What’s your favorite Local Guides initiative from the past 5 years?

We have always marveled at the Local Guides’ spirit and greatest superpower—passion. You want to make the world a better place, on and off Google Maps. You are there for your communities and local businesses, there for the environment and the people with disabilities. And the best part is, you challenge others to be better Local Guides and better people right here on Connect!

It’s Connect’s 5th birthday, and we want to look back on all the amazing campaigns and initiatives that you’ve done. Tell us: what’s your favorite Local Guides initiative that you created or supported in the past five years?

You might have started a monthly writing challenge on Connect or a meet-up initiative to make Google Maps a more inclusive place. Or, you might have joined an international cleaning campaign—both in nature and on Google Maps. We’d love to hear about it!

Let’s celebrate Connect’s birthday with your fantastic ideas and actions!

162 Likes

I’m Contributing on Google maps since the year 2015 and now is a passion to me. I love to contribute and help others @TsekoV

8 Likes

Hello @TsekoV

I haven’t created or initiated anything special or spectacular as a local guide but I love adding places and editing.

Happy 5th anniversary and thanks for your efforts as a team to keep connect running smoothly and the maps functioning well for all users

Cheers :beers:

9 Likes

I haven’t created any initiative too but I love supporting local businesses @TsekoV . I added many local businesses on the map as missing places.

9 Likes

Thanks a lot for giving us an opportunity to share in there for our last five-year activities. I love to arrange different types of programs on this platform. Will I share some type of my favorite initiatives .

1. International cross country meetup

2. Hands-on technical training in the computer lab.

3. History, local festival, and culture-based meetup

4. Charity program

5. Accessibility and Public Toilet awareness program

6. Mega meetup.

7 . Social awareness program

8. Promote a small business ( Urban & city )

9. Renewable energy

10. Mapathon

In details

1. International cross country meetup

2017 From Bangladesh I Take the initiative to arrange a cross country meetup give the name " South Asian Meet up". There join from Srilanka, Nepal, and Indian Local guides friend.

2017-2019 we continue that but Covid-19 situation we can’t continue that

  1. Hands-on technical training in the computer lab

2016-18 we arrange lots of computer lab-based meetups for IT students and others. Help to them how to add maps location , add maps in web and use maps API

  1. History, local festival, and culture-based meetup

Bangladesh Local guides banner we arrange Food crawl, Visit historical Places, share our culture as like Bengali new year celebration, international mother language day celebration and many more with maps editing

  1. [Recap] Update Historical Landmark and small businesses Information
  2. South Asian New Year Celebration Virtual Meetup 2020
  3. Tasted Thirty Seven Fruits in a Single Day [Recap]
  4. [Recap] A Memorable Afternoon at Book Fair.
  5. Recap) Durga Puja Photo Walk @Narayanganj

4. Charity program

As human beings we have some responsibility to that arrange some programming helping to the Underprivileged. so arrange free medical health camp, Inspiring Ramadan name food distribution program, also gift street child school there necessary stationery products

  1. Recap: Inspiring Ramadan’21 - BDLG community Annual charity Program
  2. Recap: Google Local Guides Volunteer Day Free Medical Camp - Bangladesh

Collect Blood for Blood Group Checking

  1. Accessibility and Public Toilet awareness program

Before 2019 we arrange a few programs focus on Public toilet map editing and Accessibility sticker set up,

  1. Recap: Let’s Make Roads Easy For Everyone - Dhanmondi Accessibility Camping Meetup -2018
  2. Dhaka City Public Toilet Map Up -2017

  1. Mega meetup was more than 100 people together for more promote this program.

7 . Social awareness program ( clean your tourism, Tree plantation)

  1. Promote a small business ( Urban & city )

In this world country to country different, their business policy so focuses on Bangladeshi small business try to help them directly. urban and city small businesses also try to help them in out meetup anything need but from a small business

  1. Women-led small Business: The story of an invincible entrepreneur
  2. A meetup for support Local Businesses in Bangladesh [Offline Meetup ]

Entrepreneur Israt Jahan shows us her product and explains its quality and why Jute eco friendly

9. Renewable energy

Last year take the initiative about green energy or renewable energy but this year lockdown can’t arrange any offline meetup. hope soon arrange again this topic meetup.

  1. Recap Carbon-Free Energy Source Mapping Meetup [ Virtual ]
  2. Recap: Green factory visit meetup

10**. Mapathon** ( Mapping contest for make spam-free Bangladesh, Help to govt ministry solve road problem )

  1. Recap : Bangladesh Local Guides Mapathon 2021 [ Virtual ]
  2. Road Mapper Do/Don’t [ Virtual Meetup ]
  3. Lets Develop Road code - LGED ministry
21 Likes

Hi @TsekoV

Thanks for you wonderful post and queries to us! :heart_eyes:

Happy 5th birthday to Local Guides Connect!! :blue_heart: :tada: :firecracker: :sparkler: :birthday:

I am travelling with Local Guide journey about last Six years long! I am so passionate to contribute at Google Maps regularly, I have added many places, reviews many important places, shops and restaurants in native as well as many countries too!

