In times of disaster, getting relief to the right places is critical. Often times, this depends on how fast information can be gathered from different locations. MapAction creates a 'shared operational picture' through the form of maps.  Having mapped 15 disaster since 2004, MapAction, a UK NGO, deploys its disaster response volunteers all over the world.

In some parts of the world, geographical data is not free. Inspired by sites like Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap set out to create a free editable map of the world. Initially, information was collected by volunteers using handheld GPS devices and a notebook.

UPDATE: In an email conversation with Yaw, he pointed out a few additional noteworthy things about the Open Data Kit.  

Here is how our client is different:

Sensing is just one way in which mobiles are used in environmental protection. Another promising area is wildlife protection in sensitive areas where humans and animals collide, often to the detriment of protected animals.

2008 USAID Development 2.0 Challenge submissions

HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE

1) Connecting Refugees

2) CoordinAid: Technology To Augment Humanitarian Relief Efforts

2008 USAID Development 2.0 Challenge submissions

CROSS-CUTTING PROGRAMS

1) AfriAfya Smartphones For Eastern Africa

Global Relief Technologies (GRT) was founded to help organizations in remote, disconnected and extreme environments report critical information in real time.

Why Mobile: Mobile phones are the one ubiquitous technology found all over the globe -if the goal of Ushahidi is to let ordinary people submit reports during a crisis and know of incidents happening around them, then we must ensure that any phone can be used for this purpose. 

There will be an OpenStreetMap mapping party this weekend in Phoenix, AZ December 6th and 7th.  Brandon Aguirre from Cloudmade will be here to coordinate things, and Gangplank will host it in Chandler, AZ.
If you haven’t been to a mapping party before you’ll want to come along and bring a friend. There is quite a bit of [...]