Open Source Impact Programs

Partner: DataCamp Donates

The problem

The earthquakes that struck Türkiye and Syria on February 6, 2023, caused widespread destruction and resulted in tens of thousands of fatalities. In response, we decided to launch a program that creates new and effective ways to address the aftermath of such disasters. 

Through technology-first solutions, our aim is to aid affected communities in rebuilding and recovering from this and future similar tragedies.

Emergencies and disasters inflict catastrophic damage to human life, property, and displacement. To minimize impact, effective and efficient disaster response measures are crucial. This is where Artificial Intelligence (AI) can help, deserving further exploration into its potential to dramatically improve disaster response and recovery efforts.

Through our research and AI development efforts, we aim to create tools and systems that can aid in search and rescue operations, provide essential resources to survivors, and facilitate the reconstruction of infrastructure and buildings. Our ultimate goal is to minimize the impact of future earthquakes and ensure the safety and well-being of those affected by such disasters.

The challenge

Omdena calls for a diverse team of AI experts, data scientists, and disaster management professionals to collaborate and develop innovative AI solutions for disaster assistance and emergency relief. This challenge aims to leverage the power of AI to enhance the speed, accuracy, and efficiency of disaster response efforts, leading to better outcomes for affected communities. 

The challenge also calls for contributors who live in earthquake affected areas who can provide a timely, on-the-ground perspective and data on the ongoing crises. These earthquake-affected locals need only have an interest in data science and AI to participate. Collaborators will be expected to improve their AI knowledge and skills by learning on DataCamp, for which scholarships will be provided.

Key areas of focus

The challenge will focus on developing AI solutions in the following areas:

• Predictive modeling for disaster risk assessment and early warning systems
• Real-time situation assessment for efficient resource allocation
• Automated damage assessment and mapping for rapid response planning
• Predictive maintenance for critical infrastructure
• Predictive logistics for efficient aid delivery
• Predictive evacuation planning for population safety

What we’re looking for

We’re seeking innovative and impactful AI solutions that have the potential to transform disaster response and recovery efforts. The ideal solution will:

• Be scalable and able to integrate with existing systems and processes
• Offer real-time data analysis and decision-making capabilities
• Improve the accuracy and efficiency of disaster response efforts
• Enable better resource allocation and aid delivery
• Foster collaboration and information sharing among disaster response agencies
• Learn and improve personal AI skills by using DataCamp

Here are some examples of how AI solutions could be used to assist in disaster response and emergency relief efforts in the case of earthquakes:

• Predictive modeling for disaster risk assessment and early warning systems: AI-powered predictive models could analyze historical seismic data, weather patterns, and other relevant information to identify areas at high risk of earthquakes. This information could issue early warnings, allowing people to evacuate and take precautions before the earthquake strikes.

• Real-time situation assessment for efficient resource allocation: During an earthquake, AI systems could use real-time data from sensors, drones, and other sources to rapidly assess the extent of damage and identify areas in most urgent need of assistance. This information could then allocate resources and aid more effectively.

• Automated damage assessment and mapping for rapid response planning: AI-powered drones and cameras could quickly survey the affected area to create high-resolution maps that show the extent of the damage. This information could be used to prioritize response efforts, such as search and rescue missions, and to develop effective recovery plans.

• Predictive maintenance for critical infrastructure: AI systems could analyze the structural data of critical infrastructure, such as bridges, buildings, and roads, to identify potential weaknesses and predict the likelihood of damage during an earthquake. This information could be used to prioritize maintenance and retrofit efforts, reducing the risk of catastrophic damage.
• Predictive logistics for efficient aid delivery: AI-powered logistics systems could analyze real-time data on road conditions, traffic, and other factors to optimize the delivery of aid and supplies to affected areas. This could improve the speed and efficiency of relief efforts, and help ensure that aid reaches those in need as quickly as possible.

How to Participate

If you’re an AI expert, data scientist, or disaster management professional and have a passion for using technology to make a positive impact AND/OR you live in are recently affected by an earthquake and are interested in data science and AI, we encourage you to participate in this challenge.

Conclusion

By participating in this challenge, you have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on disaster response and recovery efforts. Join us as we harness the power of AI to create solutions that save lives and improve outcomes for affected communities.

Partner: Corporación Juego y Niñez (CJN)

The problem

As an NGO that protects children and adolescent’s rights in Colombia, we design different solutions to the problems that are identified by our objective population and the Estate or private sector that is aware of the magnitude of the problems related to human development in our society, mainly, we work at the education field, in which we have a relevant trajectory that permitted us to show evidence of impact because of some academic partners, that have executed research processes over our operation experiences, as result of these studies we have an optimistic and based on evidence approach to the children development in Colombia.

In this context, we have identified some problems that need technological solutions to improve or extend its knowledge or impact, as we list next:

1. There is a lack of information in the field of children and families’ rights guarantee data in our country, mainly referring to problems that have a direct incidence over the development process, such as violence at home, access to services, programs, or institutional actions, unsatisfied basic necessities, public policy, and something that as CJN we defend from conceptual and practical evidence, that is the right to play as a central element of human development.

2. We consider children as active agents of change in our society, pitifully public decisions have been thought and designed traditionally by private or particular groups with power, especially in this case, the adults taking decisions have ignored the perspective of children and adolescents, under the social construction related with the underage theories or as people that need to be assisted for every action. This implies that public policy has ignored intentionally the outlook of a significate group of the overall population generating imperfect actions and have relegated children to a passive position, what have caused children don´t understand their rights and the risks popper of living in this society and nowadays, is necessary to emphasize in digital environments, which come with particular opportunities of participation and development of socio-emotional skills.

