Mapping Korail Bosti:A case study in GIS

Rebecca StevensonAnjali Sarker

July 18, 2013

What is this?Korail slum(you may have read

the title)

• Population: 40,000• Households: 11,000• 1.5 acres• 40 years old• Right outside of

BRAC!

BRAC Manoshi map of Korail Slum(in 2007)

BRAC Manoshi

18 hours…

4 interns…

2 smartphones…

0 taka…

Korail Slum community resources map

Step 1: Design the questionnaire

• Split into 2 surveys

Step 2: Collect and send the data

TEAM: Rebecca Stevenson, Mahzabeen Mahfuz, Cyrus Khan, Mahmoud

• Engage Manoshi guide: Tapan Bhai• 18 hours over 3 weeks in the slum

• Divided hand-drawn map into sections• Stay together in a group for collection

Step 2: Collect and send the data

TEAM: Raniya Shams, Anjali Sarker, Rebecca Stevenson, Farah Sarwar,

Mahzabeen Mahfuz

Step 3: Store and analyze the data

Step 3: Store and analyze the data

Questions raised by this digital survey map

• Why are the health clinics clustered together in one area?

• Why does bkash center 2:4 have twice as many daily customers as the others?

• Why do areas 3 and 4 have so few students, but twice as many community and political offices?

• Why are the most long-standing clinics the only two that also serve as schools?

In this case, questions are more relevant to us interns, who have no prior experience in the slum. In an area where BRAC has little knowledge, this particular survey would be more useful.

Challenges of digital data collection• Usual data collection challenges

– Unique identifier– Appropriate questions– Informed survey source

• Specific to software– Design of survey

• Make sure answers must be saved

– Dependent on internet for geocode

• Specific to this project– Scheduling– Conditions– Buy-in and understanding of project goals

BEP

Microfinance

HNPP

WASH

CEP

Step 4: Data dissemination

Challenges of digital data analysis, aggregation, and dissemination

• Data storage– Data correction impossible in ODK– Limitation on free data storage

• Data preparation– Multiple surveys made aggregation more time

consuming– Difficulties due to some unsaved answers

• Making sure people pay attention!

Why go digital?Data collection

Why go digital?Data Presentation

• Easily understood information

• Quickly understood information

• Standard framework for BRAC programs

• Community Engagement

Digital maps cannot replace paper maps, but can supplement them

Why go digital?Data Presentation

Combined knowledge

Location specific management

Real time updates

Engage world community

Not just a map, but GIS

Applications of digital mapsNew projects• Community resources• Infrastructure conditions• Health and sanitation conditions• Social society maps• Disaster/crisis managementMaintaining areas• Continually update location of schools in slum and how many

students still attending class• Infrastructure conditions• Health monitoring• Crime reporting• Election monitoring

CEP

WASH

DECC

BEP

HRLS

Gender, Justice, and Diversity

Safe Migration

One Billion RisingCrowd-mapping the world we want

Cheetah Camp, Mumbai. (External to BRAC)

100 social innovators across South Asia

SIL experience in GIS

Technology and Software

• Open Data Kit – Accuracy 10 meters– Cheapest smartphone in Bangladesh: $55.80

(4,350 TK)• GPS tracking device – Accuracy 2-3 meters– $100-$500 (7,795-38,975 TK)

• Open Street Map– Online platform for sharing GIS

• Ushahidi – Platform for mobile surveying– Free and crowdsource

Mapping methods

http://www.google.com/enterprise/mapsearth/products/mapsengine.html

http://www.arcgis.com/features/index.html

http://www.openstreetmap.org/

Methods of data collection• BRAC field workers

• Crowd sourcing – Open Street Map

• Barefoot researchers – Pukar (India) http://pukar.org.in/– Research is a right

• Mobile phone carriers– Work with them to get geocode of non-

smartphones– Connect to mobile survey platforms

• Awaaz.De• Ushahidi

Pukar 2010 anthropometrics study

Recommendations

Make digital mapping a habit