Cluster Develops Strategic Dashboard for Humanitarian Project in Colombia

Cluster recently completed a project with significant social impact in Colombia: mapping humanitarian demining efforts through data integration. The project was funded by the Canadian government, through the Embassy of Canada in Colombia, and aims to map areas contaminated by landmines planted by illegal armed organizations during Colombia’s internal armed conflict. This is a significant humanitarian problem in the country, causing countless social and economic impacts every year, such as loss of life and injuries, forced displacement of communities, restricted access to essential services, loss of agricultural productivity, and obstacles to infrastructure development.

Cluster took part in this project through a bidding process and was responsible for developing two georeferenced data dashboards to validate the location of potential risk areas, and for delivering an information assessment system to optimize resources allocated to humanitarian demining tasks. The project involved a multidisciplinary approach, combining fieldwork with the collection of testimonies from former combatants and data analysis using machine learning and data visualization to verify the accuracy of information provided by stakeholders and the civilian population.

The result comes down to two interactive dashboards, built on the Looker platform, that allow the Colombian government to visualize affected areas based on the collected and analyzed data, and consequently prioritize the allocation of resources and mine-clearing teams to the highest-risk, highest-impact zones. Although the dashboards are for internal use and cannot be shared publicly, their creation represents an important milestone for Cluster, demonstrating our ability to apply technology to solve complex humanitarian challenges.

The project was challenging, as it involved several government entities alongside civil society organizations, and required a high level of precision and security in handling the data. The final phase of the project included an in-person meeting where the team formally delivered the materials, marking the successful conclusion of the initiative.

Andres Ruiz Droege, our International Project Manager, shared a bit of his experience leading this project: “This project was something completely new for Cluster. Until then, our work focused on creating visualizations and dashboards, analyzing data at the endpoint. But this time, we had to go further: we sent a consultant into the field, carried out visits, validated the information collected, and identified improvements to the collection forms and databases to make this data source increasingly robust.

It was a truly multidisciplinary project. We had professionals who already had a special knack for working with communities, a genuine way of communicating and building trust-based connections in areas with a history of armed conflict. For me personally, it was a major challenge to step out of my comfort zone. Before, I worked with data mostly focused on the private sector, where the primary focus is on return on investment and company growth.

Here, the logic was completely different: using data to save lives and help reclaim agricultural land in Colombia. It was a much greater purpose, something transformative for all of us.”

The humanitarian demining project reinforces Cluster’s commitment to using technology to positively impact society, and we’re proud to have contributed to such a relevant cause. We remain motivated to develop innovative solutions that transform realities!

If you want to learn more about how technology can help with humanitarian solutions or wish to collaborate on impact projects, get in touch with us!