Steps for conducting a Transect walk to update Community Mapping

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Transect walks can supplement formal maps and data, but in cases where these do not exist, they are an excellent tool for creating a record of environmental conditions: those arising in the natural, built and experienced environments. The walk can take 1-3 hours, but advance planning is important to identify objectives and methods.

• A transect walk is best done in small sub-groups of people between 3 -5 (total 20 people)

• It is important to use community mapping before and after the walk and draw conclusions from the transect walk to update the maps.

1. Before the walk, staff and volunteers participating should discuss what previous mapping has accomplished for the clinic, if anything, and what this map aims to add to improve understanding of the clinic catchment area.

2. Identify members of the community knowledgeable about each area to be covered and with a variety of opinions and experiences, who are interested in conducting the transect walk, as well as those interested in analyzing the results of the walk.

3. Identify outsider collaborators (e.g. from the island council) with additional technical skills that may be useful, should these skills not be found among community members, staff or volunteers.

4. Invite all participants to a meeting. During the meeting make a list of the information that should be gathered to meet the aim established in #1. Here are examples of things you may be looking for:

o Housing conditions

o Street vendors

o Non-governmental organizations, churches, and neighborhood institutions

o Public spaces

o Stores (e.g. pharmacies, grocery stores, open air markets)

o Sanitation (e.g. water, sewerage, garbage collection and blockage points)

o Location of health facilities

o Contaminated spaces

o High risk locations

1. Agree on symbols for landmarks to be included in the transect route map

2. Finally, identify a 3-hour period that serves all groups and when residents will be moving around the community and available for conversation.

3. Form teams of 2-3 people.

4. Agree on the routes for each sub-group of people. Each sub-group should have a member familiar to the area be

5. Provide plenty of time for the group to walk their route and to record their observations.

6. Process/record information arising from different walks and group discussions immediately after the walk.

1. All participants convene during the day agreed for the walk for a briefing session before commencing the walk

2. Draw your route on a paper

3. Start walking on the agreed routes.

4. Talk to people along the way to gain insight on the area that might not be visible to a casual observation

5. Take notes of your findings in regards to all the key landmarks and all information based on the list of information agreed upon for collection.

6. Make your marks on the transect route map based on the agreed symbols

7. After the walk get together with all groups and compile your findings immediately or soon after to avoid forgetting on key findings.

8. Use the information to update the Clinics Community Map