Nigeria as the NGO for OpenStreetMap Nigeria Community.This would help to re-position our OSM community efforts for effective project and stake-holders driven community engagement

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I had a successful meeting with Victor Essang and some UniqueMappers OSMNgera Leaders for community expansion of UniqueMappers OSMNIgeria at Uyo-Nigeria

Meeting time :9:30-!0:28pm Nigerian time Meeting ID 755 993 243 Zoom

Highlights: 1.Introduction of attendees 2.Introduction of Victor Essang OSM Effort-Uyo
3.OSM Community Structure 4.UniqueMappers-Uyo 5.Annuual OSMites Diary Record/Reports 6.Mappy Chrismas and UniqueMappers 2020 7.AOB
Convener:Victor N.Sunday UniqueMappers OSMNigeria National Coordinator

Prior to this meeting,we had a chat yesterday during which I did acknowledge his efforts in hosting #OSMGeoweek2019 Mapathon as well as applying for a #HOTMicrogrant2020 .

Our meeting today,Victor Ezeugwu-State Coordinator-UniqueMappers Kogi ,Knigsely Chukwu-LMTEnugu and Onyeukwu Nnadozie-State Coordinator-UniqueMappers-Yola was were in attendance. To drive a well coordinated OSMNigeria Community,we need everyone to work together with selfless effort to sustain and expand OpenStreetMap data and local communities in Nigeria.We have the workplan to mobilize and build local communities in every state and Universities in Nigeria like we now have UniqueMappers-Kogi ,UniqueMappers-Yola and for for Uyo,we have beein limited by time and resources and so would not like to duplicate the effort of Victor Essang ,who already has raised up a team.As such we need to consolidate and support the team as UniqueMappers Uyo. By doing so ,we are going to mobilize more osmites and get them trained to sustain UniqueMappers Uyo both as a local community at Uyo and a student team at University of Uyo. I also informed them to encourage their team members to update their OSM diary with their individual annual report.so we can share our motivations,insights and achievements to the OSM global community. Victor Essang was quite glad and responded with excitement as we welcomed him to UniqueMappersTeam,Nigeria the Community NGO for #OpenStreeTMapNigeria #OSMNigeria

Following our planned schedule to host a forthrightly webinar training session for all the teams I created and OSMNigeria Community,we successfully held our first webinar today. Agenda for the meeting include: 1 . Briefing from OSMNigeria Coordinator (Victor N.SUnday) 2 . OSM Communities-Local and global 3 . HOT Working Groups 4 . OSM Africa 5 , Mapping Tasks 6 . Brief from HOT Community Staff /Board Representative available 7 . Questions and Answer Session 8 . Review of past topics

It was great having participants and team coordinators/leaders of the various teams/local communities in attendance. Thank you so much Trudy Hope for showing up with a short notice via whatsApp message ,your presence and briefing were inspiring !!! Trudy Hope ,being a board Director of HOT was able to share good ideas to boost our growing community..And to my brother from another country Peter Johannes,you are always amazing ,showing up as a senior mentor so close to OSM activities and progress in Nigeria,thank you for coming on board to make our day. And to my OSMNigeria Community assistant ,Chukwuma Okolie, of Unilagmappersteam,you did a very nice and brief review of our previous webinar training.Thank you @Ikenna of AbsuMappersTeam and Saviour of UniqueMappersTeam Network.You all did a nice job!!! Look forward to working with you guys always to impact and grow #UniqueMappersTeam Network and #OSMNigeria.Cheers

Yea,to effectively #mapthedifference2019 from Nigeria local openstreetmap community ,I hosted a planing meeting of team coordinators and leaders of the mappers teams I created and mentor in various Nigerian Universities.These teams are affiliated teams of #uniquemappersteam network,nigeria,#hotosm and #youthmappers..The following were present:

1. Ikenna Arungwa - Team leader-#absumappersteam -Abia State University,Uturu
2. Ezekiel Annointing -Team Leader #unimaidmappersteam-University of Maiduguri,Borno
3. Dr Uluocha Nnabugwu and Mr Chukwuma Okolie-Team Coordinator & Team Leader-#unilagmappersteam-University of Lagos
4. Mrs Mary Marcellineous -Team Coordinator -#oyomappersteam -Federal School of Surveys,Oyo
5. Saviour Owujie and Mercy Bannu,Team Leader and Team Secretary General -#uniquemappersteam Network ,-Port Harcourt
6. Kingsely Chukwu,Vyvian Amara Ugwudinso and Victor Ezeugwu ..Team Ledaers #lionmappersteamenugucampus ,,University of Nigeria Enugu Campus.
7. .Victor N.Sunday -Team Coordinator/mentor #osmnigeria #uniquemappersteam With these passionate osmites we had a 2-hour briefing and deliberations on the way forward as local OSM community in Nigeria.

