Impact Report
Impact Report
Impact Report 2025: Global Open Mapping for Resilience, Disaster Response, and Community Empowerment
Impact Report 2025 provides a detailed look at how the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT) advanced its mission in 2025, marking the organization’s 15th year with a landmark achievement: mapping an area that supports roughly a billion people. The year also saw a broad expansion of local capacity, a stronger emphasis on community leadership, and a continued reliance on open-source geospatial tools to address climate risks, urban growth, displacement, and other pressing humanitarian and development challenges. The narrative highlights four regional hubs collaborating with local governments, civil society, and volunteers to translate geospatial data into tangible action on the ground. (Page 1)
Throughout 2025, HOT navigated a landscape shaped by tighter funding, shifting priorities, extreme disasters driven by climate change, and ongoing conflict. Yet these conditions underscored the value of HOT’s approach: data that is rooted in local realities, created with communities, and shared openly to support rapid decision-making, accountability, and resilience-building. The organization stressed that data ownership belongs to communities, and that local mappers, guided by open tools and accessible equipment, are essential to addressing the world’s most consequential geospatial questions. (Page 1)
HOT’s global reach is reflected in its core metrics and the evolving role of volunteers. As of 2025, tens of thousands of mappers and hundreds of thousands of contributors have helped map vast populations and countless buildings. The impact is measured not only in numbers but in how data supports disaster response, climate adaptation, urban planning, and health interventions—areas where precise location information, updated imagery, and reliable road networks enable faster, better-coordinated action. (Page 1)
Beyond raw data, the report emphasizes HOT’s mission to connect local communities with the tools, workflows, and knowledge they need to lead mapping efforts. Local mappers seek guidance on open-source technologies and affordable equipment to collect and validate information that directly serves their own needs. HOT’s collaborative workflow—built on free and open-source mapping tools—pulls together volunteers, humanitarian actors, and government partners to tackle shared challenges in climate resilience, disaster risk reduction, and sustainable development. (Page 1)
GLOBAL IMPACT AND THE FOUR REGIONAL HUBS
HOT’s work is organized around four regional hubs that fuse local realities with global best practices. Since their establishment in 2021 and 2022, these hubs have served as the primary interface with communities, governments, civil society, and partner organizations, ensuring that data collection and mapping efforts address ground-level needs while aligning with broader regional and global agendas. The hubs coordinate capacity-building, data collection, and open-data advocacy across diverse contexts—from coastal mangroves to urban planning and post-disaster recovery. (Page 6-7)
The Asia-Pacific (AP) Hub has supported a spectrum of initiatives—from environmental monitoring to post-dis disaster response—while investing in skill-building and leadership development for local teams. Examples include mangrove mapping to monitor blue-carbon ecosystems, disaster-response mapping in the wake of earthquakes, and ongoing programs that train government officials, NGOs, and community groups in open mapping practices. (Page 6-9)
The Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) Hub has focused on empowering local partners to map critical infrastructure, improve disaster preparedness, and support refugee and humanitarian operations through open data and community-led workflows. Training programs, field mapping campaigns, and cross-border collaborations helped ensure data quality and continuity in rapidly changing contexts. (Page 10-11)
The Latin America and the Caribbean (LA&CA) Hub connected regional networks to strengthen open mapping coalitions, support anticipatory action, and enable data-driven disaster planning. Partnerships with drone operators, disaster agencies, and regional initiatives demonstrated how open data translates into practical resilience and recovery efforts across multiple countries. (Page 12-13)
The West and Northern Africa (W&NA) Hub (and related regional activities) illustrated HOT’s commitment to extending mapping for urban planning, water access, and disaster response in diverse environments, including collaborations with local governments, NGOs, and community organizations to implement sustainable data-driven programs. (Page 14-15)
APPLIED PROJECTS: ASIA PACIFIC HUB
Through Map4Mangrove, HOT and its partners advanced mangrove restoration and monitoring in Indonesia, filling data gaps that hinder restoration and carbon accounting. Using drone imagery, field surveys, and community reporting, the project mapped mangrove health and spatial extent across restoration sites, enabling better reporting of carbon sequestration and ecosystem status. Local teams trained in mapping and drone data handling were empowered to sustain monitoring efforts beyond the project’s lifespan. (Page 8-9)
