
TED Talks Daily How you can help map the world's most vulnerable places | Rebecca Firth
Aug 17, 2020
Rebecca Firth, Director of Partnerships at the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT), discusses the revolutionary power of mapping for vulnerable communities. She reveals how volunteers are using open-source technology to aid disaster recovery efforts, like those in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. With an ambitious goal to map one billion people in five years, Rebecca emphasizes the importance of community involvement and training volunteers. She calls for action to identify and support neglected regions, enhancing humanitarian responses globally.
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Hurricane Maria Response
- After Hurricane Maria, 6,000 HOT volunteers mapped Puerto Rico.
- Responders used these maps to assess damage and distribute aid, demonstrating the project's impact.
Unmapped Vulnerability
- Many crises disproportionately affect those not on the map.
- Over a billion people are unmapped, highlighting an injustice and preventable suffering.
Mapping in Peru
- Rebecca Firth recounts navigating Peru with a poorly drawn map, illustrating mapping challenges.
- Community health workers, after training, created a detailed map used for COVID-19 response.

