Need-based mapping project brings change in Delhi communities

From H S Rao London, Sep 7 (PTI) Children and young people in Delhihave helped design an innovative smartphone app for mappingurban life aimed at initiating change in communities byidentifying basic needs like toilets. ‘Map My Community’ app has been designed by the youngpeople, who have completed training and are now collectingdata across the city. The University of Birmingham and Humara Bachpan Campaign(HBC) have collaborated for the project, funded by UK-basedEconomic and Social Research Council (ESRC), that aims to mapurban life in Delhi. The project collects evidence about the experiences ofchildren and young people in informal settlements across thecity. It aims to influence city master plans, zonaldevelopment plans and urban development policies – leading tocreation of child-friendly cities. ‘Humara Bachpan’ – a national campaign which aims to filla gap in advocacy in India, focused on the living conditionsof young children in urban poverty – is working with youngpeople in children’s clubs across 20 informal housingsettlements in Delhi. The first results of the young people’s work using theapp to collect information across the city are delivering newtoilet buildings – identified as a priority community need. Work has now begun on the construction of new toilets inBadarpur after the use of the app and children-led planningwork enabled them to identify a need for such facilities. Data collected from the project and problem analysis fromHBC’s Children-led Planning process were used to submit adetailed charter of demands to the local authorities, whorecently released government funds to re-build the publictoilet. Dr. Sophie Hadfield-Hill, lecturer in Human Geography atthe University of Birmingham who is leading the project, said:"Impacts are already emerging from this innovative way ofworking. For young people to see the benefits of their work,first-hand, in their community is really incredible. "Over the coming months, we will support children’sparticipation in urban planning and help them push for urbanspaces which support young people’s lives." One of the young people taking part – a girl aged 14 –said: "This is the first time I have ever seen an applicationthat pays attention to the problems faced by children andtakes our views and opinions. Thank you!" Another participant, a boy aged 13, added: "The uniquething about this app is that it allows us to express ourissues in an easy way." HBC and University of Birmingham researchers arecollaborating on this project, which emerged from a larger-scale ESRC-funded project on children and young people’severyday experiences of Urban Transformation in India. There are currently 150 child leaders from 20 communitiesacross Delhi collecting data for the project. PTI HSR SAI AKJSAI