Open Mapping Guru - Empowering Local Mappers Across Asia Pacific

The Open Mapping Hub - Asia Pacific (AP Hub), in collaboration with the local OpenStreetMap (OSM) communities, co-created the Open Mapping Guru (OM Guru) project to catalyze a regional network of dedicated and experienced OSM contributors, champions, and mappers. This growing network of experts—also known as “Gurus”—are key players in driving a more localized, regional community building.

A Need for More Local Representation

The Asia-Pacific region, shaped by its vast geographical scope and rich cultural diversity, presents a uniquely complex open mapping landscape. These dynamics offer great opportunities, but also pose real challenges in implementing regional projects such as:

Lack of active OSM communities and skilled mappers in some regions
Insufficient collaboration among mappers
Lack of leadership development and local representation
Low engagement and disinterest due to limited time availability, lack of local support, and poor internet access

Despite these challenges, learning has been and will continuously play an integral role in the growth of the global open mapping movement. Localizing training sessions and materials, along with improving access to local trainers, can significantly scale up local participation.

To support this, Gurus will work with local OSM communities to build their capacity to meet the growing demand for training. Additionally, the OM Guru project will motivate and strengthen interest among OSM contributors, encouraging continuous involvement, community building, and the development of sustainable open mapping ecosystems across Asia Pacific.

Who are Gurus?

Gurus at State of the Map Asia 2024 in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh | Photo: Mikko Tamura / Open Mapping Hub - Asia Pacific

Gurus are experienced and motivated OSM mappers that have been trained and engaged to lead on (1) training, (2) production of learning materials, and (3) support open mapping activities across the region. They play a multifaceted role in catalyzing the growth of the open mapping movement in Asia Pacific.

Each guru contributes based on their unique interests and expertise. Gurus are responsible for the following:

Training – Lead training and organize mapathons for beginners on different free and open-source tools and data.
Mapping and validation – Support in the mapping and data validation in areas at-risk of climate change and disasters.
Develop learning materials and maintain a repository of available resources for the community.
Serve as mentors within a network of fellow gurus.
Serve as local community representatives on behalf of AP Hub and the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team.

How the Program Works

In summary, the system works like a classified ads board where requestors post needs and available Gurus can respond, based on their skills, interests, and availability.

In addition to work and project opportunities, Gurus are among the first to receive email alerts about scholarships, sponsorships, global and regional events, training, and activation.

Since its launch in 2023, OM Guru has led and supported a number of impactful campaigns across Asia Pacific. Key highlights include:

1) Guru Fellowship (2024)

In this 5-month fellowship, 50 Gurus were engaged through three focused tracks: training, mapping, and validation. Fellows applied their skills to real-world challenges by leading activities that directly benefited their local communities, ranging from disaster preparedness to inclusive mapping.

In-person training sessions led by Guru Pawan (India) and Guru Ponsy (Timor-Leste) from the training track

Guru Julmira (Timor-Leste), part of the mapping track, shared her thoughts and inspiring journey through the Guru Fellowship program. | Video: Julmira de Almeida

2) Climate Change Challenge (2024)

A one-month mapping campaign that brought together over 200 mappers across the region to address climate-related data gaps using open mapping tools. Participants mapped buildings, roads, amenities, rivers, and other critical features while also utilizing and analyzing map data to inform climate action and advocacy.

Outcome and Impact

Collaboration and Data Use

Gurus successfully drove impactful data use through engagement and collaboration with the following organizations:

SEBAC-Nepal’s Forecast-based Anticipatory Action Project: provided map data on 10 municipalities, enhancing the Nepal Government’s disaster readiness initiatives.
Tomtom: improved their navigation products and services for drivers and mappers across India, Indonesia, Philippines, and Vietnam.
Telangana Government Unit (India): increased map data for their geospatial platform, allowing patients and their families to become better informed on where to access healthcare and childcare centers.
NGOs and Governments in Afghanistan, Papua New Guinea, Myanmar, and Philippines: provided access to disaster activation base maps to inform their disaster response.

Additionally, Gurus responded to requests from supporting field mapping initiatives, conducting training sessions, to helping scale local data collection efforts for various NGOs and civil society groups like Hasiru Aqua, World Vision Sri Lanka, World Vision Timor-Leste, and St. Anns Women University.

Local Champions as Drivers for Sustainable Open Mapping Ecosystems

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In-person training session with university students led by Guru Sushma (Nepal)

OM Guru has demonstrated that peer-led mentorship and local ownership are key to sustaining engagement in open mapping communities. When Gurus are empowered to train and lead others, they create ripple effects of knowledge-sharing grounded in trust and cultural relevance.

Beyond technical skills, the program highlighted the importance of soft skills like facilitation, storytelling, and project planning. Most importantly, when Gurus see themselves as part of a shared mission, they stay committed.

Other key learnings:

Tailoring activities to local contexts made learning more meaningful.
Recognition—whether through features, awards, or leadership roles—deepens the Gurus’ sense of pride and belonging.
Grants, even in small scale, enabled Gurus to launch impactful community projects.
Flexible yet structured programming allowed Gurus to innovate while staying on track.
Cross-country interactions between Gurus helped build a strong regional identity.
Continuous feedback loops helped refine the program, ensuring it remained community-led and relevant.

As Gurus build up their experience in facilitating open mapping initiatives and confidence as local OSM champions, the Asia-Pacific region will increasingly see an exponential growth of open mapping initiatives in the coming years.

Open Mapping Guru welcome webinar (November 2024). Attended by over 90 Gurus, the webinar welcomed new members to the Open Mapping Guru network, with seasoned Gurus sharing their experiences in the program so far. | Photo: Bernard Heng / Open Mapping Hub - Asia Pacific

What’s Next

The next phase of OM Guru will focus on expanding learning opportunities through the development of online learning modules on LearnWorlds. These modules will offer asynchronous, self-paced training designed to strengthen both technical mapping skills and soft skills such as community engagement, project management, and storytelling.

By providing flexible, accessible content, we aim to reach a wider network of Gurus and emerging mappers, enabling continuous learning regardless of time zone, connectivity, or schedule.

In parallel, the program will launch a Climate Action and Disaster Ready Fellowship, designed to activate Gurus at the intersection of open mapping, community resilience, and climate justice. Through this program, Gurus will work in teams to lead collaborative projects that address local climate and disaster challenges.

Stay tuned for more upcoming news and the latest updates through our social media!

Mapping our world together