Technology: Maps

[Eng. Translation]
All over the world, non-governmental organizations work to find local solutions to complex issues with the help of surrounding communities. However, sometimes these organizations lack key up to date data to figure out where their help is most needed. They may also struggle with using their current data effectively to find smart solutions and advocate them the governments and communities they serve.

Digital mapping can help these organizations gather and analyze critical data more quickly than ever before. With digital mapping, data is collected from a community — or crowdsourced — via text messages, computers, and smartphones and visualized on a map in near-real time. Here’s how it works:

An earthquake strikes a city. People are hurt, buildings are damaged, and infrastructure has collapsed. With crowdsourcing responders can find out what regions need medical assistance and how best to get to there despite the surrounding damage.

Here’s an example of how digital mapping can help community change: you hear gunfire in your neighborhood and report it via SMS. Your report populates the map, which alerts others of the risk and shows you reports of other instances of violence in the area.

Mapping can be used to track everything from a malaria outbreak in Cairo to corrupt polling during elections in Algeria to the traffic jams in Dubai!

Digital mapping also gives organizations the ability to determine the accuracy a report before the data goes live — so organizations can be sure they and the public are moving in the right direction to create positive change.

Mapping gives NGOs the ability to gather real time information on the communities they serve, keep communities informed and involved, and advocate the most effective solutions to make real change.

Learn more at www.anadigital.org