In Dhaka, the Climate Resilience Fellowship supported MAP4 RESILIENCE, a program targeting vulnerable informal settlements. The initiative mobilized residents—particularly women and youth—to engage in waste collection, pollution reduction, and photovoice storytelling that documents local environmental and health issues for advocacy. The goal was to build community capability to address climate and health risks while creating pathways for long-term resilience. (Page 8-9)
Myanmar’s earthquake response highlighted collaborative, data-driven disaster management. In the wake of a major 7.7 magnitude quake, a coalition including HOT, local partners, and international volunteers modernized the priority-township mapping, added thousands of buildings and roads to the base map, and piloted a crowdsourced damage assessment approach. The resulting data proved valuable for humanitarian planning, with substantial uptake by partners and researchers who used the information to inform relief and recovery activities. (Page 8-9)
These AP Hub activities illustrate a core HOT capability: mobilizing thousands of remote volunteers to generate up-to-date, ground-truthed data that supports rapid decision-making and long-term resilience in diverse environmental and governance contexts. They also demonstrate the Hub’s emphasis on building local capacity to sustain mapping ecosystems, including training and empowering local Gurus and partner staff. (Page 8-9)
ESA HUB: EASTERN & SOUTHERN AFRICA
The ESA Hub delivered a broad array of applications—from disaster risk reduction to refugee-support initiatives—through community-led mapping and targeted capacity-building. Projects emphasized not just data collection but the development of local expertise to maintain and evolve geospatial systems over time. (Page 10-11)
Case studies from this hub showcased practical impact: training programs for government and civil-society actors, open-data workflows that improve emergency response, and local mapping campaigns that inform urban planning and service delivery. The hub’s collaborations with national agencies and international partners helped embed open geospatial practices into routine operations, ensuring data continuity in fast-moving humanitarian contexts. (Page 10-11)
In Tanzania, for example, a large-scale mapping effort supported risk assessments, health and WASH planning, and disaster response by equipping local teams with accessible tools and methodologies. In Mozambique, joint work with national agencies focused on capacity-building and data integration to improve evacuation planning and infrastructure resilience. These efforts illustrate how open data partnerships translate into practical improvements for communities facing climate risk and displacement. (Page 10-11)
The ESA Hub also highlighted open geospatial skill-building for refugees and displaced populations, helping organizations incorporate participatory mapping into humanitarian operations and local governance. The aim was to ensure that data infrastructures reflect the lived experiences of affected communities and can be used to drive inclusive relief and recovery strategies. (Page 10-11)
LA&CA HUB: LATIN AMERICA & THE CARIBBEAN
The LA&CA Hub connected a diverse network of organizations and individuals to strengthen open mapping across the region. The Open Mapping Network includes regional collectives and partner groups that collaborate to share knowledge, build capacity, and coordinate data collection for disaster risk reduction, health planning, and urban development. (Page 12-13)
Jamaica’s Hurricane Melissa response showcased a rapid, multi-actor mapping effort using Drone Tasking Manager and real-time data sharing to support logistics, assessments, and early recovery planning. Local drone campaigns, led by partners like Jamaica Flying Labs, demonstrated how drone data complements satellite imagery and enhances situational awareness during emergencies. (Page 12-13)
Annual anticipatory mapathons (MANA) across Peru, Mexico, Colombia, and Ecuador produced tens of thousands of mapped buildings and hundreds of kilometers of roads. The data informed municipal risk planning, disaster management, and cross-sector coordination. Across the four countries, thousands of volunteers contributed to basemaps that underpin climate adaptation and urban resilience initiatives. (Page 12-13)
The LA&CA hub also highlighted partnerships with universities, NGOs, and government agencies to sustain open-mapping initiatives and advance data-driven decision-making in disaster planning and development. The long-term aim is to institutionalize open geospatial practices so that communities, not just international partners, own and benefit from the data. (Page 12-13)
WEST & NORTHERN AFRICA HUB
In West and Northern Africa, HOT supported data-driven urban planning, water access initiatives, and disaster response through collaborative mapping with local authorities and civil-society actors. The hub emphasized building local capacity, facilitating drone-assisted mapping, and expanding the use of open data to inform policy and community development. (Page 14-15)
