The state of the map conference is an annual meeting that gathers different GIS experts and those who hold an interest in the science from all over the world especially Africa. It aims to bring together different personnel with experiences in vast GIS uses, this meeting provides a hub that connects different people through the sharing of ideas, knowledge and expertise in the mapping field. The conference had a lot of interesting activities, but what mostly captivated my interest was one presentation which involved the use of imagery for mapping garbage in our environment. As waste management is becoming a challenge in most cities and towns around the world, I regarded this as a technology which would greatly contribute to garbage management in cities as locating them would be much easier. In addition, on the opening day there were a number of opening remarks related to GIS data and its management, as well as the conference as a whole. There was a talk on internet challenges being faced in Africa as one of the reasons we lack behind in contributing and connecting in this global world. This presentation was of great interest as I was excited that the problems that are really affecting Africans in contributing to the OSM community has been vindicated and brought to the lime light. I believe this will increase the focus on improving the problem as well as increasing the number of partners which would generally lead to the improvement of internet services in the region in terms of costs and access. In course of the conference, there were mapping exercises for both beginners and experts, the dis aggregation I believe was relevant because it creates an environment for learning especial for the beginners as they are at the same level with their colleagues so they are not intimidated by the level of skill. A lot was added to skills I already possess and I believe the mapping was also a contribution to the OSM community. Overall, the conference was a success with regard to the fact that relevant issues were talked about and some of us which I believe I can say “most of us” have gained new skills and knowledge on how GIS can contribute in solving different problems that exist in our world today.