The overall objective is to equip you with basic technical skills to create custom maps using a free and open-source mapping software (QGIS). You will acquire the technical skill to visualize what is happening where. Mapping provides an interesting alternative to Excel or statistical software thereby exploring a new dimension of data. The course will teach you the basics of mapping, finding and understanding different geospatial data, visualizing data in line with standards and understanding how to analyze data. The course will explore how this visual data can support national policies, humanitarian programmes, environmental policies, international security and development work, among other applications.

Additionally you can book an optional 2hr session (Module 5), where you will learn:

-        How to find and use popular functions of the data processing toolbox

-        How to use animation to visualize time-lapse

- The basics of raster calculations

Humanity is confronted with fast-changing environmental disruptions impacting the health and wellbeing of people worldwide. By now, the complexity and interconnectedness of climate related health risks threatens gains accomplished for public health and sustainable development globally.

The climate crisis has built up to a global health emergency affecting particularly the most vulnerable populations in low-resource and humanitarian contexts where an overlap of climate and humanitarian crisis exists. While health systems are struggling to keep pace with the rising number of disasters, there is a deep discrepancy between climate related health demands and responsive, adaptive capacity of public health systems and stakeholders leaving the health needs of the most vulnerable unmet.   

Globally, health actors and health systems are challenged with a new dimension of health risks and frequently recurring system shocks of climate related disasters, droughts, floods, food insecurity, heat waves, infectious disease, migration, and armed conflicts.

How can human health be protected in a changing climate? Which concepts, measures and tools exist to address arising challenges and health threats?

Using a system approach this two-day workshop combines theoretical lectures and practical case studies, group work and discussion. Participants will learn how climate change affects human health and health systems especially in low-resource and humanitarian contexts. They will be enabled to apply a planetary health lens to their work, to consider public health in dependency to environmental and social determinants, to strengthen climate and environment resilient health systems and support efforts to reduce the environmental footprint of health systems.

The course requires basic knowledge on climate change adaptation (it is possible to attend first our introductory course: Introduction to Main Concepts and Terminologies in Climate Change Adaptation, but it is not obligatory). If you are interested in gaining credit towards a Certificate of Advanced Studies in "Anticipatory Humanitarian Action", you need to complete this course and two additional specific CCA courses, under prerequisite of passing the exam in form of individual work after completion of all courses (please also see the general exam regulation of aha).

The “Humanitarian action all-round: foundations, challenges, trends” training course offers you a comprehensive and hands-on introduction to contemporary humanitarian action. Spanning over 6 half-days and 15 online thematic sessions, the course curriculum covers the ideological, legal, practical, and institutional foundations of Western humanitarianism; key policy frameworks and their implementation aspects; as well as cross-cutting issue areas of humanitarian action like gender or climate.

The course aims to complement theory with practical examples provided by guest speakers who have relevant work experience. Furthermore, the course offers you a critical perspective and includes a variety of interactive and participatory methods, including group discussions and case studies which take into account the current developments within the sector. In addition to dedicated sessions, the course aims to consider power dynamics with respect to all its content and this way seeks to avoid reproducing inequalities and the problematic knowledge gaps within the sector.

The training includes regular breaks and is part of aha's certification scheme: It can be credited towards a Certificate of Advanced Studies in "Foundations of Humanitarian Action". Staff of Aktion Deutschland Hilft member organizations can have their course fee reimbursed.