Many of my photos are featured in the Google Maps, my reviews got likes many people :grinning: , also I have answered so many Questions! Now I become a Proud Local Guide level 10.

I am so happy to serve the people, world!!:star_struck:

In the Connect forum also now am so active, and learned a lot of from here.

Have a great day!! :sunflower:

6 Likes

Hi @TsekoV

Thank you for opportunity your are giving us to share our favorite Local guides initiative.

As local guide, my favorite activity is organizing meetup.

The best over all that I ever organize was The Geo-Walk Supported Meetup

I realy appreciate this opportunity to share my knowledge with mor than 20 Local Guides from my country.

3 Likes

Amazing @TsekoV

My favorite initiative is supporting small business it’s been great to see everyone coming forward since last year to share their support as well

Apart from that I also loved spam free initiative and maps clean up

They both are important as having correct information on maps is important.

Accessibility initiatives have helped to learn and understand more about special needs of people.

5 Likes

Hi @TsekoV Thanks you very much for this opportunity by this i can share my favorite initiatives in indian local guides community.
1.The Unity Walk - Across Nation Mission - 105 Meetups
2.India’s 1st Virtual Meetup - Lets Make India United
3**.Make India Green Tree Planting (Supported Meetup)**
4.Asia One
5.The Great Indian Heritage Walk (I,II,III)
6.Women Empowerment of Delhi

Some Details About These Meetups and Their Recaps Links

  1. The Unity Walk - Across Nation Mission - 105 Meetups

in this meetup, we want to open close shops and correct the information after lockdown so that can help the small business. i also want to share some data of this mission - we got 105 approved meetups, around 20k edits done in one day, 80% host of meetups were new, we got support from 28+ different communities of the state communities. I think that is the biggest mission in the history of Local Guides. that also shows we are United.
Recap Link : https://www.localguidesconnect.com/t5/General-Discussion/Recap-The-Unity-Walk-Across-Nation-Mission-105-Meetups-20K-Edits/td-p/2628724.

2). India’s 1st Virtual Meetup - Lets Make India United

after imposement of lockdown we India local guide who loves to meet each other feeling depressed so I decided to host India’s first virtual meetups. where we discussed and share knowledge about LG Progam, its Rules & Regulations, community, meetups. Senior LG guide our new Lgs about Connect live 2020 application and clear their doubt. highlights of that meetup are 156 registrations, a Total of 96 Lgs joined, and after that India saw a massive wave of virtual Meetups.
Recap Link: https://www.localguidesconnect.com/t5/General-Discussion/Recap-India-s-1st-Virtual-Meetup-Lets-Make-India-United/td-p/2327746.

3**. Make India Green Tree Planting (Supported Meetup)**

First of thank you @TraciC for giving me that opportunity that was India’s First and world’s 2nd supported meetups. where 70+ local guide invested their time and their power in nature. we planted more than 100 saplings and they took 4 saplings each so a total of more than 380 saplings are planned for that meetup. I love to host that kind of meetup again and again. whether that was supported or not.
Recap: https://www.localguidesconnect.com/t5/General-Discussion/Recap-Make-India-Green-Tree-Planting-Supported-Meetup/td-p/2066850

  1. Asia1 Summit: Let’s Unite Asia

The India Local Guides community in the year 2019 considered to break all barriers and throw this bond on a challenging yet larger scope - when they planned to unite the whole continent of Asia through a Google Local Guides intercontinental meetup, and hence the idea of Asia1 Summit: Let’s Unite Asia was born. Asia undoubtedly has the largest quantity of active Local Guides contributors, and a heavy percentage of content of Google Maps are uploaded on daily basis by the Asian community.

Recap: https://www.localguidesconnect.com/t5/General-Discussion/Recap-ASIA-ONE-SUMMIT-New-Delhi-India/td-p/1874297

  1. The Great Indian Heritage Walk (I,II.III)

we started that annual Meetup in 2018 where we love to share our Heritage and their in detailed knowledge with the world till now we hosted 3 annual seasons in India this is also an across the country mission. Main Moto : Every Indian City Has it’s own Heritage Like Varanasi is not just a poignant Hindu pilgrimage site, but also has iconic Jain and Buddhist structures, Kolkata the home to prominent freedom fighters, illustrious poets, novelists, film-makers, actors and Nobel Prize winners, has been a cultural hotbed since time immemorial.Jaipur, the capital city, makes for a stunning picture with its endless forts and palaces, Kochi has retained its importance in the modern era, Delhi Not just the capital of India, Delhi is also the cultural hotbed of the country, Chennai is a wonderful mix of the old and the new. With traditional practices still being in vogue here, Shillong is a quaint city, rich in all forms of performing arts. With music being the anthem of both the old and the young, Bhubaneshwar is home to one of the biggest indigenous groups of people in the world. With their own trademark folklores, songs, dances, arts and crafts.