Our deliberations was as listed below:

1. Kick-starting our national #mapperswanted training webinar series which was agreed that for this year it should be forth nightly(twice in a month)instead of weekly.
2. Conferences and OSM/OSGEO opportunities for the year,including HOT microgrant application,which I encouraged all the university team/community to apply,while #OSMNigeria will also apply for the benefit of all the teams
3. OSM Nigeria Community 2019 programs and projects
4. Individual team/community capacity building via training and expansion of the community and participation in projects and global HOT community webinar.They were also encouraged to feature actively in #osmafrica community activities and planning meetings for the forth coming state of the map Africa in November 2019.

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I am so excited we are getting right from the start as we take off for the year,hosting webinar planing meetings with the team leaders of our local community teams in various universities in Nigeria. Starting with contacts with the team leaders of UniqueMappersTeam,then AbsuMappersTeam and today ,a successful webinar deliberation with the team leaders of LionMappersTeam-Enugu Campus;Kingsely,Vyvian and Victor Ezeugwu.The meeting gave direction to the new year’s activities and proposals. Following this,webinar training will commence to strengthen the capacity of each team. As the Coordinator of these teams,I look forward that each of them will certainly do exploit in OSM community this year!!!

A review of my OSM activities for 2018 is noteworthy and sharing .And sincerely,I wish to appreciate all community members who worked with me,assisted me and contributed to these listed moments and milestones of 2018.

1 ..In January,we started with a GIS/Remote Sensing Seminar…Creating awareness of OSM data application.Thanks to Team leaders @uniquemappersteam

2 .March,I successfully hosted the International Women’s Day tagged Geospatial Technology:The Solution for Women Transformation featuring Reasons for International Women’s Day,OSM;the voice for Vulnerable Women,Mapathon Party for Vulnerable Women

3 .In March,I co-founded UnMaidMappersTeam-University of Maiduguri,Borno State with Mamman Ali ,a student of Geography Department ,who visited University of Port Harcourt for one-one training with me and my team leaders.Subsequent training and mentoring continued via webinar and whatsApp chat group for the team that accommodate more than 50 members

4 .I created #AbsuMappersTeam-Abia State University -co-founding with Professor J.U.Ogbonna,the Team Coordinator and Faculty Advisor mentoring via whatsapp chat group,visitation and webinar training

5 . Also in April, we had the emergence of #ImsuMappersTeam-Imo State University,Nigeria in April,with Mr.Lazarus of Geography and Environmental Studies as the Team Coordinator.I mentor via webinar training and whatsapp chat group\

6 . Also a platform was created to establish #FutoMappersTeam and this effort is in progress

7 . In April,I became a HOT-Micrograntee for Nigeria and had the funding support for the purchase of devices (Smartphoines,Laptops and other equipment as well as internet data subscription for community mapping efforts @Uniquemappersteam.

I was also nominated and elected into HOT Voting Membership

8 . in June ,we had our 1st Anniversary mapathon,OSMfight that scaled up edits of uniquemappersteam from 4000 to more than 15,000

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Thanks to Ambrose,Dubem,Precious and Ify for you amazing contributions to FGM Mapathon last weekend.Thank you UniquemappersTeam see leader board http://www.missingmaps.org/leaderboards/#/map2endfgm

I wonder why I spent so much time in and out on US Visa application when I can invest such time helping out my brothers in Philippines being ravaged by disastrous Typhon!!! Just occurred to me I can leave the Visa system for a while to cool off while I contribute to task #5236.And it was a great idea coz I just mapped a number of buildings.Let’s keep mapping using every slight opportunity on net!!!!#uniquemappersteam Now I can check back on the US visa application system to continue!!!

