Google Earth's voice for refugees

[Sweetpea]

The work of aid agencies captures the public's attention during crises like Burma's recent cyclone and China's earthquake, but their day-to-day work around the world can often go unnoticed. David Reid investigates how Google Earth is helping them get their message across.
Most of us, thank goodness, will never know what it is like to flee from our homes and seek the help of an organisation like the UN's refugee agency, the UNHCR.

But in a bid to help people understand the sometimes desperate plights of those who have suffered experiences like this, the agency has put itself on Google Earth.
Specifically it has created a layer within Google's planet simulator, which documents UN projects involving refugee camps.
The layer contains place marks which contain images, videos and interviews with refugees. "Google Earth is, we think, an appropriate place to show this," says UNHCR's Karl Steinacker.

BBC NEWS | Programmes | Click | Google Earth's voice for refugees

A very useful tool. We use it for all sorts of reasons.

[poppy]

A brilliant piece of kit something I use all the time. The aid agencies using it that way is ingenious. As you say Sweets, we are, or have been so far, lucky not to have to call on these organisations.