11-20, 10:05–10:10 (Pacific/Auckland), WG403
OSGeo Nepal has been building an inclusive and active open geospatial community, with a strong focus on youth empowerment through open data. By forming a network of over 150 members, OSGeo Nepal is equipping the next generation with tools to access, analyze, and contribute to open datasets.
Open geospatial data is reshaping how communities understand and manage their environments, and in Nepal, OSGeo Nepal is leading this change by empowering youth to engage meaningfully with open geospatial tools and data. Since its formal recognition in 2023, OSGeo Nepal has grown into a vibrant, youth-led network of over 150 active members committed to fostering a culture of openness, collaboration, and data accessibility. The community hosts monthly meetups, which serve as collaborative spaces where participants share opportunities, discuss open data practices, and build their capacity to contribute to platforms such as OpenStreetMap, HDX, and QGIS. Senior members actively mentor newcomers, guiding them on how to start their open-source journey and emphasizing the value of contributing to the global open geospatial community. Outreach has been a cornerstone of this movement. OSGeo Nepal has presented at several leading universities, including Tribhuvan University and Kathmandu University, to raise awareness about OSGeo Nepal, open-source geospatial tools, and the importance of accessible data. One of the major programs conducted in collaboration with these university groups is training on QGIS, OSM Hackfest 2024, geo-talk series, and hackathons. Student representatives have been appointed across campuses to sustain engagement and act as catalysts for local geospatial initiatives. Several skill-building sessions and trainings have been conducted on impactful topics like GeoAI, OpenEO, and the application of LLMs in GIS. These events not only provide technical skills but also inspire participants to view open data as a tool for solving real-world challenges. Collaborations with national student groups like NGES and GESAN have helped amplify these efforts. A major milestone has been the launch of OSGeo Nepal’s organizational presence on the Humanitarian Data Exchange (HDX), where volunteers are curating and publishing standardized datasets—such as road networks and administrative boundaries—for public use. This involvement offers young contributors direct experience in the data lifecycle, from acquisition and cleaning to metadata creation and public release. As impactful as the journey has been, OSGeo Nepal is only getting started. In the coming months, the community aims to expand its reach, conducting training programs on open-source software and data stewardship. One of our goals is to build a centralized, accessible data platform where anyone from students to policymakers can discover high-quality geospatial datasets for analysis and application. Further, OSGeo Nepal plans to deepen its collaborations with both national and international organizations, strengthening Nepal’s role in the global open geospatial movement. Through these next steps, OSGeo Nepal envisions a more informed, engaged, and empowered youth community—one that doesn’t just use open data but becomes a driving force in creating, managing, and sharing it for the public good.
I am a final-year Geomatics Engineering student at the Institute of Engineering, Pashchimanchal Campus, Pokhara, Nepal. I am an active contributor to the OpenStreetMap community and a core volunteer in the OSGeo Nepal Chapter, where I support community-building efforts, communication design, and volunteering. With a strong passion for open-source geospatial technologies, I have participated in and contributed to various mapping, GIS, and remote sensing projects, including organizing and mentoring in events like OSM Hackfest, WebGIS Trainings, and map design competitions. I am also a graphic designer and motion design enthusiast, using my creative skills to make geospatial education and outreach more accessible. I am committed to promoting open data, open science, and community collaboration in the geospatial field.
I am Dibikshya Shrestha, a recent graduate in Geomatics Engineering from Tribhuvan University. My interest in open data and open-source software began in 2021 during my first year at university. Since then, I have been an active contributor to OpenStreetMap (OSM), having made over 653,756 edits to date. My passion for open data stems from its transformative potential. When accessible and reliable data is made openly available, it becomes a powerful tool for informed decision-making, inclusive development, and amplifying marginalised voices. This interest took a personal turn when I learnt about the critical role open data played in the response to the 2015 Gorkha Earthquake in Nepal—my hometown. This emotional connection motivated me to contribute more actively to humanitarian mapping efforts, believing that every edit truly matters. In addition to my contributions to OSM, I am a core member of OSGeo Nepal. Since its inception, I have been actively involved in community development, social media engagement, and volunteer coordination. Our shared vision is to expand this movement nationally and promote the welfare of the geospatial community in Nepal. I also served as secretary of the YouthMappers chapter GESAN, where I led several impactful initiatives, including a "map design competition using OSM datasets" (in collaboration with the Open Mapping Hub—Asia Pacific and NGES), a workshop on "how to use open geospatial datasets" (in collaboration with OSGeo Nepal), QGIS Training, and OSM Hackfest 2024 (in collaboration with TomTom Global). I am also a member of the OSM Foundation. I was honoured to be selected as a YouthMappers Leadership Fellow in 2024, and currently I am serving as the Volunteer YouthMappers Ambassador for Nepal. With this commitment, I strive to promote open data by creating, managing, and making it accessible to all, with the goal of utilising it for greater public welfare.