05-13-2020 01:12 PM - edited 05-13-2020 01:22 PM
Due to the COVID-19 outbreak around the world, Bangladesh is also facing a very hard time. A proper digital map is still not available for rural areas and remote places in Bangladesh. Citizens can’t find info & places on the map during emergencies. Also, Digital services and support can’t be availed without a proper map. Aid from Govt or NGOs also needs a good map to reach people. Digital Quarantine can't monitor properly even using Telco data for lack of proper mapping.
In this situation, Local Guide @PavelSarwar & Arif Nezami came forward with a unique idea to improve Google Maps adding new emergency services, edit update information, and make spam-free maps. They have approached their idea to the Access to Information (A2i) is a Government department and A2i agreed to do this. The name of this campaign is #BangladeshChallenge.
#BangladeshChallenge- the objective of the campaign is to encourage the youth of Bangladesh to mark emergency and necessary locations known to them. Through this initiative, we asked people to mark - pharmacies, hospitals, clinics, Mobile money Agents, etc. or any other important category/landmarks in the Google maps and Bangladesh Challenge’s website. In this lockdown situation, it will help people to get engaged for a greater national cause and to fight COVID-19 by getting emergency supplies using the maps. It was launched on April 08, 2020, and has continued until 30th April.
Zunaid Ahmed Palak, State Minister for ICT Division, Ministry of Post, Telecommunications & Information Technology, People's Republic of Bangladesh inaugurated this campaign.
Launching video of the Bangladesh Challenge Campaign.
Outcome: Proper digital map will be created for the whole Bangladesh including remote areas and enrich Google Maps. A total of 31087 youths participated and provided 42993 Locations data in different categories. Out of all participants, 3902 were Local Guides.
In the initiative, there were different contributors, mainly segregated into - Organizer and Partners. The main Organizer was Access to Information- A2i, Information and Communication Technology Division, Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology, Grameenphone, Preneurlab, Youth Hub (Local Guide Pavel Sarwar is the co-founder), Bangladesh Scouts.
Community partners were Google developer group, Local guides Bangla, Google crowdsource, Women techmakers, Google business group, OpenStreetMap community.
Video Message from one of the core organizers.
Pavel shared with me the whole idea and asked to join me. As a Good citizen of Bangladesh, I am proud to be part of this campaign. I have shared about this campaign on our Connect Moderator forum and Hangout. Thank you so much @TraciC for inspiring me from the beginning of this Campaign.
Pavel has involved @ShafiulB for this particular campaign. Thank you Shafilu for your great contribution to society. Members from the Local Guides Bangla community played a vital role to assist the whole campaign.
Specially @ShahMdSultan FoysalBD @bdmafuz Farhan21 SalehMdSoyaib @SolaimanHossain Motiur_Rahman MS_Pathan Naiem
Access to Information- A2i is a Government department that had several meetings with the Google Maps team in Singapore, I and Pavel also present those virtual meetings. They gave us full support during the campaign and till now support.
Especially our State Minister of ICT Division appreciates the Local Guides for assisting in this campaign.
Video Message from State Minister of ICT Division
Process:
Training & Promotion: We did several Facebook Live Sessions to provide training and to promote this campaign and several virtual training sessions about Local Guides program and policy, Google Maps. We have reached 3198299 viewers and the core organizer also did Television and newspaper promotion. Organizers also created many video tutorials about how to add places, edit info, rules, and policy about Maps and Local Guides programs. The government published those tutorials from the Government e-learning platform muktopaath.gov.bd
Facebook Live Sessions from organizers pages.
Mapping Checking:
We are now bulk uploading only OK entries on Google Maps through the Google Maps team provided panel.
Protect spam Activity: We have called and checked when there was confusion in inputs. We encouraged people to provide spam-free information.
Certificate: There are 3 kinds of certificates: 1. Top 100 2. Expert Mapper (Auditors) 3. Normal Mappers
Winner Gifts: Core Organisers will provide gifts.
