Recent disaster trends indicate that people are increasingly impacted by more frequent and severe disasters particularly in vulnerable communities around the world. Urbanization has made matters worse; increasing numbers of people are migrating to cities in search of resources and livelihoods. More than half the world’s population currently lives in cities often located on coastlines and fault lines. These cities often lack sufficient infrastructure to support the impromptu, peri-urban settlements that have sprung up around the world. One billion people – 1/7th of the world’s population – now live in urban slums. (United Nations Development Report) Overcrowding, poorly-built dwellings and insufficient infrastructure has left hundreds of million of people increasingly vulnerable to disaster and disease.
The Missing Maps Project is an unprecedented collaboration between the American Red Cross, British Red Cross, Médecins Sans Frontières-UK (MSF-UK, or Doctors Without Borders-UK), and the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team to map the world’s most communities.
The Missing Maps Project has begun mapping locations where partner organizations are already conducting disaster preparedness and risk reduction activities. As major disasters strike, affected communities may also be prioritized.
Digital volunteer engagement is vital for the success of many humanitarian organizations around the world responding to disasters. It is imperative to have a larger pool of trained volunteers that are ready to assist with little coordination when a disaster occurs.
