There are many projects that never advance due to lack of support. Which ones can be supported and how?

The Project Factory is a virtual space and method of interaction where various actors and audiences with a territorial problem to solve, will be able to form and mature an idea, have the opportunity to connect it with similar interests and with resources -material and immaterial- of other groups when appropriate, and training in the use of mapping and geospatial data to help develop a solution to their problem. This training and accompaniment “space” will allow the participants to build their project under the guidance of the factory.

The space is also designed as a laboratory for experimentation in the construction of general didactic methodological approaches, allowing participants to continuously test and adapt, and also contribute to the method, both in the design of their project and in the design of models of consolidation, sustainability, and accompaniment, which will be replicated in the factory.

Take a look at our current projects

Using OSM in ICT Classes in Secondary Schools

Cusco, Peru

Local teachers struggle to meet students’ expectations of ICT being useful and productive. This project wants to overcome difficulties of lack of motivation, unproductive hours of ICT in schools and improve relevance and participation by promoting OSM and tools that allow the production of maps on topics of interest to young people.

The school authorities of the 3 different schools have been involved in this process for several months and represent a wide range of students (GAL School is a private school, Sagrado Corazón is a national Catholic school in the city of Cusco, and Señor de Huanca is a rural national school).

Teachers will learn skills to be able to teach modern and productive OSM and ICT tools that are relevant and interesting for these groups of schoolchildren. As a product there will be the Guides for students and teachers on how to insert OSM and open mapping applications in the ICT curriculum and lessons.

Mapping of water facilities for human consumption

San Salvador, Calca, Cusco, Peru

Drinking water is a scarce commodity in the high Andean communities. This mapping - originally promoted by the Ministry of Health - is a solution to the difficulties that local authorities have with the quality of data on water, its monitoring, the slowness and inefficiency of the process and the information, which is only available for a few people in excel sheets. The objective is to overcome these difficulties and improve aspects related to data on water for human consumption.

This pilot serves as the first experience in the use of open mapping to help with the monitoring of social projects carried out by local, regional and national authorities with similar problems.

One product of the project will be an open offline data kit or GIS, providing geographic mapping, data storage, GPS verification and the ability to edit/review the data and transfer it to spreadsheets.

Talking Maps

Cusco, Peru

The current Talking Maps as used in rural communities in Peru are geographical estimates and therefore lack precision. Digitizing them, updating the information they contain, and using texts that provide specific information to each community, would make the map live, dynamic and shareable.

The regional authorities of the Ministry of Health have been involved in this process for more than two years and we are eager to work together to scale the use of OSM in talking maps and provide a quality leap into the 21st century.

The Ideas Factory wants to use this experience in using open mapping to improve the quality and broaden the range of talking maps. Collaborative work with rural communities with technical support from HOT will expand the use of talking maps.

Artisans Map

Patabamba, Cusco, Peru

Cusco’s handicraft have centuries of tradition and presence in Peruvian culture, with roots from both the Inca and the Spanish, and are manifested in various arts such as ceramics, textiles and others.

The native community of Patabamba, in the district of Coya, province of Calca, has a long tradition of artisans, mainly dedicated to textiles. Thanks to the initiative of the craftsman Benicio Champi, a native of the region, mapping sessions were held that culminated in this Map of Artisans of Patabamba.

This map, made in a community mode, is an example of how open mapping can help spread the work they do. It also serves as an experience for other artisan associations, and also makes us think of open mapping as a very useful tool for experiential tourism, promoting its different agricultural, cultural, communal activities, etc. and contributing to the improvement of the family economy.

Do you want us to support your project? Contact us! Write to hublatam@hotosm.org with the subject: Project Factory.