It’s Not about Drones; It’s about People

A pebble dropped into a pond may seem inconsequential at first glance. But upon closer inspection, the ripples extend far beyond the initial splash, influencing the surrounding environment in meaningful ways. Similarly, a microgrant can transform a small local project into significant opportunities and impactful outcomes. With the Turning Data into Action (TDIA) microgrant approach, WeRobotics extends to Flying Labs critical financial, technical, strategic, and communication support that allows Flying Labs to turn a small project into far-reaching impact and a cascade of opportunities.

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Flooding has long been a pressing issue in Gaborone, exacerbated by climate change and inadequate infrastructure. Traditional methods of flood management, primarily reactive and manual, have often fallen short in addressing the intensity of floods. An innovative, data-driven approach is necessary to strengthen the country’s disaster risk reduction efforts. Thus, Botswana Flying Labs, supported by WeRobotics’ Turning Data into Action microgrant, launched Project Resilience in 2024.

With Project Resilience, Botswana Flying Labs aimed to predict and mitigate flood risks in real-time, empowering local communities and authorities to act before disaster strikes. However, the team quickly realized that turning data into action is about more than just the technology. 

Community engagement is the most difficult part of creating change at the local level. It asks for presence and patience, and it will not be hurried if it is to be done well. And so, it is the part that many organizations skip; the temptation is to get it over with and proceed with solutions already packaged. But to truly engage a community – to walk its paths, to sit and listen, and to earn trust rather than demand it – this is where impact begins. It is slow work, often uncomfortable but always necessary.

In the video below, Sizwe Makepe, Coordinator of Botswana Flying Labs, shares how his team’s pilot of Project Resilience brought them to the knowledge that success can take unexpected forms in the work of turning data into action.