PROJECTS

The OpenStreetMap Community was selected to be beneficiaries for the 2020 Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team Micro grant The project is to sustainably revive and expand the community in order to make it capable of executing sustainable development projects. The goals of this project include the procurement of computers, internet gadgets, training of existing and new youth mappers and secure an MOU for a permanent space to conduct Mapathons  

This initiative uses street-level imagery and local mapping efforts to document road networks and utility poles across rural Sierra Leone. By providing data on settlement patterns, the project accelerates the design of renewable mini-grids for communities currently lacking reliable power. This electrification specifically empowers women and girls by reducing domestic labor burdens and supporting healthcare and entrepreneurial growth. The methodology serves as a scalable model for meeting United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and expanding energy access across the continent. 

In order to keep our community active while collaborating with institutions that make use of openstreetmap data, we implemented the Mwalai micro grant. This enabled us to collaborate and form partnership with humanitarian organizations and government institutions in Sierra Leone. 

In order to keep our community active while collaborating with institutions that make use of openstreetmap data, we implemented the Mwalai micro grant. This enabled us to collaborate and form partnership with humanitarian organizations and government institutions in Sierra Leone. 

Freetown is leveraging high-resolution drone mapping and 3D modeling to address critical urban challenges, including poor waste management, weak regulation enforcement, and unclear community boundaries. This data-driven approach aims to improve municipal governance and service delivery by providing precise geographic insights for infrastructure planning and zoning across the city’s 83 km². Led by the Freetown City Council with support from international and local partners, the project emphasizes inclusivity by assessing pathway accessibility for people with disabilities  

The Waterloo Drone Mapping Initiative establishes a self-sustaining network of local experts to produce high-resolution aerial data for national security and disaster management in Sierra Leone. By training personnel from the police and air force, the project ensures long-term technical autonomy and inter-agency collaboration without relying on direct international field assistance. These sophisticated geospatial efforts provide precise insights that directly support urban development and enhance community safety across the Western Area.  

The Freetown City Regeneration Project utilized high-resolution drone imagery and open-source technology to create a comprehensive geospatial database of the city's Central Business District. A team of 25 trained mappers documented thousands of buildings, commercial entities, and infrastructure networks to bridge critical data gaps in urban planning and revenue generation. These outcomes are now being integrated into municipal services to optimize waste management, disaster response, and property taxation across the city.