S1E4 - Remote community GIS mapping: Lessons from informal settlements in Bangladesh

In this episode we speak with Wafa Alam and Imran Hossain Mithu from BRAC James P Grant School of Public Health, BRAC University about conducting remote community GIS mapping of informal settlements in Bangladesh. We hear about how: 

• Young people living in informal settlements joined as co-researchers to map their community for the first time 
• How WhatsApp was used to strengthen capacity for mapping and build new skills 
• The process of participatory mapping was adapted during COVID-19 restrictions

Wafa Alam, Assistant Coordinator 

BRAC James P Grant School of Public Health, BRAC University 

Wafa Alam is currently working as an Assistant Coordinator at BRAC James P Grant School of Public Health, BRAC University. She is currently involved in ARISE project which focuses on the health and wellbeing of marginalized communities living in urban informal settlements. Under ARISE, she works closely with community researchers and is actively engaged in various community-based participatory research (CBPR) methods. She has also worked in a research that focused on social inclusion through skills development of vulnerable population groups like persons with disabilities and transgender. Her research interests are urban health and governance, and health systems research.  

She completed her Master of Public Health from BRAC James P Grant School of Public Health, BRAC University. She has an undergraduate degree in Bachelor of Science (Biotechnology) from Monash University. 

https://bracjpgsph.org/staff-members.php    

https://www.ariseconsortium.org/about-us/team/   

https://bracjpgsph.org/assets/pdf/Advocacy/communication%20tools/brochures/Journey_to_A_Better_Life_Stories_of_BRAC_Skills_Development_Programme_Graduates.pdf   

https://covid-bracjpgsph.org/front/covid/assets/files/research/brief/Urban_%20Poor%20Lived%20Experiences%20in%20SLums%20ARISE_April%2019_final%20brief%202020-min.pdf   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kl4ghkwrs5Q&t=2s   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cr8Czk3BvkY&t=40s   

https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3608577   

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langlo/article/PIIS2214-109X(20)30162-5/fulltext   

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langlo/article/PIIS2214-109X(20)30158-3/fulltext   

https://gh.bmj.com/content/5/5/e002253.abstract     

https://www.ariseconsortium.org/learn-more-archive/community-health-volunteers-unsung-heroes-for-urban-informal-settlement-dwellers-during-covid-19-pandemic/  

Imran Hossain Mithu; BRAC James P Grant School of Public Health, BRAC University

Imran Hossain Mithu is currently working as a Research Associate at James P Grant School of Public Health. He attained his master’s degree in public health from the same institution in Jan’20. He is currently involved in ARISE project and actively engaged in different participatory action research methods such as participatory GIS mapping, photo diaries. He did his Bachelor’s in Dentistry from Dhaka University, and right after his graduation, he worked as a medical officer at Dhaka Dental College. He trained six co-researchers from three study sites of the ARISE Bangladesh for conducting various participatory action research. He is also involved with different community-led youth organizations of the urban slum Bangladesh.  

https://bracjpgsph.org/staff-members.php  

https://www.ariseconsortium.org/about-us/team/  

https://www.ariseconsortium.org/remote-gis-mapping-in-dholpur-co-production-with-co-researchers/  

https://www.ariseconsortium.org/youth-associate-dholpur-slum-residents-covid-19-pandemic/