As a maturing local guide and hardly 4 years since I joined the local guides program, I have come to appreciate my contribution to my community in the simplest of ways by sparing time and moments in between just to make things a little bit easier for strangers who like myself also rely on Google Maps.
This has been in the form of verifying facts and information about places I know or have been to before to prevent certain frustration for those that may end up finding things on ground contradicting the information available on Google Maps. It has also been in the form of sharing informative photos of my personal experiences based on the actual evidence about the different locations I visit. Case in point the image below about a gas/fuel refilling station’s operating hours, key contact & payment information. This was taken during my family’s Christmas vacation in the city of Naivasha, a popular tourist destination in Kenya, where I figured many local and foreign tourists would be on vacation in future and maybe wondering where they could refuel at a reputable filling station with a variety of payment options as well as a convenience store and a cafeteria. (By the way, it feels great to see my photos form part of the available photos for this entity and many others).
For me, the very fact that my contributions to the program end up helping people I may or may not personally know in making an informed decision about a commute or a decision about a specific business entity makes it a worthwhile venture for my spare time. Case in point my very 1st batch of photo uploads I made and the email from Google Maps on the impact the photo had made within a short time was and is always satisfying to see.
The most reassuring thing as well about the Local Guides program is the fact that your association is with a reputable brand i.e. Google. The would-be strangers looking out for vital information would end up getting linked to my contributions through the community on the basis of the trust that Google as an organization has globally! To me, that is a worthy association and for which I am forever grateful and privileged to be part of!