Recaps : https://www.localguidesconnect.com/t5/General-Discussion/The-Great-Indian-Heritage-Walk/m-p/1036115#M172616
https://www.localguidesconnect.com/t5/General-Discussion/Recap-TGIHW-II-Tughlaqabad-Fort/td-p/1714521

https://www.localguidesconnect.com/t5/General-Discussion/Recap-The-Great-Indian-Heritage-Walk-Delhi-4-Nov-2018/td-p/1133400

  1. Women Empowerment of Delhi

This is really special Meetup for me because in this Meetup we have done something special for whom doing special things in their life. Women who helping their families with the cause of some problems like some time Husband’s death, money problem and others. So this time our Delhi Local Guide Group starts helping them by adding their business on Google Maps with Good Pics.
Recap: https://www.localguidesconnect.com/t5/General-Discussion/Recap-Women-Empowerment-of-Delhi/td-p/1209549

I have lot to share but i know people can see that via just visiting my profile. i hope you love my missions and meetups thank you.

14 Likes

@TsekoV

I would say Local Guides Clean The Map (#LGCTM) without a doubt.

It is truly global in scope.

Activities can be done individually or in groups.

It gives inspiration on how to improve data quality on Google Maps. A lot of methods were shared to the benefit of local guides and the quality of Google Maps.

Cheers

Morten

12 Likes

This post really got me into thinking @TsekoV ! Thank you for sharing it with us ! There are so many good initiatives that constantly happen in this program and I am glad I have been a part of many of them like One Accessibility , Clean the World initiative , Spam free Maps initiative , Unity Walks , Green and clean world and helping small businesses ! This year I also started the #mapsforall series which focuses on meeting Local Guides on a monthly basis to learn, share tips & knowledge about accessibility , ways to help out Local businesses and reflect inclusivityamd accessibility on Maps ! :blush:

4 Likes

Thanks for giving us an opportunity to share our favorite Local guides initiative @TsekoV .

It’s really a good thing to do something new with everyone rather than working alone and it requires everyone’s support. If your initiative is good then people will definitely support you. Some of these initiatives I have taken during my five year journey here on Connect.

8 Likes

Thank you @TsekoV for this post with all of us. For me, the Local Guiding program has given me a global family. And being united in West Bengal Local Guides (WBLG) we have taken some initiatives like-

Pic- Me with LG @KalyanPal during an accessibility meetup in Kolkata

  • :recycle: #GreenBengalCleanBengal- To update the information on Google Maps about the availability of recyclable items, renewable energy-related items, and bio-organic products around us in West Bengal

Pic- Including the information of presence of Solar Light in a tourist spot in West Bengal

  • Community building globally- We along with Local Guides Bangla have started the Sonar Bangla Meetup series between the Bengali Local Guides of two countries- India :india: and Bangladesh :bangladesh: . Click here to read the recap of the last episode of the meetup on the occasion of Bengali New Year.

Pic- screenshot during the virtual meetup between India :india: - :bangladesh: Bangladesh on traditional Bengali food of Bengal.

Thank you for reading this.

Stay safe and happy

#HappyGuiding

7 Likes

@MahabubMunna Simply beautiful, amazing work !

2 Likes

@TsekoV Its a very long journey for me as Local Guides. I have taken many initiatives. I am mentioning few-

Bangladesh Challenge - An initiative for enriching Maps in Bangladesh

TRIKONOMITI-Sanitary Napkins at Doorsteps.

Awareness to create accessible for Girls and women.

Warm a smile

Sharing Happiness - Charity program

Promote a small business

Quality Education through Google Maps and Earths

4 Likes

@TsekoV Thanks for starting this topic here. Its my pleasure that being already a part of this 5 year journey of this community. Through this community I did lots of important and memorable activities. Some are best and on my favourite list-

  • The initiative for spreading Quality Local Guiding through my regular Meet Ups and Local Community activities.

  • Lets enrich our Local Maps

  • Lets Map Accessibility

  • Local Guides cleanup event in Dhaka
  • Making successful Bangladesh Challenge - An official and government mapping challenge in Bangladesh.
  • Best Virtual Meet-Up series in the Local Guides community during the pandemic time.

6 Likes

Thank you for this question @TsekoV

The major highlight over the past year that I became a local guide was bringing like-minded people together to form the Accessibility for All initiative.

This is a small group of 10 members of which 4 were subsequently recognized as Accessibility Champions. and has inspired many more local guides passionate about adding accessibility information on Google Maps.

I have traveled to 100s of places all over India and added accessibility information to Google Maps besides writing a detailed post about each place in LG Connect.

Also, next week I will be conducting my 25th Accessibility Meetup.

5 Likes

Interesante pregunta @TsekoV como iniciativa propia he escrito una Guía para escribir en Connect para principiantes con el objetivo de promover que cada vez más personas se animen a realizar su primer post aquí.

Hay muchas campañas interesantes pero la que más me atrae y soy fiel seguidora es Local Guides Clean The Map sigo todos los consejos de Jan para mejorar mis ediciones en Maps.

Saludos.

Silvy.

3 Likes

Hello @TsekoV

My most favourite initiative is support small business and give other people correct Information. So i alway update in maps About small business information.

3 Likes

Your contributions to Google Map and Connect is enormously @MahabubMunna bravo to your good work. There are a lot to learn from you!

4 Likes