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Young Jakarta-born researcher nominated for Global Citizen Prize in London
Nashin Mahtani believes that a lack of information during disasters compromises evidence-based decision making.
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Nashin Mahtani has been nominated for a Global Citizenship Prize in London. (Shutterstock/99Art)
N
ow 27, Nashin Mahtani is one of five finalists for the 2019 Global Citizen Prize: Cisco Youth Leadership Award. The annual award recognizes the world’s most inspiring activists aged 18 to 30, who have worked toward ending extreme poverty by 2030.
Nashin, an architectural researcher and designer who advocates for environmental justice, is also the director of PetaBencana.id, an open-source platform that provides real-time information and transparent communication between residents and governments to optimize emergency responses during disasters.
Nashin believes that the lack of information during disasters often compromises evidence-based decision making. Furthermore, she believes resource management becomes less effective, while confusion and conflict prevail. With these problems in mind and the Indonesian spirit of gotong-royong (mutual cooperation), Nashin's team established PetaBencana.id.
Using social media, the platform uses disaster reports from residents to give updated information as it becomes available. The information is displayed in a live web-based map.
“We are tremendously excited about what the recognition means in terms of encouraging residents and communities across the world to build resilience from the ground up, using the tools and opportunities that are already available, to help contribute to a better world,” Nashin said.
Yayasan Peta Bencana has become a national NGO that is building community-based resilience and disaster awareness programs through practices of collaborative action and mutual aid.
“Although we can’t prevent disasters from happening, everyone can take actions to minimize risk and loss, and it is only through collective action that dangers can be reduced and recovery can improve for the country as a whole,” said Nashin.
Read also: Strengthening national preparedness for natural disasters
Nominated for the award by her colleague, Nashin is competing for the US$250,000 fund against fellow outstanding young leaders Luisa Bonin (Brazil), Alain Nteff (Cameroon), Priya Prakash (India), and Haroon Yasin (Pakistan).
The Global Citizen Prize: Cisco Youth Leadership Award was established in 2018 with aims to recognize young leaders impacting the world through their work. Last year’s recipient was Kenya’s food and nutrition activist Wawira Njiru.
Public voting is ongoing in all countries and will end on Nov. 26. The winner will be announced during an award ceremony held on Dec. 13 at the Royal Albert Hall in London. (mut)
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The writer is an intern at The Jakarta Post
Editor's note: An earlier version of the article stated that "the creation of PetaBencana.id has led to the formation of several national NGOs that are building community-based resilience and disaster awareness programs through practices of collaborative action and mutual aid." It has been changed to "Yayasan Peta Bencana has become a national NGO that is building community-based resilience and disaster awareness programs through practices of collaborative action and mutual aid."
