‘Geospatial technology can change the world’ – Prizewinner

Zimbabwe’s Midlands State University (MSU) surveying and geomatics student Kumbirai Matingo created a national COVID-19 Hub that provides location-based data and analytical resources to help locals, decision-makers and people in technical fields to fight the virus.

The country’s ministry of health and childcare now uses the COVID-19 Hub under its COVID-19 pillars platform. The hub enables Zimbabweans to easily find resources using location-intelligent applications such as vaccine finders and COVID-19 testing centres. It includes dashboards, raw datasets and visually informative tools.

Matingo, who turned 23 in February 2022, is set on ensuring that geospatial technology helps to transform people’s lives in this country.

Thanks to his efforts, a satellite ground station for collecting and streaming remote sensing satellite data to a variety of users and applications is on its way to the country to ensure that local communities are prepared for disasters.

Working hard to defy the odds

For this and other initiatives, Matingo clinched a Private Sector Youth Inclusive award in the outstanding services and achievements category at the 4th African Youth Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Summit held from 9-11 March 2022 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The summit is Africa’s largest forum on Sustainable Development Goals. It was launched in 2017 and brings together youth, development experts, government and United Nations entities, non-governmental organisations and the private sector.

The awards are designed to identify and honour individuals and institutions whose efforts are promoting youth-inclusive governance and participation on the continent in the achievement of SDGs.

Organisers believe that, even though most African youth continue to face a myriad of challenges, some have pushed through the glass ceiling and are working hard to defy the odds and challenge the status quo. Many of them are innovators, inventors, successful entrepreneurs and social philanthropists whose work has a positive impact on the continent, warranting recognition.

The Private Sector Youth Inclusive award that Matingo won recognises outstanding services and achievements that exemplify and support the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals in Africa throughout the year. These initiatives or projects must have youth involvement to qualify.

In an interview with University World News, Matingo said he has loved creating and designing maps since he was a child. In high school, he excelled in geography. At the MSU, he decided to pursue surveying and geomatics.

He said his work in the fight against COVID-19 was done through African Surveyors Connect, a community-based volunteer organisation he founded that aims to empower African youth in the geospatial professions through community-based skill-building and capacity development through technology.

A platform for people in geospatial fields

Matingo said he realised there was much more that people involved in surveying and geomatics could contribute to the world.

“I decided to create a platform that would provide opportunities for people around the continent to know more about the profession, discover possibilities and share how the profession is contributing to the world,” he said.

“Also, the organisation would serve as a media house for the profession as there are not so many of these when it comes to engineering professions. The COVID-19 Hub is a component of the surveying and geomatics work under the geographic information systems track which is tackling and addressing a health issue,” he said.

Matingo said he is also serving as Zimbabwe’s national point of contact with the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC) in support of the United Nations Programme on Space Applications.

“All this is done through various student and young professional programmes in Zimbabwe, mainly through the Students for Exploration and Development of Space in Zimbabwe (SEDS-Zimbabwe) that is filled with passionate, creative and innovative minds that would like to change the world through space technology, exploration, and applications,” Matingo said.

He said his involvement with the SGAC as a national contact person has brought some benefits to Zimbabwe.

Bringing space education to the youth

“We are privileged to have qualified to receive a satellite ground station under the global satellite tracking initiative at SGAC which we aim to use for community development and spearhead agricultural activities and disaster preparedness for local communities living in Zimbabwe,” he said.

“The ground station will be receiving satellite images in real-time which will help us make the work more efficient. We look forward to receiving this in the coming weeks to start this initiative.”

Another initiative currently rolling out at MSU is #Space4All, which involves bringing space education to young people in Zimbabwe by teaching them why it is important and how we can all be part of it, he said.

Matingo said his inspiration to work towards the SDGs began after attending the African Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (ARFSD) in 2020 after his university sponsored students to attend under the Incubation Hub programme. He said he had the chance to learn what SDGs were, what they meant, and how students can act to save and secure the future.

He added that he has also attended several workshops and sessions from which he draws inspiration from youth across the world, learning what they are doing and how they are fighting to achieve SDGs in their own communities.

Geospatial technology could change the world

“I have always dreamed of making a change in the world. I envision myself using and applying the skills I have in the geographic information system to develop and create innovative approaches,” he said. This includes digital health systems that leverage and run on the power of location intelligence on the way to achieving SDG3, good health and well-being.

“Basically, I am an advocate for geographic information systems and believe that technology has the power to change the world, hence my goal is to apply all this for a better tomorrow,” Matingo, who is in his fourth year of study, said.

African Surveyors Connect publishes a magazine, The Spacial Times, to promote, applaud, and recognise African talent in the geomatics profession. The organisation also has a YouTube channel on which it delivers tutorials in line with its essential skill-building goals.

“In five years, my goals and ambition are to transform the world through geospatial technology while working towards empowering the youth to leverage their skills for economic growth, sustainability and development,” said Matingo.

“I’m also looking forward to launching a start-up company in the coming months aimed at addressing an environmental issue that is affecting and causing climate change.”