21/08/2026
π World Humanitarian Day 2026: Jamaica on the Global Humanitarian Mapping Stage
As we marked World Humanitarian Day 2026 on August 19, Jamaica contributed to the important global conversation on the role of geospatial technology and community mapping in disaster preparedness and humanitarian response, during the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team (HOT) webinar, βWhen Disaster Strikes, Itβs Time to Map: Lessons on Community Mapping for Humanitarian Response and Preparedness.β
The session brought together practitioners from Jamaica, Malawi, Indonesia and the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team to share experiences on how collaborative mapping and geospatial data can support better preparedness, faster response and more informed decision-making when disasters strike.
Lloyd and Kennedy represented Jamaica's National Spatial Data Management Branch (NSDMB) and National Emergency Response GIS Team (NERGIST).
We were especially pleased to receive the following feedback from:
Pilatowsky Gruner, Sr. Communications Manager, HOT:
"Dear Simone and Akeem, thank you again for your excellent participation in today's webinar. It was very insightful to hear about your learning process and the impact NERGIST has had on disaster response and preparedness in Jamaica."
Scrollini, Director of Programs at HOT and moderator of the session:
βSimone and Akeem, you are great and made amazing contributions to the webinar. We truly appreciate your partnership!β
A proud moment for Jamaica and a reminder that our geospatial expertise has a place in the global humanitarian community. π―π²ππΊοΈ