Tech for Change
Hosted by the United Nations Foundation-Vodafone Foundation Technology Partnership, the "Tech for Change" blog shares insight and experiences from the frontlines of innovative mobile technology use in support of United Nations and other humanitarian work worldwide.
Wednesday 17 September 2008, 3:36 AM
Building Connections in Emergency Communications
By Monique Lanne-Petit, director and co-founder of Télécoms Sans Frontières (TSF)
As we've seen time and again, telecommunications can reduce the impact of humanitarian crisis and cut through logistical problems. If ever there were an example that underlined this to us, it was the case of a young girl injured following a huge earthquake in Bam in Iran in 2003.
This little girl had almost lost a leg when her house collapsed and she urgently needed to be evacuated for treatment to save her leg. With her papers trapped in the collapsed house, however, she was unable to get a visa to travel. Using a satellite based internet connection we were able to send the information and a photo of the girl to Tehran to get a new passport issued in her name. Without very simple equipment like this, she would certainly have lost her leg, and could even have lost her life.
In situations ranging from political conflict to natural disasters, Télécoms Sans Frontières (TSF) strengthens communications during relief efforts by deploying emergency telecommunications centres anywhere in the world within 24 hours of a humanitarian crisis.
Since we opened our doors in 1998, we have deployed to over 50 countries on five continents. Each year, TSF deploys on average 350 days per year. This work has benefitted over 500 groups, including non-governmental organizations and UN agencies, as well as countless disaster survivors.
TSF's telecoms centres offer broadband internet access, voice communications, fax lines and all the IT equipment needed for a field office. We use highly portable and light satellite terminals that can be set up within minutes to provide worldwide coverage. And through regional teams in France, Nicaragua and Thailand, TSF is on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
While technological advances are making it easier to communicate in emergencies, there is still much to be done -- particularly in the areas of prevention and disaster preparedness as well as development.
In the past thirty years it has often been pharmaceutical and food companies which were most associated with helping NGOs respond to humanitarian crises. Our work, and the support of partners like the UN Foundation and Vodafone Foundation, is helping to demonstrate the enormous potential for telecoms and new technologies companies to contribute to international humanitarian programmes worldwide.
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[Read more in Monique's post "From Kosovo to Haiti: TSF's Emergency Communications for Disaster Relief"]
For more information about TSF, visit www.tsfi.org. To learn more about the UN Foundation-Vodafone Foundation Technology Partnership, visit www.unfoundation.org/vodafone.
As we've seen time and again, telecommunications can reduce the impact of humanitarian crisis and cut through logistical problems. If ever there were an example that underlined this to us, it was the case of a young girl injured following a huge earthquake in Bam in Iran in 2003.
This little girl had almost lost a leg when her house collapsed and she urgently needed to be evacuated for treatment to save her leg. With her papers trapped in the collapsed house, however, she was unable to get a visa to travel. Using a satellite based internet connection we were able to send the information and a photo of the girl to Tehran to get a new passport issued in her name. Without very simple equipment like this, she would certainly have lost her leg, and could even have lost her life.
In situations ranging from political conflict to natural disasters, Télécoms Sans Frontières (TSF) strengthens communications during relief efforts by deploying emergency telecommunications centres anywhere in the world within 24 hours of a humanitarian crisis.
Since we opened our doors in 1998, we have deployed to over 50 countries on five continents. Each year, TSF deploys on average 350 days per year. This work has benefitted over 500 groups, including non-governmental organizations and UN agencies, as well as countless disaster survivors.
TSF's telecoms centres offer broadband internet access, voice communications, fax lines and all the IT equipment needed for a field office. We use highly portable and light satellite terminals that can be set up within minutes to provide worldwide coverage. And through regional teams in France, Nicaragua and Thailand, TSF is on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
While technological advances are making it easier to communicate in emergencies, there is still much to be done -- particularly in the areas of prevention and disaster preparedness as well as development.
In the past thirty years it has often been pharmaceutical and food companies which were most associated with helping NGOs respond to humanitarian crises. Our work, and the support of partners like the UN Foundation and Vodafone Foundation, is helping to demonstrate the enormous potential for telecoms and new technologies companies to contribute to international humanitarian programmes worldwide.
--
[Read more in Monique's post "From Kosovo to Haiti: TSF's Emergency Communications for Disaster Relief"]
For more information about TSF, visit www.tsfi.org. To learn more about the UN Foundation-Vodafone Foundation Technology Partnership, visit www.unfoundation.org/vodafone.
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