Highlight examples included drone-enabled mapping campaigns to monitor urban growth, agreements with municipalities to maintain and update geospatial datasets, and partner-driven efforts to improve water-point mapping and service delivery in peri-urban settings. The work demonstrated how regional data ecosystems can support resilient and equitable development in rapidly changing urban and rural contexts. (Page 14-15)
PROGRAM THEMES: CONFLICT, DISPLACEMENT, AND OPEN DATA
HOT’s programmatic focus on conflict and displacement centers on using open mapping to illuminate population needs, identify safe corridors, and support humanitarian actors with timely, ground-truth data. In crisis zones, reliable basemaps, building footprints, and road networks are critical for planning evacuations, delivering aid, and coordinating multi-agency responses. The report highlights community-led mapping as a cornerstone of resilience—where affected residents contribute data and ground-truth information that improves response effectiveness and accountability. (Page 16-17)
By combining remote mapping with field data collection, HOT has supported rapid situation analysis, needs assessment, and recovery planning in contexts affected by conflict and displacement. The approach emphasizes inclusivity, ensuring that affected communities have a voice in how data is collected and used, and that open-data practices facilitate collaboration among diverse partners. (Page 16-17)
TECHNOLOGY, OPEN SOURCE, AND WORKFLOW ACCESS
HOT emphasizes a free, open-source, community-led workflow that makes mapping accessible to a broad range of users—from volunteers to government staff. The report outlines how tools, training, and process improvements connect data creation with on-the-ground use, ensuring that communities can sustain and extend their mapping efforts after initial projects conclude. The approach prioritizes accessibility, interoperability, and transparent data governance to maximize impact across regions and sectors. (Page 18-19)
Key components of the workflow include open-source mapping platforms, collaborative validation practices, and community-oriented training that builds local capacity to manage and update geospatial datasets. The aim is to create a resilient mapping ecosystem in which data are continually refreshed, quality-assured, and ready to inform policy and emergency response. (Page 18-19)
GOVERNANCE: BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The report acknowledges the leadership and governance provided by HOT’s board of directors, including new members welcomed during the year. The board’s oversight supports strategic direction, financial stewardship, and the organization’s mission to expand open mapping in ways that are ethical, relevant, and impactful for communities most affected by disasters and development challenges. (Page 20)
WHAT’S NEXT: LOOKING AHEAD TO 2026 AND BEYOND
As HOT plans for 2026, the focus is on strengthening local capacity, deepening community ownership of geospatial data, and expanding the use of open maps to support climate adaptation, urban resilience, and humanitarian action. The organization intends to scale successful hub models, foster more cross-regional collaboration, and invest in training, tools, and partnerships that help communities sustain and grow their mapping efforts over time. (Page 21)
FINANCIAL + PARTNERS: FINANCIAL REPORT
The report includes a financial overview and acknowledgments of partners that contribute to HOT’s mapping initiatives. It highlights the importance of sustainable funding and diverse collaborations to sustain open-data work that benefits communities around the world. (Page 22)
MEASURING IMPACT: SUMMARY OF KEY TAKEAWAYS
2025 demonstrated HOT’s capacity to mobilize large, distributed teams to produce timely, ground-truthed geospatial data that supports relief, recovery, and development. The four regional hubs served as vital conduits between local needs and global data ecosystems, ensuring that mapping activities respond to real-world requirements while aligning with broader humanitarian and development priorities. The organization’s ongoing emphasis on local leadership, open-source tools, and interoperable data platforms positions HOT to scale successes, deepen partnerships, and sustain impact in 2026 and beyond. (Page 1, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9, 10-11, 12-13, 14-15)
In sum, HOT’s 2025 yearbook reflects a dynamic landscape where community-driven mapping, open data, and coordinated global efforts converge to enhance disaster preparedness, climate resilience, and equitable urban development. The reports’ case studies—from mangrove recovery in Indonesia to anticipatory mapathons in Latin America—illustrate how data created with and for communities translates into practical, life-improving actions. The year sets a strong foundation for continued growth, collaboration, and impact in the years ahead. (Page 1)
