Since the earthquake struck Japan exacty two weeks ago, NetHope's Emergency Response Director Gisli Olafsson has spent long hours coordinating an emergency response effort to pull the collective resources and support of ten NetHope's member organizations. Gisli's initial task was to assess the situation, gathering information on connectivity and need for Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in the affected areas.
Gisli shares his experience with a guest post on Microsoft's Unlimited Potential blog, which can be
read in full here. Here's an excerpt:
Based on initial reports, we’ve learned that communication networks have been severely hampered in the devastated areas of Japan. What is needed now is to provide satellite-based communication equipment and service, as well as hardware like laptops, satellite phones and more, by which humanitarian agencies in the region can communicate with each other and the outside world.
Delivering this equipment to NGOs is our top priority at NetHope, and that’s why we’re teaming up with our friends at Microsoft, Dell, HP and InterConnection to prepare and deliver 250 refurbished laptops to humanitarian workers in Japan. Rescuers from several organizations including Care, ChildFund Japan, Habitat for Humanity, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Japanese Red Cross, Mercy Corps/Peace Winds, Oxfam Japan, Plan International, Relief International and Save the Children will use the laptops to share information and coordinate relief efforts across their groups.
Read the rest of the article, as well as view a video on how InterConnection.com refurbished these laptops, on the Microsoft Unlimited Potential blog.
To continue learning more about what NetHope member organizations are doing in response to the earthquake and to read our situation reports, visit
https://nethope.org/japan.
