Volunteer Hub
Volunteering from Home: Community Mapping Uganda 2025-26
Organisation Details
University of Manchester Volunteering & Awards Team
Sub theme: Disability, Hospitals and Hospices
Description of role: Community Mapping Uganda is an organisation based in the School of Environment, Education and Development at The University of Manchester. Their goal is to create maps of previously un-mapped areas of the world, in order to help address chronic humanitarian crises. Their work began in the Acholi Sub-Region of Northern Uganda, where they use their maps to provide prosthetic limbs to the many thousands of people who lost arms and legs during a conflict that ravaged the region for over 20 years.
In addition to the delivery of prosthetic limbs, these free maps have also been used for a variety of other purposes, including the installation of Internet connections to dozens of health centres and hundreds schools in the region, several medical programmes including the delivery of prosthetic services and cervical screening to remote communities, and the creation of new water supplies in order to reduce inequality in access to clean drinking water across the region.
Volunteers are needed to fill in blanks on the map by drawing around buildings, roads, footpaths, rovers, and other features that they can see in satellite imagery. All of the data collected is sent to OpenStreetMap, which makes the data freely available for anyone who wants it, and the results are made into digital and paper maps that are available for use by local people.
HOW DO I SIGN UP?
Click the Apply Now button below and a member of the Volunteering Team will be in touch by email to help you get started and explain how to log your volunteering hours.
In addition to the delivery of prosthetic limbs, these free maps have also been used for a variety of other purposes, including the installation of Internet connections to dozens of health centres and hundreds schools in the region, several medical programmes including the delivery of prosthetic services and cervical screening to remote communities, and the creation of new water supplies in order to reduce inequality in access to clean drinking water across the region.
Volunteers are needed to fill in blanks on the map by drawing around buildings, roads, footpaths, rovers, and other features that they can see in satellite imagery. All of the data collected is sent to OpenStreetMap, which makes the data freely available for anyone who wants it, and the results are made into digital and paper maps that are available for use by local people.
HOW DO I SIGN UP?
Click the Apply Now button below and a member of the Volunteering Team will be in touch by email to help you get started and explain how to log your volunteering hours.
Skills / qualities associated with the role: IT Skills
Are volunteer expenses available?: No
Duration of role: Ongoing / Long term
Opportunity times: Monday Morning, Monday Afternoon, Monday Evening, Tuesday Morning, Tuesday Afternoon, Tuesday Evening, Wednesday Morning, Wednesday Afternoon, Wednesday Evening, Thursday Morning, Thursday Afternoon, Thursday Evening, Friday Morning, Friday Afternoon, Friday Evening, Saturday Morning, Saturday Afternoon, Saturday Evening, Sunday Morning, Sunday Afternoon, Sunday Evening
DBS required: Off
Can reasonable adjustments be made regarding additional needs?: Yes
Minimum hours commitment: 1
Location:
This opportunity is one which can be done from home!