Maiyo Research Institute is a citizen science organization working to bridge the environmental data divide between the Global South and Global North. We collect, analyze, and openly publish data on Africa's ecosystems and biodiversity, making it freely available to scientists, policymakers, and communities everywhere.
Through machine-assisted data collection, AI-driven analysis, and transparent advocacy, we empower scientists, policymakers, and civil society to make informed, evidence-based decisions.
Over the next century, we envision an Africa where environmental data is as abundant, open, and accessible, closing the global data divide and empowering generations of scientists, policymakers, and communities to act on what the data shows.
Rwanda Environmental Data Portal
Browse biodiversity metadata records from GBIF, air quality from OpenAQ, and other data in a single searchable portal with filters, sorting, and detailed views. We hope to add more data sources and features over time, including data from our own projects.
Citizen science projects we hope to undertake
Automated Bird Audio Stations
Solar-powered bio-acoustic monitoring stations deployed across various notable ecological sites. Using the BirdNET AI platform developed by Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the stations hope to continuously identify and log bird species from audio, contributing real-time data to global avian biodiversity datasets.
Urban Air Quality Collection Network
A distributed network of low-cost air quality monitoring stations across Kigali. The stations collect continuous data on particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, and other pollutants, feeding into open datasets to support environmental health research and urban planning decisions in Rwanda and the broader region.
Low-Cost DNA Sequencing Initiative
Bringing accessible genomic tools to African biodiversity research, enabling species identification and ecosystem health assessments at a fraction of traditional cost.
River and Aquatic Wetland Water Testing
Long-term monitoring of water quality across Rwanda's rivers and wetlands using automated multi-parameter sensors, with data flowing continuously into open repositories.
- Open Science All data, methods, and insights are freely available for public use and collaboration.
- Transparency Openness in methodology, funding, and governance.
- Equity Centering African voices, ecosystems, and priorities in global scientific narratives.
- Independence Non-partisan, independent, driven by science.
- Long-Term Thinking Generational impact over short-term wins.
- Collaboration Working across borders, sectors, and disciplines to amplify impact.
- Tech-Driven Insight Using AI and machine learning responsibly to unlock deep insights from the data we collect.
Whether you're a researcher, funder, student, institution, or simply curious, we'd love to hear from you. We're always open to collaboration, partnerships, and new ideas.
@maiyoinstitute