Give As You Live

Global MapAid at the Solid Symposium: Using Data and AI for Sustainable Impact

04/05/2026

Global MapAid team at the Solid Symposium
Six members of the Global MapAid team at the Solid Symposium, from left Paul, Rupert, Daisy Nduwuba, Nathan Ahadu, Prasath Jeyakuma and Yeukai Chikowore

On May 1, 2026, Global MapAid, or simply “MapAid” was proud to join the Solid Symposium, an inspiring event hosted by the Open Development Institute. The Symposium, where “Solid” stands for “Social in Data,” gathered world leaders & technologists to explore how AI and open technology can create a fairer, more sustainable future. A major highlight was the involvement of Sir Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the word wide web, who is currently championing the “Solid” project to decentralise the internet. As the CTO of Inrupt and a professor at both MIT and Oxford, he is building the tools necessary to give data ownership and privacy back to the people.

By shifting control away from large platforms and back to individuals, this movement aims to restore the original promise of the web. At MapAid, we were thrilled to contribute to these vital conversations about web standards and the ethical use of AI. It’s clear that the future of technology isn’t just about faster connections—it’s about ensuring that data serves the public good and empowers every user and this is exactly what Global MapAid is aiming for in Ethiopia, along with our esteemed local partners.

As part of the Sustainable Knowledge Centre “SKC” Ethiopia session, we shared an update on our first use case: developing locally driven AI prototypes to support Ethiopian ownership of a national groundwater detection & mapping system aimed are reducing dry wells which are very expensive. Along with local partners including the University of Arba Minch and the Ministry of Water & Energy, our collaborative work is designed to help smallholder farmers improve irrigation and build resilience in the face of aggressive drought caused by climate change.

Our CEO, Rupert Douglas-Bate, supported our Chair, Paul Davies who presented our work, highlighting how WellMapr™ and SKC collaboration are turning data into practical tools for communities on the ground.

Paul Davies
Paul Davies, Chair of Global MapAid, explains how and why we are working in Ethiopia

We were also pleased to join a panel on Solid and the Sustainable Development Goals, alongside:

  • Mirjam van Reisen, Leiden University Medical Centre & Tilburg University, speaking on FAIR-based applications for sensitive humanitarian data.
Professor Mirjam van Reisen
Professor Mirjam van Reisen, Leiden University Medical Centre and Tilburg University
  • Sameer Gahlot, Artificial Intelligence International Institute, sharing insights from the Solid Advisory Committee.
Sameer Gahlot
Sameer Gahlot, associated with the Artificial Intelligence International Institute and serves on the Solid Advisory Committee

The event, hosted at City, St George’s, University of London, also featured a thought-provoking keynote from Professor Sir Nigel Shadbolt, Open Data Institute & University of Oxford, on how Solid can deliver impact in today’s world.

Solid Symposium panelists
Solid Symposium panelists, from left Rupert Douglas-Bate, Paul Davies, Mel Wood, (Global MapAid) and Mirjam van Reisen and Sameer Gahlot

These conversations reinforce a shared ambition: to ensure that data and AI are not only powerful, but locally owned, accessible, and impactful.

At MapAid, we are proud to support Ethiopia’s smallholder farmers—the nation’s democratic majority and the backbone of its local economy. By partnering to drive smarter water management under UNSDG 6, we empower these small-business owners to build stronger, more resilient and happy communities.