OpenStreetMap – Haiti

Massive collaboration of tagging and adding information to wiki-project in aftermath of earthquake: indicating medical and shelter resource positions, road info etc.

TED talk describing mapping process

‘The next Web’

Tim Berners-Lee, March 2009

Iranian protests, crowdsourcing online

New York Times feature on Mehdi Saharkhiz (last week)

Example of footage featured in news piece:

Access Now link

Internet clampdown over Iran protests

Internet footage leaking out of Iran today during protests on 31st Anniversary of the Iranian Revolution. An internet blackout is currently in place in the country. Guardian piece…

Ushahidi – ‘Testimony’

Interactive mapping

ReliefWeb, UN Map service for humanitarian organisations, eg. providing current and updated graphic resources for agencies on ground in Haiti covering details such as damage assessment, affected areas, ground motion, bridge and road obstacles, operational challenges etc.

UNOSAT, the UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) Operational Satellite Applications Programme – implemented in co-operation with the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) – “provides new maps and share vector data with the humanitarian community.” Maps concerning Haiti are available here.

Interactive map in Guardian explaining distribution of aid in Port-au-Prince.

Google Person Finder app

Google have uploaded a person finder application to their appspot library, through which a visitor can attempt to locate or else provide information on somebody involved in the Haitian earthquake.

Concern earthquake response coverage

In-depth, human reports and film/photography on-the-ground in Haiti on Concern’s earthquake coverage blog. Personal empathetic reportage and witness account.

Dedicated YouTube channel features a number of interviews with key Irish members of the organisation involved in this relief effort…

The Concern Worldwide website has also embedded its own Twitter feed, here.

Twitter in Haiti

Haven

Newstalk reporter Ger Gilroy

Trocaire

Online Haiti donation resources established

New website established by Dóchas, the Irish Association of Non-Governmental Development Organisations.

“A website, HowYouCanHelp.ie, has been set up to detail how emergency relief works and how the public can help agencies. Developed by Dochas and sponsored by Irish Aid, it was designed to inform all those involved ub the relief operations.”

Taken from Metro Herald, Dublin

Daily Mail correspondent, speaking over phone live on Newstalk breakfast this morning, points to significant rise in online donations being made in Britain and US. Daily Mail online coverage of events in the wake of earthquake contains link to Disasters Emergency Committee (based in London) online donation form, while Red Cross International carry a similar service online.

Crudem Hopital Sacre Coeur in Haiti is also mentioned, where donations can be sent directly online.

Newstalk guest went to highlight SMS donation service has seen great uptake in US, quicker and more convenient than sitting down to complete online forms. Mobile Giving Insider is provider for this service, facilitating donation to a number of organisations.

However, questions exist over true immediacy of these payments and actual receipt of donations, restricted by industry red-tape.

“…both Mobile Accord (which is a for-profit company, but operates 100 percent pass-through mobile donation campaigns through the mGive Foundation) and the Mobile Giving Foundation admit it usually takes 90 days from the time of donation to the time it is received by the intended charity, in part because they are collected through each customer’s normal cell phone billing cycle. That’s eons in disaster recovery time.”