In this blog post, we talk about a training session at We Can Women, aiming to empower women by enabling them to map their places of interest and neighborhoods. You might ask, "Why them?" Who better understands a place than those who have grown up or lived there, intimately familiar with every street, symbol and landmark? How did it begin? At the start of the exercise, a mobile phone showed a simple map. As expected, the first responses were lukewarm. But in just two minutes, the magic started to happen. When the background layer was changed to a satellite picture, the group dynamics transformed. In a matter of minutes, the women started identifying their own homes, the local mall, the university, the churches they go to and much more. Not long after that, we moved on to using a laptop to find places and areas, learning more about the technical side of things. Although it was not planned, the most important part of this step was teaching the participants how to use their new skills in real life, especially in navigation. Later, we showed them the OSMTracker mobile app, which lets them keep track of the boundaries of their own neighbourhoods. It was rewarding to see how excited and enthusiastic they were as they took on these practical uses.
The learning curve demonstrated by these women within a short span of time was exceptional. The most significant achievement was their ability to transition from having little knowledge of satellite imagery to confidently identifying places with precision. The main goal of the training was to give women technical skills, but the real value was in how they interpreted the knowledge they were given. Through these exercises, we realize that such experiences can shift our perspectives and reveal new ideas into what is truly important. Moreover, it became evident that engaging with the local community, especially women, can yield the most fruitful outcomes in any study. By empowering women through technical skills, we open doors to new possibilities and enrich our collective understanding. The interdisciplinary nature of this project, combined with the invaluable local knowledge contributed by the participants, created a dynamic environment for information enhancement. Ultimately, this training session served as a testament to the importance of inclusivity, engagement, and, of course, having fun along the way.
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