Mission with Fuquay-Varina Rotary Club, Panama

Two GISCorps volunteers from Calgary assist in a project in Panama

The Fuquay-Varina Rotary (FVR) club sought GISCorps volunteers’ assistance to develop an online questionnaire to conduct a survey in poor neighborhoods of Panama. The objective was to locate and collect detailed information about the staggering number of orphans in Panama City and beyond. The online questionnaire (see below) will eventually enable FVR to geo-locate those who will be surveyed.

Figure 1: a snapshot of the questionnaire

In April 2009, two GISCorps volunteers were deployed to this mission. Jill Hume, a GIS Analyst for the Alberta Energy Resources Conservation Board and Steve Tsuida, a graphic designer and web developer with Kyros both in Calgary, Canada. The two volunteers are currently working on deploying the questionnaire to an I-Phone platform and also developing a Spanish version of the survey.

FVR is working with EquipoGIS, a 4H program that creates opportunities for the youth by using the GIS technology, on this project. Members of EquipoGIS recently gave a fantastic presentation at the ESRI User Conference in San Diego. The following photos were taken at that event.

Figure 2: Miguel and Clara Mandujano giving a presentation at the ESRI UC, Esther Worker of Esri moderating

Figure 3: Miguel and Clara Mandujano giving another presentation at the Esri UC, Ingrid Bruce, Shoreh Elhami, and Megan Winnenberg listening

This project and the services of these volunteers are ongoing. Additional updates will be posted as they occur.