Large-scale commercial development projects disproportionately affect people with limited political and economic power. A number of humanitarian organizations are hard at work trying to ensure these affected communities have access to information early enough to mobilize and influence the legislative decision-making process, but much of the work remains extremely manual, which slows the process.
Organizations monitoring development activities need to process enormous amounts of information so local activists have ample advance notice to meaningfully influence the projects. Even simple information such as project dates are often difficult to find, precluding communities from participation in the decision-making process. Timely access to information is the difference between shaping (or stopping) a project to maintain a thriving environment and community or its citizens being blindsided.
Starting June 22 in New York City, DataKind will host a weekend-long DataDive where a team of over one-hundred data science volunteers will work alongside mission-driven organizations to create automated tools that help build capacity supporting their approach to informing communities. These tools will be accessible by responsible local non-profits for real-time alerts on project development updates.
Developing automated tools at the DataDive is in service of empowering local communities around the world to act and meaningfully engage in the commercial development process, resulting in healthier families, societies and planet. With faster, more agile systems, our partner organizations will be able to more quickly empower their communities.
