I really wanted to participate in the State of the Map 2024 in Kenya to broaden my horizons, understand what is happening under other skies and exchange with members of other communities to draw from their experience: How they are organized and how they stay dynamic. My illusions found a dazzling light, from the moment the scholarship team accepted my application. I was so happy like my wedding day. 😃

The 3 days were each particularly better, the different subjects selected were breathtaking

With many people we knew each other by face only through video conferences. I had the privilege of meeting exceptional people full of good qualities. The smiles, the mutual respect, the solidarity, the brotherly love, the sincerity, the courtesy among the participants was exceptional. I really appreciated the social cohesion of the Community it is the result of community engagement which has already fostered this feeling of belonging and solidarity. Fortunately, this community engagement has already created a solid social fabric, strengthened interpersonal relationships and promoted collective well-being. Well done to anyone who worked on online community engagement.

During and after these 3 days of joy and discovery.

The second day, I had the privilege of serving as a volunteer to take care of the Micro-player in the room MAASAI MARA. I also found the opportunity to develop skills, self-confidence and leadership through volunteering.

When the Big manger, the community Project Lead Geoffrey Kateregga did a briefing with all the volunteers to reassure themselves of the same understanding of the principles so that everything goes well in the different conference rooms. At the end of this briefing, I realized that the success of a major conference requires the involvement of everyone. I encourage volunteering on days like this, because it allows you to feel effective by making yourself useful while developing self-esteem.

Many thanks Zachariah Muindi And Laura Mugeha fo having thought to this: A Replicable Model for OpenStreetMap Training Programs in High Schools This approach is power for a sustainable community.

Séverin Ménard and Michael Montani, thank you also for this workshop on data validation: Hands-on data validation on OSM: best practices and tools. Personally I used OSMOSE for quality control and for online validation workshops, I was reinforced in technique and skills by your presentation.

The particular situation of the DRC required a lot of effort, Thank you Claire Halleux for developing this theme: Improving data homogeneity across a country, in the context of the DRC. I think this model is ok, it can work in the DRC, this approach here: A Replicable Model for OpenStreetMap Training Programs in High Schools.

The open questions session OSMF Board AMA, allowed understanding of the close collaboration between the OSM foundation and the board of directors. I followed with great attention the question about the local chapters of the OSM foundation. If I understood correctly, for a local community to be a local chapter, there is conditions to be met

Another session I was looking forward to attending on HOTOSM Voting Member Meet up. In this meeting, the President of the Voting Member spoke about VM’s involvement in HOTOSM activities and recalled the role of VM. We had the joy of meeting physically to discuss HOTOSM Living Strategy. To this I say a big thank you to all the VMs who participated in the session, in the debate, the location question was the hot point.

Somewhere I heard this term The stylish HOT Voting Members Chair apply to me, I don’t know how this came about, but hey, it doesn’t break the tiles.🤩

I say thank you to the organizing team of this global event in Africa and to all the partners, as well as everyone who, directly or indirectly, made the success of this conference possible.

Well, if it were up to me, I’d like to be regular at State of the Map.