Feel free to send your feedback regarding this campaign. I would like to know what you are doing for your community to fight against COVID-19.
05-13-2020 01:24 PM - edited 05-13-2020 01:36 PM
@SumaiyaZafrin No, doubt it had a very helpful campaign in Bangladesh to help millions of help-seekers during this pandemic Covid-19. Specially thanks to @PavelSarwar brother for taking this great initiative with A2i and ICT division of Bangladesh and involving me as a core team and involving Local Guides Bangla as a community partner. Local Guides from Bangladesh have acted an important role during this campaign. It was a successful and very impactful recent campaign in Bangladesh which is totally for updating the Google Maps platform. Also thanks to @ShahMdSultan @bdmafuz @Farhan21 @aukanamul11 @Naiem @Eng_Motiur @SolaimanHossain @MS_Pathan @FoysalBD@SalehMdSoyaib for supporting and helping us to reduce spam contributions from new mappers.
Thanks again, everyone!
Happy Guiding!
♿ Accessibility Champion ♿My Last Meet-Up's RECAP||Our Upcoming Meet-Up ||আমাদের সাথে যোগ দিন || Happy Guiding!!
05-13-2020 01:26 PM
Congratulations @SumaiyaZafrin and @PavelSarwar for the great initiative. It is amazing to see how important was the feedback of people mapping, and near 4000 were Local Guides (more than 10%)
A special hug also to @ShafiulB , that just yesterday joined the Connect Moderator team.
The effort that you all are putting in improving the information in Bangladesh is simply amazing. Congratulations for the post, for the initiative, and for the example of what, working together, with passion and love, is possible to obtain
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05-13-2020 01:29 PM
Thanks @SumaiyaZafrin. I have work with this project little and got nice experience.
05-13-2020 01:32 PM
Thank you @ErmesT for your inspiration and Happy Birthday 🎂
05-13-2020 01:32 PM
I would like to give a special thanks to you @SumaiyaZafrin for your well-organized RECAP on behalf of the Organising team of #BangladeshChallenge
@ShafiulB Thanks again for your effort and please be noted that we have to do more things for our community. Be prepared bro.
@ErmesT Thanks for your inspiration bro and a very happy birthday to you. May God (Allah) add many years to your life. Stay Safe. We are always worried about Italy after watching the news on TV.
05-13-2020 01:34 PM
Thank you @Eng_Motiur being a part of it. It is successfully done for all of your efforts.
05-13-2020 01:37 PM
We are really proud to be a part of this campaign. To my country in this lockdown situation it's a huge help for every organisation and volunteers who helps poor people and patients. Thanks to Organiser & Partners to take this initiative. Thanks @SumaiyaZafrin apu to share this in this forum.
05-13-2020 01:40 PM
@PavelSarwar Yes, My brother I am ready for all good initiatives and I hope you just knock me in time.
@ErmesT Thank a lot for your appreciation me and wishing me especially as well as for my new role.
Keep inspiring!
Happy Guiding!
♿ Accessibility Champion ♿My Last Meet-Up's RECAP||Our Upcoming Meet-Up ||আমাদের সাথে যোগ দিন || Happy Guiding!!
05-13-2020 01:57 PM - edited 05-13-2020 02:03 PM
It was really a great initiative in Bangladesh taken by ICT Division and in backstage was @PavelSarwar brother.
I think by this campaign youth generation of our country know what is Google Maps guiding, how to guide, place adding, which place should be added as well as which are spam, what contribution should not do! There was an option named "Easy Guiding" this idea was really so effective to encourage people about guiding. A big number like local guide joined in this.
Luckily there I personally could get a chance to support this campaign and want to give lot of thanks @ShafiulB in this issue. I also contribute in this campaign and enjoyed it most.
I'm so lucky that here I'm tagged by my dear sister @SumaiyaZafrin
About this campaign lot of experience, beneficial side can be told. I once more want to say thanks to the organizers and Local Guide Bangla team members.
Happy Birthday @ErmesT! 🥳🥰
HappyGuiding!
KeepGuiding!