Case Study - GIS and data system for humanitarian mine action in Yemen

#Client

The Danish Demining Group (DDG) is the Humanitarian Mine Action unit of the Danish Refugee Council (DRC). They work in fragile, conflict-affected regions to address landmines, explosive remnants of war, and small arms proliferation, integrating mine action with emergency response and long-term development programs.

#Opportunity

DDG's Yemen team needed a way to manage mine action data that matched the standards they were held to. Their activities, including mine risk education and non-technical surveys, had to align with both International Mine Action Standards and Yemen's national requirements. But their data lived in disconnected tools, forms didn't match the national templates, and there was no spatial view of where work was happening. They needed digitized forms, a database, a GIS that could show it all on a map, and enough training for staff to run it themselves.

#Approach

We started with requirements: understanding what data DDG collects in the field, how it needs to flow into reporting, and what national standards demand. Our approach followed the same user-centered discovery we use across engagements: talk to the people doing the work, document what they need, then build to that spec. We applied the same principles around designing with the user and establishing common data standards that guide all our technical work. From there we digitized and standardized seven field collection forms, then built a hosted mapping application and database tailored to their workflows. The system integrates with Kobo Toolbox for real-time data capture in the field.

We ran training workshops and developed materials so DDG staff could manage and update the system independently. We built and refined the system in short iterations, putting working versions in front of field staff and adjusting to their feedback rather than delivering one final handover. A maintenance report covered long-term upkeep, and follow-up sessions addressed issues as operational needs evolved.

#Outcomes

The project delivered:

• Seven standardized digital collection forms aligned with national mine action standards
• Integration with Kobo Toolbox for real-time field data capture
• A custom mapping tool displaying points of interest on interactive maps, including choropleth layers by administrative boundary
• Training and documentation for independent system management

DDG Yemen now has a single system for mine action data that meets national standards and gives their team a live spatial view of operations. The technical approach we used here, building a custom application with integrated data collection and visualization, is one we also applied at larger scale in the enterprise data warehouse we built for LWF World Service.

#Technologies used

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At Hikaya, we help NGOs and nonprofits worldwide build field data systems that work in difficult operating environments, from digitized collection to real-time mapping and reporting.

If your field data is scattered across tools or your reporting doesn't meet the standards you're held to, start a conversation with us, or explore how we work from requirements through to handover and training.