Mapping water slideshow Which map is the odd one out?

This is the odd one out as it only shows place names – in this case, just continents. The other two maps show where different facilities are located, like houses and stations. They give information to help us to make decisions.

This map was made by the people of Sasaipura village, Uttar Pradesh in northern India Maps like this one are created by communities to help them make important decisions about how to plan for the future of their area. It also helps them to evaluate changes that happen after a project has taken place.

This map shows roads, houses, clinics, schools and fields within a community. What kind of decisions could be made from this?

The idea is to create a map of what an area looks like so that the community can decide where to build wells and sanitation blocks. They can help communities to express visually what they know and feel is important about where they live, the facilities they have access to, and their health.

Once the map is complete, a facilitator uses it to ask questions about where the well or toilet block should be located. This leads to discussions about the importance of clean water, sanitation and hygiene activities.

The maps are also useful to help solve problems like disputes. If one person wants a well located near to their fields and others want it closer to their home, the map can help the community to decide on which priority is greater. It can also lead to the creation of an action-plan on how to introduce the changes and monitor progress of their activities.

Women often highlight different features to men, like water sources or clinics. Why do you think this is? Think about the work men do? What do you think they may highlight?

Men tend to be more concerned with the correct locations of roads and fields because they mostly transport crops to market. Whereas, women are responsible for collecting water and looking after their family’s healthcare. Maps are usually made from natural resources like leaves, twigs and stones in rural villages. These are more difficult to come by in urban areas so other materials such as chalk and bottle tops are used to highlight facilities.

It is important that the community has a record of the maps for future reference. How can these be recorded without the use of paper and pens? Most facilitators have cameras to record maps. These can then be shown to other communities with similar issues as a way of helping them make complex decisions.