Friday’s Food for Thought: Humanitarian Mapping

Digital humanitarianism and crowdsourcing have revolutionized the way disaster relief efforts are conducted, making it easier for anyone with a mobile device to assist in the response. Here are some apps and tools you can download to help make a difference.

Decode Darfur

Human rights group Amnesty International launched an interactive platform where users can analyze satellite imagery for devastation in Sudan’s Darfur region. According to a Forbes article, restrictions from the Sudanese government have made access to the area nearly impossible, which led to the development of Decode Darfur. Users can compare old imagery with new to identify signs of violence and destruction.

MapSwipe

The Missing Maps project launched an app this summer for users who want to help map remote areas. By downloading MapSwipe to their mobile devices, users can swipe through satellite images of unmapped regions of the world to identify settlements, structures, roads, and other features that might be of potential use for aid workers. The app is designed to streamline the process for Missing Maps’ volunteers and to provide information more quickly to humanitarian workers on the ground.

Photo Credit: DigitalGlobe