Tell us a bit about yourself.
Hi fellow mappers! I am Jacob Bray from the Niagara Region in Ontario Canada. I am a social services professional in my working life, serving as a Case Manager at a homeless shelter with the goal of finding my clients safe and sustainable housing. I am a graduate of my local Brock University where I studied Psychology. Staying active and moving is important to me and my mental wellness, and I believe working towards completing a challenge or goal brings positive balance outside of work. This past August 2026, I completed the Ironman Ottawa Canada triathlon, a 140.6 mile event consisting of a consecutive swim (3.8km), bike (180km), and run (42.2km). During my time studying, training, and mapping I learned that consistent efforts over time can lead to greater achievements than I would have ever imagined - and I would encourage everyone who can to find a positive hobby to work on a little each day if they can.
How did you know about UN Mappers? Please feel free to share your experience mapping UN Mappers’ projects.
I learned about the work of the UN Mappers team through a simple online search for remote volunteer opportunities. I learned a little about mapping and GIS during a geography class in highschool long ago - but never understood the full potential of OpenStreetMap and its contributors until I got started myself! In the beginning, I was impressed how quickly I could get started making valuable contributions to the UN Mappers projects. Over time, I have improved the accuracy and speed of my mapping in the ID editor, and plan to learn from UN Mappers Learning Hub and their new QGIS self-guided course. At first I was looking for a volunteer role in my own quiet time and was surprised to find a vibrant connected community of mappers working towards the same goals. I will be mapping for a long time to come.
Why do you enjoy mapping? What are your motivations?
I would compare mapping to a fun and interesting puzzle or coloring book - drawing lines and shapes with the satellite imagery to create a picture and story of the geography and residents living within the boundaries of UN Mappers projects. Seeing the before and after of an unmapped location gives a feeling of accomplishment, and I'm always hopeful my mapping efforts allowed the right aid to get to people in need in affected areas. My Grandfather served with the UN through the Canadian Armed Forces during peacekeeping operations in the past, and I am motivated to share the effort to make disaster relief, prevention, and peacekeeping operations a little easier for all humanitarian and UN personnel across the world.
When do you map? (Weekends, free time, in your working time?)
I map Fridays and weekends in my spare time! It is a volunteer opportunity flexible for everyone to contribute when they can.
In which countries do you map the most?
Reflecting on my own HOTOSM profile, I have contributed most to Nigeria & Cameroon as well as Afghanistan - Kandahar. I will continue to contribute to UN Mappers projects as long as there is incomplete OSM data to map.
Are there some tips, tricks and/or challenges when mapping that you’d like to share?
When mapping, there is no particular rush on speed when you are new or experienced. It is important to focus on creating accurate contributions. Thoroughly reading the project instructions before getting started can save a lot of time and let mappers understand what their efforts are supporting. Sometimes there are challenging tasks that need a few pairs of eyes. Using the comments section before saving a task as completed or "needs more mapping" can really help foster collaboration between mappers. I always enjoy opening my computer, putting on my headphones with a calming playlist, and getting started. Allow yourself to dive in with music of your own and hours of productivity can pass by while making a difference.
I look forward to future collaborations with all of you!
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
Check our upcoming events and mapathons here!
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.