Friendships forged, problems solved on ‘The Magic Terrace’
(Standing, left to right: Jason Hoac, Ron Snyder, and Matt Altman, from Cisco; Rami Shakra, Jose Arsenio Gonzalez and Eduardo Quiñones, from Cisco. Sitting, left to right: Ingolfur Haradlsson, Amanda Gonzalez, Ruth Graulau, Emma Gonzalez, Vanessa Molina, Gabriel and Cecilia Quiñones-Molina.)By Rami Shakra, Director of Field Connectivity During the initial weeks of NetHope’s Puerto Rico response, … Continued
A different approach to building solutions for humanitarian challenges
By Leila Toplic, NLG Tech Task Force leadUsing design thinking and collective impact to create opportunitiesfor conflict-affected youth.In a previous blog post, I reflected on the critical needs of conflict-affected youth: education, participation, and access to dignified work. I detailed the contexts in which these young people live. And I posed the question: How can … Continued
Refugee youth need opportunities, education, and the chance for empowerment
By Leila Toplic (NLG Tech Task Force Lead) and Lindsey Kneuven (Head of Social Impact at Pluralsight)Over the past two weeks, we have had the opportunity to hear firsthand from Syrian refugees in Jordan and Lebanon, two of the largest host countries in the Middle East/North African region. We spoke with the refugee and host-community … Continued
‘You definitely need to have faith in your overall mission’
By Lisa ObradovichIn late January, I woke up to some long-awaited great news: Jean Marie Adrian, Program Director for Catholic Relief Services (CRS) in Niger, had finally received his 20 boxes of mobile phones. The phones, delayed by several months, were intended for use in CRS’s literacy intervention program, “Alpha a Base de Cellulaire” (Literacy … Continued
‘I’m creating new experiences and creating new knowledge’
By Kristin KalningNashaly Alvarado, 22, has lived in Juana Diaz, on the southern coast of Puerto Rico, all her life. Before Hurricane Maria, she was unemployed and volunteering at a music camp. A meteorology enthusiast, Nashaly was also watching the storm closely as it came out of Africa and moved with increasing ferocity toward her … Continued
NetHope holds ‘roll-up-your-sleeves’ workshop in Puerto Rico
By Kristin KalningWhen NetHope began its mission to reconnect Wi-Fi and cell service in Puerto Rico in the days after Hurricane Maria, there were more than a few logistical challenges.Basics – such as food, water, and shelter – were in short supply. Without power, team members sometimes used headlamps and paper maps to sketch out … Continued