As a geopolitical and devastating humanitarian crisis unfolds in Ukraine, The HALO Trust is partnering with Esri, the global leader in location intelligence, to mobilize an immediate and impactful humanitarian response.
Currently, over 10 million Ukrainians have been displaced by the war and many are forced to move across a landscape littered with unexploded rockets, bombs, and landmines. In response, Esri has committed its cutting-edge geographic information system (GIS) software resources, expertise, and staffing in support of HALO’s mission in Ukraine.
The organisations’ collaboration will allow them to map areas contaminated with explosives so HALO can remove the hazards when conditions allow. This will provide safe land to house displaced families and clear routes for humanitarian aid to reach those in desperate need. HALO is already using GIS to map the heaviest conflict zones, and our partnership will support planning for future clearance operations.
As experts in their field, HALO is the world’s largest humanitarian landmine clearance and weapons disposal organization, clearing over 13.9 million landmines and unexploded ordinance across 28 countries torn apart by conflict. In addition to technical expertise, HALO staff provide safety education for those in contaminated areas to avoid life-changing injuries and death, emergency medical aid, and humanitarian support for displaced persons as they face conflict, and in many cases are forced to flee their homes.
Esri has collaborated with HALO since 2008 helping to map war-ravaged regions where specific locational awareness of landmines and other hazards is necessary to protect the lives of people in those areas.
About Esri
Esri, the global market leader in geographic information system (GIS) software, location intelligence, and mapping, helps customers unlock the full potential of data to improve operational and business results. Founded in 1969 in Redlands, California, USA, Esri software is deployed in more than 350,000 organizations globally and in over 200,000 institutions in the Americas, Asia and the Pacific, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, including Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, nonprofits, and universities. Esri has regional offices, international distributors, and partners providing local support in over 100 countries on six continents. With its pioneering commitment to geospatial information technology, Esri engineers the most innovative solutions for digital transformation, the Internet of Things (IoT), and advanced analytics. Visit us at esri.com.
About HALO
The HALO Trust is the world’s largest humanitarian landmine clearance organization leading efforts to protect and save lives and restore communities and livelihoods of those threatened by the deadly debris of war. Founded in 1988 and backed by the UN, US, and UK governments, HALO locates and destroys landmines, cluster bombs, explosive items, and dangerous stockpiles of weapons and ammunition, as well as educating locals on how to stay safe in contaminated areas. HALO currently employs over 9,000 locally recruited staff in 26 countries and territories around the world who have paved the way for the development and long-term stability of their homelands.
