Netsquared City Organizers at the N2Y4 Mobile Challenge Conference in 2010.
Back in 2009, I co-organized Netsquared Toronto, the beginnings of a new life working in the tech for good sector and creating global programs and technology tools and events that enhance cross sector civic and community engagement. More than five years later and half way across the world, I’m back in Manila and excited to help launch Netsquared Manila.
Part of what brought me here was Typhoon Haiyan. Having grown up in Jakarta, Manila and Toronto, the need for networked community infrastructure around disasters inspired me to create a cross sector platform to help map the NGO, government, business and citizen group communities. Visualizing the work of organizations by location helps provide better transparency, accountability and collaboration during disasters, but more importantly helps build and strengthen these relationships year round. The platform includes workshops on how to map using OpenStreetMap, field mapping, drone mapping, sustainable livelihood programs and internet access tools to bring connectivity to at risk communities.
For NGOs, we’re mapping the needs of the sector, helping make community needs more visible to funders and to understand where there are gaps and overlaps in support.
In my role as co-organizer along with Jed Adao and Jake Fadallan, we’re getting to know the NGOs in Manila and creating events to help meet the tech needs of the community through our face to face Meetup group.
We hope you’ll join us! Our launch meetup is on February 24th from 6-9pm at co.lab in Pasig.