3. The environment is one of the principal concerns of every social, political, and economic group, because the wildlife, quantity of forests, quality of air, temperature, and access to environmental resources are just a few specific variables that their indicators are getting increasing worse, and this is the reason of changes that affect the human and wildlife in the earth, having consequences on economic chains and social conflicts. As CJN, we impact this problem based on our value proposal, proposing education that empowers children and communities in friendly practices with the environment, because we trust that changes start from building new outlooks and imaginaries mainly in children populations that are influential in their contexts.

AI solution

1. Considering the challenge of doing a comprehensive labor of explaining the state of children´s rights guarantee in Colombia especially the right to play, implies different tasks that could be supported and potentiate by technology and especially using IA, for the necessary activities like gathering, systematization, and analysis of information, through different solutions. We envision a module that permits us to gather and visualize the results of this big information movement in real time that we are going to build in a group of civil society, technical personnel from public entities, and technics from Omdena group part of the local chapter that want to be part of this challenge. Our most prospective desire is to constitute this module as a data solution to take decisions in public policy and even for private initiatives related to children’s rights, which would imply building indicators based on data gathered and statistical methodologies to find associations between variables and even for forecasting models.

2. New technologies and digital social networks are both, a hazard to children because are related to different kinds of risks such as stereotypes, bullying, and other challenges to mental health, and also to risks related to sexual violence, but we as CJN want to see these elements as platforms to empower the children and adolescents in an open and real participation process based on opportunities that allow different kinds of social networks as Tik-Tok, Facebook or even other communities centered in a sort of populations as Twitch that is a space of gathering for gamer groups of young people. This initiative needs a social approach to understand how participation in these groups happens, but also, requires a technological approach that could be potentiated through AI or data science solutions that helps us to think of the participation methodology and automatize the data analysis and visualization, the taking decision process in the participative spaces and systematization of results to tackle the emerging need of build and strengthen digital citizenships that allow and give tools to children and adolescents for make incidence in social and familiar problems that involve them from the environments in which they more often live, as the digital spaces.

3. The environmental problem around the world is a relevant challenge, from the CJN we designed an education program with children and local actors of education (as toy libraries professionals, teachers, or public servants) through a specialized toolkit that has been validated for more than six years of operation that shown relevant results in knowledge improvement and change of practices. In the actual world, we envision a toolkit developed for a digital environment, using as a platform a website or cellphone app that doesn´t require any specific devices to work, but that can be displayed taking into account the new ways of social networks, communitarian public actions based in technologies for tackle problematics that concern to children and their families. 

Regional focus

At the moment we are keen on keep working just in Colombia and developing strategies that have an impact on childhood here, however, we want to have an incidence on different proposals originated on the needs that are common to children around the world, and this we are doing it through alliances and knowledge exchanges with local and international partners and alliances.

Partner: Kenya Red Cross

The problem

Migrants, displaced populations, and refugees often are among the worst affected in times of disaster. Disruption of social networks and support systems, lack of local knowledge, language, and cultural barriers compound their vulnerability. Displaced populations are often vulnerable to exploitation and abuse, including physical violence and sexual abuse, and also may face challenges accessing essential services such as healthcare, education, and clean water. 

For better planning and allocation of resources, the Kenya Red Cross Society would like to use AI to predict population movement in the displacement of people due to natural disasters, conflicts, and other crises.  

Better understanding and managing population movement will help prevent the creation of new risks such as disease outbreaks, reduce the impacts of hazards including resource shortages, expedite recovery after disasters, and enhance the resilience of migrants, home and host communities. Moreover, it can contribute to better long-term planning and policy-making around displacement and migration.

AI solution

The AI solution should be able to identify where the displaced populations are likely to go and when identifying areas of high risk and locations that can be used to preposition resources. 

To achieve these outcomes, the project will make use of a wide range of datasets including satellite imagery, mobile phone data, social network metrics, and other relevant data on population movement patterns.  

Other relevant points to consider include ensuring the ethical use of data and AI algorithms, and protecting the privacy and security of individuals’ data.

Regional focus

Kenya

Other requirements

The project should prioritize transparency and accountability, ensuring that the results of predictive models are shared widely and that decisions around resource allocation and intervention are made in an inclusive and participatory manner.

Partner: Kenya Red Cross

The problem

Communities living in urban areas and near large industries face huge health and environmental risk due to greenhouse emissions. This exposes the communities to various respiratory diseases which put a financial burden on them. Measuring industry emissions and their impact on the environment and population is a complex process that requires the collaboration of various stakeholders, including industry, government, and civil society. KRCS seeks to make use of a flexible approach through the use of AI to understand the impact of greenhouse gas emissions on climate change and public health.  

The output of the project will enable KRCS to work with relevant stakeholders and policymakers in identifying and implementing mitigation measures to reduce emissions and minimize their impact on the environment and population. Further, these insights will be used to create public education and awareness campaigns contributing to more informed and evidence-based decision-making around environmental and public health issues.

AI solution

The AI solution should be able to identify emission hotspots, track emissions over time, and provide early warning of potential environmental and health impacts through monitoring and analyzing emissions from different data sources in real-time, such as data from sensors, satellite imagery,  weather forecasts, and other sources.  

Regional focus

Kenya, Nairobi