Our Mapper of the Month for April 2026 is Maria Maily from Scotland. She is one of our new validation candidates and is our top validator for the Ceel Gadde roads and waterways projects. She validated 85 tasks or 37% of both projects.
We asked Maria about how she started mapping and her motivations to actively contribute to generating open geodata in unmapped areas to support peacekeeping and disaster response.
Read our interview below:
Tell us a bit about yourself
My name is Maria. I have lived in many places but am currently based in Edinburgh, Scotland.
In my day job, I look at landscape and environmental impact assessment. In my free time, I like to learn about archaeology - specifically the Viking age.
I originally got interested in maps when I studied international relations and environmental conservation. I completed an MSc in GIS a few years ago, looking at the recreation of Iceland's Viking Age landscape.
How did you know about UN Mappers?
I’ve been aware of UN Mappers for some time, but I only began actively engaging with their learning platform and community earlier this year. Since then, I’ve made the most of their training resources and support, which have played an important role in my development—particularly in progressing towards becoming a validator.
Why do you enjoy mapping? What are your motivations?
I started contributing to projects during my studies, with my first mapping done in response efforts following the major 2023 earthquake in Turkey. That experience sparked my interest in the impact of collaborative mapping.
I got further inspired when attending the State of the Map Europe 2025 conference. Since then, I’ve focused on developing my skills and increasing my contributions via the UN Mappers courses and by participating in Missing Maps London mapathons, which have been invaluable in understanding of humanitarian mapping.
I’m particularly fascinated by the modern equivalent of ‘here be dragons’ in mapping the areas that appear empty, not because nothing is there, but because data is missing. In disaster contexts, these gaps can represent the most vulnerable communities, as they’re often overlooked in response efforts. I’m passionate about contributing to mapping initiatives that help fill these gaps and ensure no communities are left invisible.
As a GIS specialist, I also value how mapping diverse regions offers unique insights into different parts of the world and the people who live there.
When do you map?
I mostly map in the evenings and on weekends, usually in the company of my cat. I am currently trying to map more consistently on a daily basis.
In which countries do you map the most?
I have mapped in many areas, most of my contributions so far have been in: Côte d'Ivoire, Mozambique, Ethiopia, Spain, Somalia and Syria.
Would you like to share any advice to new contributors?
My advice to new starters would be to find an area of mapping you’re genuinely passionate about, and to connect with others who share that interest. The OpenStreetMap community is incredibly welcoming and supportive, and getting involved is not only a great way to learn quickly, but also a really enjoyable experience.
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Would you like to collaborate with us?
We are happy to host mapping activities with the community! Feel free to contact us for collaboration proposals and invitations through social media or by email: un.mappers@un.org
Become a UN Mapper!
You can contribute to our active mapping through the HOT Tasking Manager, and learn about open geospatial information in support of the United Nations through our UN Maps Learning Hub.