Case study HARISSA

Natural disasters such as storms, floods, and landslides frequently impact Central Africa, yet the lack of reliable data limits effective disaster risk reduction (DRR). The HARISSA project, launched in 2020, aims to address this gap by creating a citizen-led disaster monitoring network in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), particularly in the Kivu region.Led by the Royal Museum for Central Africa (Belgium) in collaboration with the Research Center in Natural Sciences of Lwiro (CRSN-Lwiro) and Civil Protection services in North and South Kivu, HARISSA trains citizen observers (OC du Kivu) to document natural hazards using the Kobocollect mobile application. These volunteers, selected based on their local engagement and technical skills, geolocate disasters, record impacts, and submit real-time data, which is validated by researchers.Since its inception, over 1,200 disaster events have been recorded, covering six types of hazards, with approximately 75% of incidents geolocated. The collected data is used to produce quarterly reports, shared with local authorities to enhance risk management and urban planning. Data is stored on Kobotoolbox, with biannual uploads to a web-GIS platform hosted by the Royal Museum for Central Africa. While accessible to project partners, data sharing with external institutions is restricted to prioritize Congolese researchers.This case study explores HARISSA’s methodology, data governance, and impact on DRR, demonstrating how citizen science can strengthen disaster monitoring and community resilience in data-scarce regions.