Leaving my country, Nigeria, to attend the 2024 SOTM conference at the University of Nairobi, Kenya was a thrilling and enlightening experience for me. The whole event immersed me in the dynamic world of open mapping. The conference brought together various groups of professionals in the field of open mapping and it was great to finally see them in person. Most importantly, I was able to reconnect with YouthMappers Regional Ambassadors, fellow YouthMappers from Africa, Asia, America and wonderful OSM contributors from the globe.

It was an ideal opportunity for me to participate in insightful discussions and interactive workshops, all focused on utilizing OSM for advanced evaluations and humanitarian initiatives. Networking with fellow mappers allowed me to exchange ideas that deepened my understanding of the innovative technologies being employed to improve mapping efforts across the world. I participated in talk sessions that highlighted how empowering local communities to contribute their knowledge can significantly improve the accuracy and relevance of mapping data, ultimately leading to more effective solutions for regional challenges. I was particularly interested in these talks highlighted below:

Openrouteservice version 8- Experiences and insights from 10+ years of running and providing a global OSM driven, free and open-source routing engine by Julian Psotta , Sustainable Transport on the Map by Taylor Reich, Generating Ways with the Strava Heatmap by Derick Yang, Cloud-native OSM for Visualization & Analysis by Wille Marcel

I was delighted to volunteer as a session host for the Amboseli room where I facilitated workshops like;

• Mapping with every door by Ilja Zverev
• Hands-on data validation on OSM: Best practices and tools by Michael

On the final day, I gave a lightning talk on CampusGuide, a tool aimed at improving campus navigation using updated maps on OSM. Exploring the city was an exciting moment for me and also attending social events was a great way to connect with other mappers, share experiences, and build lasting friendships within the global OpenStreetMap community.

As I prepared to leave Kenya for Nigeria, I was overwhelmed by a flood of emotions because I knew I was going to miss the city, experiences and friends I have made during my stay. Though my stay was brief, the impact the whole event had on me is lasting and unforgettable. All thanks to HUMANITARIAN OPENSTREETMAP TEAM (HOT) for making my participation a reality through the OPEN SUMMIT TRAVEL SUPPORT GRANT. I really look forward to the next annual conference which is going to take place in the Philippines.