2012 has proven to be quite an amazing and eventful year for the Digital Humanitarian Network (DHNetwork) especially given that all work has been on individuals’ volunteer time! From launch to membership expansion to guidance material to Ignite talks to integration with traditional entities to four activations, the network has been quite active advancing the integration of volunteer efforts with those of the traditional humanitarian community.

Having come a long way from some initial thinking in 2011, the DHNetwork was officially launched on 09-April with GISCorps, Humanitarian Open Street Map Team, MapAction, the Standby Volunteer Task Force, and UNV Online Volunteering Service. Throughout 2012, the membership expanded to includeDataKind,ESRI, Geeks Without Bounds, Humanity Road, Translators Without Borders, and Statistics Without Borders.

List of key milestones for the DHNetwork in 2012:

• Launch of Network: 09-April
• Launch of website [made possible by Ning]: 09-April
• Granted membership into the (traditional) global IM Working group: 08-July
• Launch of Guidance for Collaboration with the V&TCs: 25-Sept
• Delivery of Ignite talk at the International Conference of Crisis Mappers by Luis Capelo: 12-Oct
• Conducted “Simulation” of the DHNetwork activation process and team compositions at ICCM: 14-Oct  [made possible by our partners ICT4Peace and TechChange]. Write-up by TechChange.
• Participated in OCHA’s Humanitarian Information Center workshop: 10-14 Dec

Activations of the DHNetwork in 2012:

1. OCHA South Sudan Deployment: Curating Data for Disaster Preparedness: 2-July [Solution Team: SBTF]
2. ACAPS activates for building their Disaster Needs Analysis for DRC - 22-July [Solution Team: SBTF] - download PPT
3. UN Activation for Typhoon Pablo (Philippines): 5-Dec [Solution Team: SBTF & Humanity Road]
4. Samoa Activation for Cyclone Evan: 14-Dec [Solution Team: SBTF, Humanity Road and GISCorps was on standby]

A lot has happened in 2012 for the network-of-networks. None of it would have been possible without the amazing efforts of the digital volunteers who spend their free time helping those in need. We all thank you!

2013 looks to be an exciting year ahead with more possibilities for the network. There are new members to include, new partners to work with, new approaches to consider, and new improvements to make. So, let’s continue to build on our early successes and find innovative ways to help those in need.