CONTEXT

Medellín is home to a significant number of informal settlements, many of which are located on the steep hillsides surrounding the city. These communities, often established without formal planning or adequate access to basic services, are particularly vulnerable to landslides, flooding, and other environmental risks. Despite important advances in urban inclusion policies, many residents continue to face barriers to secure tenure, infrastructure, and essential social services. In addition, reliable and up-to-date data on these areas remains limited, constraining the ability of both local authorities and communities to plan effectively for resilience and formal development. Mapping these settlements through participatory and open approaches provides critical insights to inform public policy, strengthen service delivery, and reduce disaster risk.

APPROACH

The project seeks to consolidate the Hillside Mapping School as a collaborative ecosystem—bringing together community, academia, and public institutions—focused on the production, use, and advocacy of open data, while strengthening local capacities in participatory mapping for disaster risk management and climate resilience in hillside territories and corregimientos of the city of Medellin.

To achieve this, the project will implement a capacity-building process through a training program that will equip 15 community leaders from hillside neighborhoods and corregimientos in Medellin with open mapping tools, contributing to the consolidation of a local network of active community mappers.

OUTCOME AND IMPACT

The project will generate direct and sustainable impact in hillside communities and corregimientos by strengthening local capacities in disaster risk management and territorial knowledge production. At least 30 individuals from 15 organized community processes and 40 community leaders will develop practical skills in participatory mapping and the use of open tools, supported by a local team of five certified trainers who will ensure the replicability of the process.

The production and validation of 20 community mapping projects, 10 orthophotos, more than 1,000 photographic records, and 10 risk analysis maps will enable more precise identification of housing, pathways, and critical points, strengthening prevention and local decision-making. The activation of 10 community-based monitoring and early warning networks will enhance territorial surveillance and emergency response capacity.

Finally, the formalization of a Government–Community Coordination Table, with the participation of 15 public officials from four government agencies, will consolidate mechanisms of shared responsibility, open data use, and risk governance, directly and indirectly benefiting hundreds of residents.

Photo credits: ALONSOZAR | Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0