Hello everyone,
I’d like to add my perspective on this. I’ve been an OSM user and opensource lover and promoter for +10 years, based in Latam for more than that, and particularly sensitive to this question of ownership from locals versus from international institutions or other actors in general, and also people and “workers” acknowledgment in general for their role, even more being a woman. I’ve also been a spectator (from OSM community) from the other side of the world of the incident in the Philippines, which happened some years ago now and is out of context right now in this thread. I remember I read at his time explanations, the creation of space from HOT for dialogue with the OSM Philipines community o repair this awkwardness, as well as processes to avoid it could happen again, also read about OSM Philippines reacting positively to this dialogue and solution.
I work now at HOT, in Latam, and can say that this situation has allowed the organization to be much more conscious, and the direct result of that has been, specifically in Latam, to build the regional team by integrating people who come from OSM / opensource community and understand perfectly the needs, the vision and the communities want from such a hub, to shape its actions and strategies, and to be able to make the bridge. This approach from HOT and the willingness to improve on this side, is what has convinced me from the community to join. My participation there, and from the rest of the HOT Latam-team in development, is the effect of this strategy. You can read there how the starting plan is explained: Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team | Hub de Mapeo Abierto en LATAM - Actualización diciembre 2021.
I don’t know a lot of organizations based this way on a permanent synergy with local communities, looking for the best way to support their impacts, with data and knowledge. As (primarily) a member of communitiES myself, I can say I just give continuity at another and higher level to my engagements and the engagement of local activist sectors in the humanitarian/sustainable development/risk management/defense of the territory, etc., through HOT in Latam.