News

Maps, Mapping News

Strengthening Disaster Preparedness In Muzarabani Region, Zimbabwe Through Open Mapping

In Muzarabani District, Zimbabwe, floods occur every year during the rainy season. Government officials and NGOs reported gaps in geospatial data that hindered planning and implementation of disaster risk reduction initiatives before, during, and after disasters. With government support, the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team’s Open Mapping Hub - Eastern and Southern Africa (OMH-ESA) and Caritas Zimbabwe launched the Zimbabwe Anticipatory Response mapping project in the country's most flood-prone district, Muzarabani District. The project successfully mapped 14 flood-prone communities, evacuation centers, health facilities, and impassable roads. The locally-generated geodata was embedded in Kairezi Ward's Multi-Hazard Contingency Plan, adopted in August 2023, potentially benefiting at least 6,000 villagers. Now Government officials and humanitarian organizations all reference the same interactive map for preparedness coordination.

April 2, 2026

Blogs

Paving Inclusive Paths: Women Leading Open Mapping Across Asia-Pacific

Across Asia-Pacific, women are closing the gender gap in the geospatial field by leading impactful change through open mapping. On this International Women’s Day, we feature five Open Mapping Gurus advancing more inclusive and resilient communities, while inspiring other women to contribute and lead.

Explore their stories and journeys, where they share insights and inspiration for women in mapping and anyone striving to make an impact in their communities.

March 8, 2026

HOT Announcements

From One Billion Mapped to What Comes Next: A Sustainable Model for Community Data

Feb. 24, 2026

Maps, Mapping News

From Waste to Wealth: A Community Story of PLASPIN in Shah Poran, Dhaka

Plastic waste in Shah Poran, Dhaka, Bangladesh was transformed from an everyday burden into a shared resource through the PLASPIN Circular Economy Model, led by women and supported by youth and open mapping. By linking waste segregation, local leadership, and transparent recycling systems, the project shows how community power and simple incentives can turn environmental challenges into dignity, income, and lasting collective action.

Feb. 23, 2026

Mapping News

Rain for Resilience: Community-Based Rainwater Harvesting in Aambagan Chinnomul, Chattogram

Residents of Aambagan Chinnomul, an informal settlement in Chattogram, Bangladesh, face persistent and severe water insecurity. To address this, a community-based rainwater harvesting system was implemented, offering a practical, equitable, and resilient solution for water access.

Feb. 22, 2026

Mapping News, Maps

The Resilient Trashformers: How Participatory Mapping and Community Action Are Building Climate Resilience in Dhaka's Ershad Nagar

Plastic waste poses a serious environmental and health threat in Ershad Nagar, an informal settlement in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Through participatory mapping, community-led waste management, and incentive-driven recycling initiatives, local women and youth are stepping up as changemakers, transforming their neighborhoods and tackling the waste crisis head-on.

Feb. 21, 2026

HOT Announcements

Partnership Spotlight: HOT and Hogan Lovells collaboration through pro bono work and corporate volunteering

Explore our long-term partnership between Hogan Lovells and HOT, showcasing how corporate volunteering and pro bono expertise can come together to strengthen disaster response, advance community-led drone mapping, and create measurable, lasting social impact worldwide.

Feb. 16, 2026

Mapping News

A Blueprint for Resilience: What Bangladesh's Youth Teach Us About Climate Action

The Climate Resilience Fellowship, supported by NetHope and World Vision Bangladesh, empowered young innovators from climate-vulnerable communities in Bangladesh to lead locally grounded responses to flooding, heat, and environmental risk. Through open mapping and community-driven action, the fellowship transformed lived experience into leadership and scalable climate solutions, demonstrating how investing in youth-led innovation strengthens resilience and creates pathways for long-term impact across the region.

Feb. 8, 2026

Blogs

From Local Knowledge to Replicable Models: The IAI-Supported Community Forest Monitoring Project in San José Poaquil

The Community Forest Monitoring project in San José Poaquil, Chimaltenango, Guatemala, is a community-based research initiative grounded in a transdisciplinary approach that promotes and encourages the use of technology for the monitoring, management, and conservation of community forests in the region. The process receives technical support from the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT), under the leadership of Geotecnológica de Guatemala, a member of the Open Mapping Network, and is driven by local ownership of tools, data, and community knowledge. This work has been made possible through the Seed Grant Tropical Forests in the Americas: Transdisciplinary Approaches for Environmental Transformations from the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) (SG-TF020-2024).

Feb. 5, 2026

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