My experience in the 2025 Validator Fellowship for Eastern and Southern Africa began on November 3rd, 2025, and concluded on January 7th, 2026, with all sessions held remotely. The fellowship consisted of 12 countries across Eastern and Southern Africa with 42 fellows. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/introducing-2025-esa-validator-fellowship-z0nifutm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android&utm_campaign=share_via The program kicked off with an introduction to the Java OpenStreetMap Editor (JOSM), which was followed by an in-depth examination of its advanced features. This phase was particularly enlightening, as I discovered various validation tools that could significantly enhance the validation process. Before we could dive in the fellowship one had to complete a learning lesson. https://learning.hotosm.org/course/josm-skills-series

1. Introduction JOSM

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1YjRJpVQZ9BnY7xmHOswq1DDvJq5b3Id2YsEs81QWVt0/edit?usp=sharing

-JOSM training i.e mapping and validation using JOSM; task #19146, #34096

Reflecting on my earlier encounters with validation, I remember a time when my approach was rather simplistic; I would merely activate the validation tool, rectify minor errors, and quickly mark tasks as validated. My lack of confidence or hesitance to trust the accuracy of my work often deterred me from pursuing further validation, leaving me unaware of the more effective techniques that were at my disposal.

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In 2020, I was presented with an opportunity to participate in the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team’s Data Quality Internship, https://www.hotosm.org/jobs/data-quality-internship/,a twelve-week program designed to facilitate deep engagement within the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team and its community while acquiring transferable geospatial skills.

Commencing on August 3rd, I undertook a three-month internship that concentrated on Geospatial Data Quality within the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team. The primary objective of this internship was to prepare interns to evaluate data quality, execute mapping and validation tasks, and provide constructive feedback to mappers engaged in HOT’s remote mapping initiatives, which included various activations. This experience necessitated the acquisition and application of both novel and established OpenStreetMap Quality Assurance tools to enhance the quality of data within the OpenStreetMap framework.

-Data Quality Assurance with QGIS

1. Downloading OpenStreetMap data into QGIS

https://youtu.be/Mvh5l0PiOiE

1. Editing OpenStreetMap data in QGIS

2. Using Map Composer

-Mapping and validation on Tasks e.g #8294 and #9194

-Introduction to Overpass Turbo and Umap: filter OSM data, extract/export data

-Improving data quality with Overpass and creating simple webmaps using Umap

• The graphic interface and tools for creating a basic map layout through the manipulation of vector data

-Quality Assurance Tools such as OSMCha, OSM Inspector, Keep Right and Osmose

-The use of Map Roulette and Map Paint Styles

• JOSM training i.e mapping and validation using JOSM, task #9055