We spoke with Sibusiso Ginindza, MapAction’s latest recruit who is supporting the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Emergency Operations Centre in Nacala, northern Mozambique, as part of a new programme in partnership with SADC.
1. What excites you most about your new role at MapAction?
What excites me most is the opportunity to contribute to regional disaster preparedness and response at a much larger scale. Rather than supporting a single country, I now have the opportunity to work with Southern African Development Community (SADC) Member States to strengthen information management systems, improve data-driven decision-making, and build regional capacity. MapAction has an outstanding reputation for using geospatial information to support humanitarian operations, and being part of that mission while helping establish sustainable systems for the region is both professionally rewarding and personally meaningful.
2. What will your responsibilities be and what are the objectives of the programme?
My role focuses on strengthening humanitarian information management within the SADC Humanitarian and Emergency Operations Centre (SHOC). This includes assessing the information management capacities and needs of Member States, developing regional guidance, standards, and operational toolkits, supporting GIS and spatial analysis, improving data collection and analysis workflows, and contributing to the development of common operational pictures and decision-support products.
The broader objective of the programme is to enhance regional preparedness and emergency response by ensuring that governments and humanitarian partners have timely, reliable, and actionable information. Ultimately, the programme aims to improve coordination across SADC Member States and enable evidence-based decision-making before, during, and after disasters.
3. What challenges do you foresee in the data landscape for SHOC and SADC?
One of the biggest challenges is the diversity of data systems, standards, and capacities across Member States. Countries collect and manage information differently, which can make regional analysis and information sharing difficult during rapidly evolving emergencies.
There are also challenges around data quality, interoperability, timeliness, and access. In some cases, important datasets may not be updated regularly or may not be readily available for operational use. Strengthening common standards, improving data governance, and investing in capacity development will be essential for building a more connected regional information ecosystem.
The encouraging aspect is that many Member States are already committed to improving these systems, providing a strong foundation for collaboration.
4. What impact do you think the project could have?
I believe the project has the potential to transform how humanitarian information is managed across Southern Africa. By establishing common standards, improving analytical capacity, and strengthening regional coordination, decision-makers will have better information when it matters most.
Over time, this can lead to faster emergency response, more efficient allocation of resources, improved coordination between countries and partners, and ultimately better outcomes for communities affected by disasters. Beyond emergencies, stronger information management systems also support disaster risk reduction and long-term resilience planning.
5. What do you personally enjoy about maps? Why is a map powerful?
What I enjoy most about maps is their ability to turn complex information into something that is immediately understandable. A well-designed map can reveal patterns, relationships, and risks that might otherwise remain hidden in spreadsheets or reports.
In humanitarian work, a map is much more than a visual product. It is a decision-making tool. It helps responders understand where people are affected, where resources are needed, how hazards are evolving, and where interventions will have the greatest impact. A single map can bring together data from many different sources into one clear picture, enabling better coordination and faster, more informed decisions.
For me, maps tell stories. They connect people, places, and data in a way that helps us understand challenges and, more importantly, identify solutions. That’s what makes them so powerful.
In December 2025, MapAction supported the response to floods in Mozambique. Find out more in the video below.
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