Supporting the 2018 Ebola outbreak in DRC

In 2017 OSM DRC achieved legal status in order to scale their mapping activities and increase training provision to new and existing members. In the last year they have established strong relationships with local NGOs and health partners such as the Red Cross and have been collaborating on risk reduction projects. The OSM DRC has grown from 200 to 300 members and female participation has increased from 10% to 20%. Currently, OSM DRC are supporting the Ebola outbreak. A major problem for emergency teams has been locating Ebola victims since many roads are unmapped. The OSM DRC team are mapping buildings, road details and key landmarks, to improve the accuracy and quality of the basemaps being used by emergency responders. Volunteers are using GPS trackers or open source data collection tools on android phones to add precise building positions and feature labels to the map. This includes adding accurate street names and region boundaries. OSM DRC are working with local officials and international agencies to set priorities and create projects to improve the epidemiological response.