Mapping Communities for Social Impact

What happens when communities invisible to the digital world suddenly appear on a map? Lives change. Resources flow. Possibilities emerge.Rebecca Firth, Executive Director of Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT), leads a global movement that’s reshaping how we think about maps, data, and community agency. With 750,000 volunteer mappers across 90 countries, HOT has illuminated regions home to nearly a billion people—bringing them out of digital darkness.Maps aren’t just for navigation—they’re critical tools for disaster response, public health, climate resilience, and social equity. Yet millions remain unmapped, unseen by systems meant to support them.HOT is changing that by putting mapping power directly in the hands of local communities. Through initiatives like their FAIR project, they’re training neighborhood-specific AI models with communities, not on them—ensuring data reflects lived realities.From flood planning in Liberia to forest conservation in Guatemala, the results are transformative. In Sierra Leone, a map source reads simply: “I live here.”Rebecca shares how open data, community ownership, and ethical AI can shift the global map toward equity—and why mapping is one of the most powerful tools for justice today.🎧 Listen now to learn how you can help build a more resilient, inclusive world—one map at a time.👉 Start mapping or sign up for the newsletter at hotosm.org 🔗 Explore more links: linktr.ee/hotosm 📸 Follow along on Instagram: @_hotosmSponsored by EVCHARGE4U—your partner for fast, reliable EV charging solutions for homes, businesses, and fleets. Powering a cleaner tomorrow, today.Support the show