My name is Saïd Abou Kharroub, and I’m truly honored to be nominated as a candidate for a 2025 HOT voting member. I’m excited to share a bit about my journey with HOT, my current work in Lebanon, and my aspirations as a voting member.

To me, HOT shows the incredible power of people working together with open data in humanitarian crises. It’s amazing how a global community can use mapping to make a real, life-saving difference. What I really appreciate is HOT’s dedication to empowering local communities and building a space where knowledge and skills are freely shared.

My involvement with HOT became very personal and hands-on through the “Lebanon: Conflict - October 2024” project. I got involved when I arrived in Lebanon in January 2025, taking on the role of Lebanon Local Consultant for HOT’s H2H funded project, “Collaborative Approaches to Mapping Damage in Lebanon.” I’ve also been a strategic advisor for CivAPI.com, a data API provider that includes OpenStreetMap layers like buildings, roads, and infrastructure. This advisory role has given me an even deeper understanding of how crucial data provision is in humanitarian and development work.

In my role in Lebanon, I’ve focused on coordinating local data efforts, engaging with important partners, and advising on data protection, especially given the local context. This work includes:

Organizing and hosting local mapathons to grow the OpenStreetMap community and fill important data gaps for humanitarian response. We’ve already held our first mapathons with the Lebanon Reforestation Initiative, Beirut Arab University and are planning the second with the Beirut Urban Lab.

Working closely with HOT staff and humanitarian partners to address specific infrastructure gaps, often responding to requests from groups like UNOSAT.

Helping HOT staff review damage assessment methods, aiming to match different approaches (like automated satellite analysis versus manual visual checks) to various situations, and making sure local needs are heard.

Actively connecting with local data coordinators and partners, providing updates on the situation, and leading data protection training, along with other OpenStreetMap use and editing workshops.

Identifying what data is needed and what risks exist when collecting information on critical infrastructure for humanitarian needs, such as health sites, schools, and heritage sites, based on feedback from stakeholders.

My background in international development, peacebuilding, community engagement, and project management, as seen on my LinkedIn profile, has given me a strong grasp of complex humanitarian situations and why local, ethical data approaches are so important. My experience managing multi-stakeholder projects, facilitating cross-cultural collaboration, and conducting detailed analytical research directly informs my work with HOT in Lebanon.

I want to become a voting member because I believe I can bring a crucial on-the-ground perspective from an active crisis zone. This, combined with my experience in community building, data coordination, ethical data practices, and my advisory role with a data API provider using OpenStreetMap, can contribute to HOT’s governance and strategic direction. I’m eager to play a more formal part in shaping the future of an organization that’s making such a significant impact.

As a voting member, I see my most important responsibility as being a good steward of HOT’s mission and values, especially championing localization and ethical data practices. This means truly listening to the many voices in our global community, particularly those directly affected by crises. It means making informed decisions that prioritize effective and ethically sound actions, and ensuring everything we do is transparent and accountable. It’s about upholding what makes HOT unique and effective.

I plan to get more deeply involved by actively participating in discussions and decisions, sharing what I’ve learned from my project in Lebanon, and advocating for approaches that truly empower local communities to lead their own mapping initiatives. I’m especially interested in joining the Community Working Group to help boost local engagement and the Data Quality and Validation Working Group to help ensure robust data practices.

One of HOT’s biggest challenges, as I see it, is making sure our impact is truly local and sustainable beyond immediate crisis response, and that strong data protection is built into everything we do. While global coordination is vital, it’s crucial to foster strong local OpenStreetMap communities who can independently handle their own mapping needs and understand the ethical side of data collection. I believe I can help with this by using my direct experience in setting up and nurturing local mapping efforts in Lebanon, sharing insights on practical data protection in sensitive areas, and pushing for resources that support long-term local capacity building and self-sufficiency.