As part of an initiative to help reduce poverty in the UK through the use of intelligent mapping, GMA has initially created thematic maps of London. These maps identify parliamentary constituencies of London where the opportunities for ‘sustainable employment’ are least - this being defined as areas of high unemployment combined with low availability of vocational training.

Sustainable employment is ‘low risk employment’ and is usually established after vocational training together with job launch by quality mentoring or apprenticeships. Consequently, the maps can be used by interested parties to target and improve the vocational opportunities in the worst areas. Click here to download maps.

Ethiopia is a stable and peaceful nation in East Africa, not least because of a respected group of older men, mostly in the Orthodox Church, but also in other denominations and in the Muslim faith and government, who with a unified voice advocate peace at all levels. This initiative has been carried out to help reduce poverty in the Ethiopia through the use of intelligent mapping; thematic maps of Addis Ababa shows micro-finance opportunities banded from least to best. Click here to download maps.

Haiti Mission: Sustainable Job Programmes for Young Men and Women

The primary objective of the project was to research the locations and boundaries of vocational and trade training programs and schools for young men and women within and around Port au Prince. A secondary objective was to gain an understanding of the current situation within Haiti in the wake of the 7.0 earthquake in January of 2010. During the two week trip to Port au Prince, 37 schools were visited and the directors/principals were interviewed in an effort to obtain as much information on the schools, their students, programs and impact of the earthquake on their ability to train and instruct programs and courses to promote sustainable employment opportunities and sustainable jobs.

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Making and Distributing a Poverty Solutions Map in Egypt - Lifting People out of Poverty.

Rupert Douglas-Bate visited Egypt in April 2011, to research and gain support for creating a poverty solutions map in Egypt. The vision is for mapping the population in Egypt to identify poverty so as to provide a tool to help the Egyptian government and other development agencies and Donors to target and plan efficient intervention strategies to lift Egyptian people out of poverty

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Archbishop Desmond Tutu is new Patron of Global MapAid

In December 2009 Archbishop Desmond Tutu very graciously agreed to become a Patron of Global MapAid, for which we are most grateful. In his own words he says:-

"Father David has indeed forwarded to me all your documents relating to what I find is a remarkably innovative and clearly effective mapping tool for placing humanitarian aid productively. The needs and solutions of climate change and global poverty both urgently need to be mapped, so it is vital you get all the support from Donors that you need !

The maps would certainly be an important incentive for donors knowing precisely where the needs are and where to direct their assistance. I like the idea that you try and use locally based teams whenever possible. For what it is worth, you could count me in as an enthusiastic Patron and supporter of this splendid tool and the Global MapAid team that are making it happen."

Bentley Systems Donates Software Systems to GMA

Bentley Systems Inc is a global player in the delivery of computer software solutions for the entire lifecycle of infrastructure assets, such as roads, schools and bridges, from concept to delivery and long term maintenance. One of its key software packages are its geographic information system tools that help define and manage land parcels and infrastructure.

Recently Bentley Systems Inc made a most generous donation of three sets of software systems to GMA, valued at several thousand dollars. It is intended that this software will be used first in sub-Saharan Africa to help map the locations of hospitals and schools. Bentley staffs in both the USA and the UK have worked together very effectively, to have this donation made. In due course the software will be part of a larger project that will illustrate the spread and depth of poverty, which will overlap with www.WikiMapAid.org.

WikiMapAid

WikiMapAid is a website allowing anyone, anywhere, to start adding humanitarian data to a global map, thus 'the wisdom of crowds' will be able to build a huge humanitarian map, giving credence to the idea that 'separate we are blind, but together we shall see.' WikiMapAid represents an Informal Equal Collaboration between two groups: a) Global MapAid and b) Wikinova and the University of Fortaleza from Brazil and was launched in March 2009 with an article in New Scientist magazine. To view article, click here.

The focus is to map poverty crises hot spots by capturing data about orphanage programs, drought, disease, food, employment, education and training and in future a whole range of other vital humanitarian and environmental considerations. But to begin with we are focusing on Zimbabwe. Visit: www.wikimapaid.org.

Wikinova and the University of Fortaleza have previously created the excellent site WikiCrimes. The site runs BEST on Firefox browser, please download from www.firefox.com this is easy and fast.

Please Note: The site is in the 'beta trial version' so there may be some glitches. Also the site does not yet have all the humanitarian symbols we should like (we call them 'Markers'). However, when you get to the site, you may Contact Us and send suggestions and even create potential Markers and we will consider all the ideas in good faith.

GMA Nepal : Partnerships for Progress 2009

The primary purpose of the exploratory visit to Kathmandu, Nepal was to evaluate the needs of local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and ultimately whether Global MapAid would be equipped and suitable to provide mapping services in the future for those local organizations. Site visits were made to a number of organizations and the three most promising potential relationships and projects are described in a report.

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GMA Street Children Pilot-Survey 2008

The aim of this pilot-survey is to map and record the daily movement and activity of a selected group of street children, over a seven day period, in the City of Port Elizabeth (South Africa). Little is known about these children, however, it is a logical starting point to define as clearly as possible how, where, and why they live.

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USA & Hurricane Katrina and Rita 2005

Since arriving on September 7th GMA has defined the type of maps required as being 'disaster response for the people returning home' and not 'disaster assessment maps for the humanitarian decision makers', which is already being well served by FEMA, NASA and other agencies. Disaster response must take into account environmental factors.

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Pakistan Earthquake 2005, 2006

As a result of the terrible earthquake in northern Pakistan in the autumn of 2005, where some 70,000 people died, the board of GMA decided upon an urgent intervention to review where GMA could help, particularly if there were 'gaps' in the current humanitarian mapping.

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The Geo ERV Project

Learn more about the Geo ERV project.

Tsunami, Indonesia 2005

At the start of 2005 the Board of GMA decided that humanitarian mapping in Bande Aceh, N.Sumatra might be helpful.

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Africa

It is envisaged that countries most affected by famine in the southern African region, namely Zimbabwe...

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GMA has recently brought on board a new Trustee from General Motors,specialising in logistics and information management.

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