Mapathons
When Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) teams arrive in a disaster zone, they face many challenges. One difficulty that is often overlooked is the lack of maps showing relevant information, such as roads, drinking water points or important buildings. To provide an appropriate and effective response, MSF teams need accurate maps.
The mapathons organised by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) offer a unique opportunity to support our teams working on humanitarian and medical projects without leaving Luxembourg. These participatory mapping workshops allow volunteers to trace roads, waterways and building outlines on satellite images. The maps created are essential for logistical planning, decision-making and coordination of operations, particularly in areas affected by disasters.
In 2024:
- 1,971,304 buildings mapped by
- 6,294 volunteers worldwide for
- 51 MSF projects mapped.
During our BeLux mapathon, organised by universities in Belgium and Luxembourg in March 2024, 55,000 buildings were mapped by 290 mappers.
Join us for an enriching experience
Participating in a mapathon is not only a way to help MSF, but also an opportunity to develop new skills and raise awareness of social and environmental issues. In addition to the direct impact on MSF operations, these events offer a friendly atmosphere and opportunities for hands-on learning in the field of mapping and data analysis.
On site, a team of MSF volunteers and RSS Hydro experts are available to assist you throughout the mapping process and answer any questions you may have.
Huge thanks to you and your team for getting this information to us here on the ground. The work has a massive impact on our medical, epidemiological, and logistics teams which have never had a true picture of the larger areas in South Sudan where MSF OCP operates.”
Joe Aumuller MA-MSPH, Epidemiologist Activity Manager MSF OCP
Understanding the impact of mapathons on operations in the field
We've been organising mapathons since 2019. Thanks to the efforts of our participants, thousands of buildings have been mapped.
Coverage by RTL - 1st MSF mapathon
An example of our impact: N'Djamena, Chad
As part of a week of eight mapathons organised as part of Belux 2024, an initiative involving several universities in Luxembourg and Belgium, 332 participants mapped 57,780 buildings and 40 km of roads. This mapping project was created in anticipation of further flooding and covered the entire city of N'Djamena and its neighbourhoods. The geographical data was used to determine whether the neighbourhoods were at risk of flooding.
Would you like to contribute to MSF's work from Luxembourg? Join us for our next mapathon. Follow us on social media to find out the date and location!
Would you like to support us in setting up these mapping workshops? Join our team of volunteers dedicated to mapathons!
MapSwipe
Contribute to mapping using your smartphone
If you want to do more and make mapping part of your routine, MapSwipe is for you. This app, available on Android and Apple devices, identifies areas that need more mapping, which will be completed during mapathons.
MapSwipe is also great for young people, who can contribute from a computer or tablet. In June 2025, two groups of high school and university students contributed to MapSwipe projects. Eight students from Miami University supported three projects and swiped more than 1,200 times, covering a total of 65 km² in less than two hours.