The concept behind WikiMapAid is to map poverty crisis hotspots by using collaborative wiki software to enable humanitarian workers and others to add health, welfare and education information to a Google Map.
Users of the map can add markers to show the location of places such as schools, hospitals or refugee centres, or markers can be added that report on the current situation in an area. Videos and photos can be attached to markers to help explain the current situation.
WikiMapAid in concept resembles two maps featured before on Google Maps Mania HealthMap, a map that plots real-time worldwide infectious disease outbreaks from around the world and Ushahidi, a website that is trying to document and report human rights abuses in Kenya.
WikiMapAid is a collaboration between Global MapAid and Wikinova and the University of Fortaleza who previously created the crime mapping website WikiCrimes.
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It will also be a good idea to map out the NGOs working against poverty using Google Maps. They are a very strong and potential force in the international efforts to reduce poverty, but many lie scattered around the world in an unorganized manner. Hope the Google Maps will be a valuable tool to consolidate their efforts.
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