Each year, natural disasters and disease strike some of the most remote corners of the planet. And although it’s hard to believe, many of these places are missing from any maps that would allow relief organizations to reach these communities quickly. That is why Cognizant associates recently joined forces to help map the world in honor of World Humanitarian Day.

Working with the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team, almost 6,000 Cognizant associates volunteered to put vulnerable regions on the map. After a brief training, associates are working remotely to trace satellite imagery into OpenStreetMap, which humanitarian organizations can then use to plan their disaster response efforts.

Together, the Cognizant team has made 59,224 building edits, 280 km of land use, 549 km of road, and 223 km of waterways. Together, they have completed mapping the project Sohagpur 2, in Shahdol District in India and the Saint Catherine I project in Jamaica. They are also 96% of the way through mapping the Saint Catherine II project in Jamaica. These efforts will help with emergency preparedness for the ongoing pandemic as well as the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, which began on June 1.

“With the ongoing global health crisis and the uncertainty that comes with it, we can sometimes be limited in our assessment of our ability to help,” said Srinivas Shankar, Global Head, Life Sciences at Cognizant. “However, our passionate colleagues at Cognizant have proven that even while still on strict lockdown in many places, we can still make an impact in the world. I’m so proud of our associates coming together to offer their support and assistance for this important project.”

To learn more about the Missing Maps, click here.