[1] It was founded in November 2014 by the American Red Cross, British Red Cross, Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team, and Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders and has so far mapped large towns, cities and rural areas in countries such as South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Central African Republic.

[2] The idea to create the Missing Maps project was born out of a realisation by the American Red Cross, British Red Cross, Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team, and Médecins Sans Frontières that maps are pivotal to delivering humanitarian aid.

[3] In civil wars, for example, maps can help individuals and organisations track the movement of internally displaced populations and determine where best to conduct food and non-food item distributions.

[1] They understand the challenges of implementing field projects and are often engaged in delivering frontline humanitarian assistance.

[18] Volunteers trace buildings, streets, swamps, rivers, and all other landmarks onto satellite imagery using the tasking manager.