Introducing our volunteers and associates, some words from Rupert Douglas-Bate:
Meet the Team
Founder
The international volunteers and associates that constitute MapAid are here to serve other people first, through the influential maps, we make.
Our collective aim is to promote the cause of those in greatest need across the world, in particular small farmers in Africa, who are suffering increasingly from climate change and food insecurity.
However, an acceptable irony of the work is that while our maps can positively influence the future of millions of people, it is unlikely we will meet them !
Our volunteers, both technical and non-technical work together on a wide variety of tasks. Usually, these are fun, occasionally they are boring, but “taking the rough with the smooth” is part of MapAid’s effectiveness.
We are a friendly and hard-working team, from a wide variety of nationalities including but not limited to America, Colombia, the Czech Republic, and Ethiopia. Check out Where MapAid volunteers come from.
To get an initial flavour of our volunteers, two are listed below. If you want to know about our current volunteer opportunities, contact us.
Volunteers
Irina Maslennikova – Human Resources Lead
I have "lived experience" working as a senior executive for both Corporate and NGO sectors in multiple countries and as a result, speak several languages. I obtained my PhD in Environmental Protection from Moscow State University and am really enthusiastic to promote equality and diversity, having inspired, coached and promoted women across the world during my career. Click here for more.
Ted Mothers – a GIS and Imagery Lead
My career in the commercial sector, across the world, has spanned over 20 years and has been a blend of technology, agriculture and horticulture. One of the most interesting pieces of work has been for USAID on land tenure mapping for small farmers in Mozambique. The team I led used a range of imagery and satellite-gathered data for the production of geological coincidence maps augmented with tri-band composites and including hyper-spectral analysis of resulting imagery. This resulted in help for small farmers !
One of the things I like about MapAid is that we are a collection of friends, with one goal, which is to serve vulnerable people, especially small farmers, through our smart approach to aid. Another thing I like is the diversity in our team and our real sense of gender equality.
Patron
The late Archbishop Desmond Tutu was our Patron.
Desmond Tutu was a South African Anglican cleric who became one of the central leaders of the global peace movement, beginning in South Africa “the rainbow nation”. An outspoken defender of human rights and campaigner for the oppressed, no matter their background, tribe, religion or colour, Desmond’s eloquent advocacy and brave leadership significantly supported a relatively peaceful end to South African apartheid in 1993 and the installation of Nelson Mandela as the nation’s first black President.
The Archbishop dedicated his life to reshaping conversations about peace, equality and forgiveness among people everywhere. In 1984, he earned the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts as a global peace maker and in later years devoted his time to the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation and the Desmond Tutu Peace Foundation with the goal of teaching youth the powerful role and voice they play, in creating a more compassionate and peaceful world.
It was with considerable sadness that in late 2021, we marked the passing of a great man, our Patron, Archbishop Emeritus & Nobel Peace Prize winner, Desmond Tutu.
He is a reminder of the human capacity for solidarity & political action with a tremendous streak of compassion and humour, and we love him.
Desmond Tutu, October 7th 1931 – December 26th 2021
