Technical local communities: emerging partner for humanitarian actors?

Chair: Martin Noblecourt (CartONG)

Traditionally, aid organizations have taken a cost-effective approach in which technical trainings are provided to their own staff (as well as partners), in order to guarantee the best conditions for operations - but not always ensuring these skills staid sustainably in country-. Today, the rise of local communities of technology enthusiasts (in universities, technology hubs and Fablabs,citizen science movements, open source communities, etc.) all around the world opens a new window of opportunities to guarantee the sustainability of capacity building on information management and mapping. How can traditional aid actor interact with these local communities to both have them contributing to the humanitarian effort, but also empower the civil societies and foment long-term development?

How can humanitarians better work with local communities - Kelly Church - Project Manager (SimLab)

Partnering Local Tech Communities - Pete Masters - Missing Maps Project Coordinator (MSF UK)

Supporting the development on an OSM Community in Madagascar - Violaine Doutreleau - Missing Maps Coordinator (CartONG)

Perspectives from OSM Togo - Richard Folly - Coordinator (OSM Togo)