The concept of crowdsourced crisis mapping enables the collection of bottom-up digital data from the public, providing vital information during disasters. Crowdsourced crisis mapping originated in the Global South, specifically Kenya, with a platform named ‘Ushahidi’ (which translates to ‘testimony’ in Swahili) that challenged the assumption that authorities should control information during an emergency. The origin of Ushahidi is a product of necessity and rapid digitalisation, which came to fruition during a violent political crisis. After proving its usefulness beyond Kenyan shores, Ushahidi is now a common tool in crisis management in the Global North. This fundamental policy shift can be illustrated by examining the case study of the 2011 New Zealand earthquake. Why the platform emerged in Kenya and not elsewhere is an open question, but potential reasons include ‘stigmergy’, African philosophy, and differences in Global North and Global South psychology.