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After series of failed appointment in the past 5 weeks,we at last succeeded with our corporate target outreach to Nigerian Red Cross,Rivers State branch,Port Harcourt. With a team of 7 leaders of UniqueMappersTeam,we had almost a 3-hour deliberation involving knowledge sharing,Video presentations and local partnership MOU initiation. While planing on how to effectively reach out these guys with our mission of geographic data and disaster response,I thought,about the best ways to get at them,and on point ,were the following videos: 1)Mapthedifference 2018 2)Mapping for Good-Red cross 3)The map that saves Just barely,before,we could run through the videos,they were eager to ask for explanations. Thanks to our #Microgrant ,2018 devices,coz,we did not want to take chances,so we had to go with our newly purchased projector and Sound PA system.It was quite an interesting meeting as we seized the opportunity to share with the organization about our current microgrant project of mapping flood vulnerable communities and oil spill in Rivers State. On the other hand it was an opportunity to also share from the Nigerian Red Cross Rivers State,about their activities Thanks to #Chukwudubem Nzewi and Saviour Owuji for carrying out the task,I gave to them,to prepare slide presentations on: ##Critical Geospatial Data for Humanitarian Response and ##UnquemappersTeam Activities Thanks to Godslove Ishola,Blessing Oshoma,Edward Ojodomo,Emmanuella and Honesty,you guys were wonderful,without,you there will be no team and local community leadership.

lets keep the team with a unique action !!!

I added buildings to the mapping task for colombia flood disaster:#108 - Bajo Cauca - Emergencia HidroItuango

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As a positive result from the GIS/Remote Sensing Semina,Miss Salome,M.Sc Student,Animal and Environmental Management Biology,went back to her department and informed others about UniqueMappersTeam of Africa!!!!! And there comes immediately,Sylvia Ezinne Egbom,a Phd Student,Deaprtment of Animal and Environemtal Biology,University of Port Harcourt,who is working on:Mapping of Malaria Parasitaemia/case events to join UniqueMappersTeam as a members ,being excited and ready to learn and start mapping. I had to add her to our whatsapp chat:LetGirlsMap for ladies’ mappers and then Let’s Map our World Chat group-our general chat group.Sylvia introduced herself and was welcomed by many of the ladies and female students in the LetGirlsMap chat group. It was not long when, Rebecca Firth,OSM-Working group and HOT Community Partnership Relations Mananger,came on board to create excitement in the chat group as she welcomed the new female Phd researcher,and started giving her links to facilitate her research on Malaria mapping!!!! starting with the team in Colombia doing malaria mapping:http://blog.openstreetmap.co/2016/o7/13/mapathon-guap and lots more!!! You can imagine the excitement as students of Animal and Environmental Bilogy thumbed up in the chat group with this power of global networking and connectivity provided by OSM community and UniqueMappers of Africa,University of Port Harcourt. Thank you so much Rebecca Firth for being there for us in the chat group:LetGirlsMap ,You are doing a great job!!!!Keep the good work!!!!

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Its so exciting to see the progress of my research about VGI and Crowdsourced mapping becoming a passion-driven campaign for humanitarian mappers among the University Youths in Nigeria. When,It become obvious last year,2017,that I am going to rely on the openstreetmap platform for my crowdsourced mapping research ,the next issue was ,how to raise the crowd and engage them to mapping.My research linked me up to the OSM community in Africa ,where, I met a good friend Geoffery Kateregga ,who was organizing the State of The Map African Conference in Uganda last year,2017. I was introduced to OSM Africa working group and though I was unable to secure travel fund to Uganda for SOTM-Africa,i got on with the community meeting and online discussion with the help of Mr.Geoffery Kateregga.I also got in contact with Nathelia of Mali and Madam Janet Chapman of Crowd2Map Tanzania,all on whatsapp chat,communicating and receiving motivations for work. I was able to create .mentor and coordinate to full establishment ,the UniqueMappersTeam-University of Port Harcourt,Nigeria,as a YouthMappers Chapter between June and December,2017 Our first Mapathon in July had an attendance of more than 100 students and staff ,signing up for OSM account to join us as a humanitarian mapper.

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The month of June,2017,became a busy month for me with the planning and prepartion to launch a new chapter of youthmappers in Nigeria,the UniqueMappersTeam(UMT)Port harcourt,Nigeria domicilled in University of Port harcourt,where,I work as a Principal GIS-Cartographer in the department of Geography and Environmental Management. I started with raising a team of students I intend mentoring in my field of geoinformatics,assisting to secure internship for their 6 months industrial training and spending the first and second week of june to give them leadership training to work as a team,getting them sign-up for OSM and teaching them to map with OSM and then using peer-learning to get them prepare their own training manuals. On 12th June,2017,I created a whatsapp chat group where I made some of them administrator and we were able to have 40 members who join the chat group by the same week ending 17th June.These chat group members were made up of undergraduate students,post graduate students, and some departmental staff to observe the on going development.I linked up a survey form to campaign for volunteers and amazing was the response. We proceeded to upload our training manuals on how to use OSM to map,linked them to www.learnosm.org and guide them through the essence of the chat group.We uploaded our leaders training session pictures to motivate them and then prepared them for our upcoming mapathon and inaugural the following week.