#ProudViscans bag 2 awards from USAID GeoCenter and YouthMappers

Our very own student organization, the Viscan YouthMappers (VYM) received its second international awards from the 2024 Chapter Awards given by the renowned YouthMappers network and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) GeoCenter.

VYM has received two awards namely the 2024 YouthMappers Community Outreach Award and the 2024 Women’s Participation Award out of the seven categories of the YouthMappers Chapter Awards, a yearly recognition to YouthMappers chapters across the globe.

Despite being the youngest established organization on campus, since the organization only started in 2022, the VYM chapter has organized different geo-mapping activities anchored to help the communities in risk reduction and disaster management, among others.

The Community Outreach Award they obtained is a prestigious award given to YouthMappers chapters that collaboratively engage with the local communities. Only nine YouthMappers chapters across the world were given the said recognition and the VYM is the lone chapter from the Philippines and all over Asia that was accorded with the award.

According to the concurrent VYM President Mark Gil D. Cabangal, a fourth-year geodetic engineering student, their projects last year were centered around helping the community. 

“We concluded projects last year that were centered on helping the community, such as the mapping of Fire Hydrants in Leyte Province in partnership with OSM Philippines and Smart CT, Mapping of Student Housing in MaPaGuaPa Area and Mapping of Agri-Aqua Tourism Industries in Inopacan, Leyte in partnership with CollabDev, AER, and Inopacan LGU,” the VYM President shared.

Aside from the Community Outreach Award, the VYM chapter also received the Women’s Participation Award in time for the Women’s Month Celebration. This recognition is given to chapters for committing to carry out a vision of an inclusive mapping community and engaging a majority of female student mappers, through membership and leadership.

According to the current VYM President Cabangal, VYM is composed of 70% active female members. 

“It just shows that mapping today is not dominated by men. The YouthMapper community shares the same values of inclusivity. In Viscan YouthMappers, women are empowered; they are always active and participative in every initiative that we take.”

He was honored that their organization has created an impact that was recognized in the international arena.

“It is rewarding and gratifying to know that the organization’s efforts have been recognized internationally by the YouthMappers’ community. It is indeed not an easy task, but I am just happy that the collective effort of each VYM member to create an impact was acknowledged and recognized.”

He also shared student leaders should take good care of their health as this is one of the key elements to serve effectively.

“Student leaders face challenges that often surpass what is typically perceived by others. As someone who believes that having a healthy body and mind is necessary to combat the overwhelming duties and responsibilities of the organization and academics, it is essential to recognize the need for self-care amidst these demanding responsibilities. These will promote growth and development not only for yourself but also for those you represent.”

He extended his gratitude to all the people working side by side to make their organization thrive and continue working on their mission to produce more student mappers who can help map resilience.

“First, I would like to give my heartfelt thanks to our supportive advisers, Dr. Jannet C. Bencure and Engr. Celestial Manigo, to the active VYM executives, especially Yhogen Julve, for creating opportunities not only for the organization but for its members as well. I would also like to give my sincere thanks to my members and volunteer student mappers who actively participate in every project and activity we do, and to the OGs of the YouthMapper Community, Sir Mikko, Ms. Feye, Ms. Leigh, and Ma’am Arnalie, for the guidance. Lastly, on behalf of Viscan YouthMappers, we would like to give thanks to our sponsors, Open Mapping Hub Asia Pacific, Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT), OpenStreetMap Philippines, and Smart CT, for their unwavering support throughout the past year.”

In Eastern Visayas, two institutions were also Women’s Participation Awardees, namely Eastern Visayas State University-Main Campus and the University of the Philippines Tacloban. 

You can visit the 2024 Chapter Awards at this link here.

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