MIT’s Technology Review gives an annual prize to 35 Innovators Under 35. The first listed is David Kobia, Humanitarian of the Year.
From the article:
The Ushahidi project brings crowdsourcing to bear on some of the most desperate situations people face around the world. Its downloadable software allows users to submit eyewitness reports during a conflict or disaster; the collected reports are displayed on a map. At times when ordinary sources of news and public information are unavailable, Ushahidi gives users a way to share information and shape political opinion, guide rescuers, or pool resources. Ushahidi has been used to monitor elections in Sudan, document violence in Gaza, track the BP oil slick, and assist earthquake recovery efforts in Haiti.
Ushahidi was born during the riots that followed Kenya’s 2007 presidential election….That initial version was simple: just a map and a form that let users describe an incident, select the nearest town, and note the location, date, and time…..
It has been used in more than 30 countries, mostly by grassroots relief and watchdog organizations, to direct aid workers to specific locations, document corruption, and track complex events in space and time.
