Updated Is The Caribbean Open Mapping Community Poised To Map Its Way…

… To Greater Disaster Resilience

_drafts/is-the-caribbean-open-mapping-community-poised-to-map-its-way-to-greater-disaster-resilience.markdown

@@ -38,9 +38,10 @@ When we look at the Caribbean, there are less than five OSM community groups. Wi
 
 The Caribbean mapping community is lacking in the level of organization that can better fuel improvements in open mapping data collection and use in the region. Not only are there insufficient organized communities to represent maps and mappers in the region but, those that exist need to be strengthened in areas such as visibility, governance, technical capability, and funding. Supporting activities such as training, peer-to-peer sessions across regions, and events such as mapathons and advocacy drives can contribute positively in this regard.
 
-HOT has been instrumental in supporting efforts to build the mapping movements within the Caribbean. Most recently, the OpenCities Program, with the target countries of Jamaica, Dominica, and Saint Lucia focused on collecting data and developing map data products related to disaster response and building resilience. HOT also recently facilitated other community-building support activities such as the 2023 Peer-to-Peer Programme via the HOT Community Working Group for Dominica and Saint Lucia. This is in addition to partnering on specific initiatives to support local mapping communities such as the Saint Lucia OpenStreetMap Chapter and the GIS Society of Trinidad and Tobago (GISTT).  Beyond disaster resilience, the initiatives seek to foster inclusion such as the Women-Centered Disaster Resilience in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) program which focused on capacity building in the use of GIS for improving the disaster resilience of women and girls. This was executed via a partnership between GISTT, HOT, and Caribbean School of Open Data (CSOD).
+HOT has been instrumental in supporting efforts to build the mapping movements within the Caribbean. Most recently, the OpenCities Program, with the target countries of Jamaica, Dominica, and Saint Lucia focused on collecting data and developing map data products related to disaster response and building resilience. HOT also recently facilitated other community-building support activities such as the 2023 Peer-to-Peer Program via the HOT Community Working Group for Dominica and Saint Lucia. This is in addition to partnering with the Caribbean School of Open Data(CSOD) to pilot the [Open Mapping Technical Training Program in Jamaica.](https://www.hotosm.org/updates/announcement-of-hot-and-caribbean-school-of-data-partnership-open-mapping-technical-training-in-the-caribbean-region/) Beyond disaster resilience, the initiatives seek to foster inclusion such as Girls Mapping for Disaster Resilience project in Trinidad and Tobago which focused on capacity building in the use of GIS for improving the disaster resilience of women and girls. This was executed via a partnership between GIS Society of Trinidad and Tobago (GISTT), HOT, and Caribbean School of Open Data (CSOD) under the [Women-Centered Disaster Resilience in Small Island Developing States (SIDS)](https://www.hotosm.org/rfps/women-centered-disaster-risk-and-resilience-in-small-islands-developing-states/#:\~:text=The%20Women%2DCentered%20Disaster%20Risk,advocate%20for%20socio%2Deconomic%20change.) initiative. 
 
 ![IMG_20230704_133550221_HDR (1) (2).jpg](/uploads/IMG_20230704_133550221_HDR%20(1)%20(2).jpg)
 
-HOT’s recent advancements in supporting ongoing mapping initiatives and creating networking opportunities for the Caribbean region seek to improve both the map of the region as well as the community that supports it. The commitment to the continuation of these efforts is seen with the establishment of the HOT Caribbean Strategy and the appointment of a new team to implement this program within the LAC Hub. In keeping with this commitment, the LAC Hub has already established key partnerships in the region with agencies like the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), the Youth Emergency Action Committees (YEAC), and the CSOD via the Caribbean Open Institute. The program will provide capacity building and technical support in the areas of community building, disaster resilience, and innovation; as well as foster inclusivity in the community with regard to gender and underserved communities.
+HOT’s recent advancements in supporting ongoing mapping initiatives and creating networking opportunities for the Caribbean region seek to improve both the map of the region as well as the community that supports it. The commitment to the continuation of these efforts is seen with the development of the HOT Caribbean Strategy and the appointment of a new team within the LAC Hub. In keeping with this commitment, the LAC Hub has already established key partnerships in the region with agencies like the [Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA)](https://www.hotosm.org/updates/hot-and-cdema-sign-agreement-to-enhance-disaster-management-in-the-caribbean-with-collaborative-mapping/), the [Youth Emergency Action Committees (YEAC)](https://www.facebook.com/YEACSLU/), and the CSOD via the Caribbean Open Institute. HOT's actions within the region are focused capacity building and technical support in the areas of community building, disaster resilience, and innovation; as well as fostering inclusivity in the community with regard to gender and underserved communities.
+
 While in the last decade efforts by both global and regional agencies and mappers have been quite successful in closing OSM data gaps for the Caribbean, the current state of the OSM community in the Caribbean highlights the importance of making greater efforts towards establishing a sustainable community of mappers within the region. The Caribbean OSM community is at a pivotal moment in its development, and to say the least, seems poised to map its way to a region with greater disaster resilience.