Prince Harry visits MapAction volunteers in Norway

In September Prince Harry surprised aid workers from around the world who were taking part in the international field exercise.

There he was able to see first-hand how MapAction gathers crucial data at the scene of emergencies and translates it into maps, providing a common operational picture from which to plan and prioritise the response. This service underpins the delivery of emergency response by helping get the right aid to the right areas and people quickly, saving lives.

MapAction brings order to chaos. Its unique mapping skills help all the other aid workers in a disaster or emergency.

Prince Harry, Patron of MapAction

Map Action has a team of over 70 trained volunteers who follow a well-practised deployment model, allowing them to respond within 24-48 hours of a rapid onset emergency.  Its first emergency deployment was to Sri Lanka in response to the Indian Ocean (Boxing Day) Tsunami of 2004. Since then the charity has undertaken 64 emergency missions, including responses to earthquakes, tsunamis, typhoons and conflict-related crises.

In the past five years, volunteers have responded to humanitarian crises including Hurricane Matthew in Haiti (2016), conflict in Nigeria (2016), the Nepal earthquakes (2015), the Mediterranean refugee crisis (2015, ongoing), and the West African Ebola outbreak (2014).

To see highly-skilled individuals give up their time like this is remarkable. Considering how few people there are, it is unbelievable how much they can achieve. It’s the glue that binds everyone together.

Prince Harry, Patron of MapAction

Earlier this year Prince Harry attended a briefing by MapAction to learn more about the charity's response to the recent Nepal earthquakes.

MapAction has been granted a BBC Radio 4 Appeal on Christmas Day, which is being presented by the broadcaster and comedian, Alexander Armstrong. Anyone wishing to support MapAction’s vital work can do so by visiting www.mapaction.org/donate. The appeal will also be on the BBC Radio 4 website from 25 December.