FAQ

Frequently asked questions.

Additional resources related to the crisis in Mali.

  • Who are you?
    • Scale Analytics is a U.S. based data consultancy focused on leveraging technology for social good.  

  • What are you trying to accomplish with this deployment?
    • Allow the Mali crisis to be the most-documented refugee crisis ever.
    • Educate technologists on the Ushahidi platform's capabilities
  • What information do you want to collect?
    • Refugees
      • Location
      • Volume
      • Date/Time/Place Created
      • Movements
      • Situations (food, water, health)
      • Participating NGO's
      • Critical Needs
    • Conflict
      • Human rights abuse
      • International law violation
      • Active fronts
      • Newly opened fronts
      • Casualties
  • Who will submit that information?
    • Eye-witnesses
    • NGOs on the ground (first and second hand reports)
    • Journalists on the ground
    • Remote journalists
    • Remote volunteers (mapping news sources)
  • How will it be submitted?
    • SMS
    • Telephone/Voicemail
    • Web Reports
  • Who will monitor and approve reports?
    • Scale will monitor and approve reports according to Ushahidi guidelines.
  • How will you verify the reports?
    • Reports with over two independent sources are considered verified.  Further verification process as staff builds.
  • Who will use the data?
    • The data will be freely available and used by academics, governments, NGOs and individuals.
  • Are there any security concerns regarding the collection and presentation of the data?
    • There are no immediate security concerns but site management takes any security concerns by any party very seriously and will take appropriate action, including removal of the site, if necessary.
  • How will the data be used to accomplish what you are trying to accomplish?
    • Educators will use the site to explain the Ushahidi technology and process
    • Data will provide an overview to guide aid policy and advocacy in the U.S. and other countries
    • Data will be analyzed (with SAS and R) by Scale to detect patterns of use to humanitarian technology and statistics practitioners.