Rapid Hurricane Response: Haiti


Issue Area: Technology

Summer 2008 was a tough time for Haiti.  The country, the poorest in the Western hemisphere, was already suffering from the global food crisis. In August and September 2008, three consecutive hurricanes – Gustav, Hanna and Ike – devastated the island nation.

The storms killed hundreds, displaced thousands, and destroyed vital crops.  Up to 80 percent of densely populated areas like the northern city of Gonaïves were flooded. In some places water levels reached over 9 feet (3 meters), leaving hospitals unusable and schools closed.

With access to food and clean drinking water compromised throughout Haiti, a fast, effective and continuing relief effort was paramount.

Once again, the UN Foundation’s Technology Program supported the use of mobile technology to help reconnect families, aid workers and emergency response missions during this crisis. Emergency telecommunications officers from both the UN World Food Programme (WFP)—the UN’s food relief agency—and the non-governmental organization Télécoms Sans Frontières (TSF) deployed immediately to support the ongoing relief effort.

The successive storms had severely damaged Haiti’s communications infrastructure, making outside telecommunications support an essential part of the humanitarian assistance mission. TSF and WFP brought in tools like mobile satellite data transmitters to power phone, fax and data lines, enabling relief workers to communicate with one another and back to their headquarters about the situation and needs on the ground.

In addition, TSF’s telecoms specialists offered humanitarian calling operations, reconnecting affected families with loved ones through free, 3-minute phone calls.

Click here to listen to an audio podcast by WFP’s Mark Phillips as he describes the work that is being done on the ground. 

Watch scenes from the Haiti deployment in the video below:

 



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Comments

  1. Submitted by sunny at: November 9, 2008

    i pray for the ppl who destroyed their food,shelder and loved ones...
  2. Submitted by zara at: November 7, 2008

    i hope life gets better for you . ameen
  3. Submitted by raj at: October 5, 2008

    i basically think we should save womens from theae catstrophe.we all need to support them.so that they can live freely.
  4. Submitted by Ronddh Mocambique at: September 22, 2008

    This was a terrible disaster, and I have not seen anything on the news about what happen in Haiti and you must invit us on the some meeting there. This is a good chance to do something good for humanity. Nelson Damiao
  5. Submitted by b_quadri4luv@yahoo.com at: September 21, 2008

    I sincerely feel for the people of Haiti,i pray the situation is under control but i want this kind of help to also be rendered to the Palestinians who are being traumatised and maimed at on their territory by Isreal,supported by the U.S. and which the U.N. has been silent about and which suppose not be so.
  6. Submitted by Foxx at: September 19, 2008

    This was a terrible disaster, and I have not seen anything on the news about what happen in Haiti. This is a good chance to do something good for humanity and God.
  7. Submitted by Samantha P at: September 19, 2008

    Wow, this is amazing! You guys seem to be really looking at what makes the whole system work, not just one part. Good going!
  8. Submitted by Axwessoo at: September 19, 2008

    Thank you for your information and I will act upon any way I would have to do as a Humanitarian Partner,Let the UN Foundation think of making their partners able to communicate with each other effectively as to \Finance and Capaciate them in different ways. Some of us would like to make sure that UN Foundation make their Partners able to participate in as different issues as they can from ecdmanyara@yahoo.ca
  9. Submitted by kislay at: September 19, 2008

    Natural calamities are public loss and in this time of formidable situation we have to unite and have to extend our support to deadly victim all around and i also request all to donate what so ever anyone can. HELP ONE TO HELP OTHER.
  10. Submitted by Anonymous at: September 18, 2008

    I sincerely pray that the people of Haiti have the strenght to get past this terrible disaster. Recently there were floods in my country too and the devastation was mind blowing. It is important for us all to stick together during these troubled times!
  11. Submitted by gabriel at: September 18, 2008

    some wounds never heals but we can dim sorrow and bring an smile to a human's face and our heart even for a second

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