Welcome to issue 81 of the Call to Comms!
This week, learn more about the way we respond to rapid response and how we work towards Disaster Risk Reduction, and the impact of ICTs for the mental health of people affected by humanitarian crises. It is also the occasion to discover (or rediscover) the work of Kostiantyn, a shelter manager in Ukraine, and an interview with Ros Irving from Capacity Media, a TSF partner.
The evolution of rapid response
October 13 marks the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction.
As a humanitarian NGO specializing in emergency technologies, we have seen the evolution of rapid response – emergency situations becoming longer, protracted crises, access to affected areas getting increasingly difficult, communication needs evolving.
Collaborating with national and regional organizations ahead of time to prepare our response is one of the most important parts of rapid response and disaster risk reduction. Our Capacity Sharing project helped us reach people affected by Hurricane Beryl – read more about this mission and the importance of preparedness in this article.
Inès Guittonneau
Mental health in humanitarian crises: the role of ICTs
People affected by humanitarian crises often struggle with mental health. Forced to flee dangerous, stressful situations; living in difficult conditions; being separated from their loved ones; enduring exploitation, violence or abuse due to their vulnerable situation; and much more.
In Latin America, people on the move face difficult conditions as they seek safety. Information is selected with this in mind – amongst information on services, administrative procedures and rights, our team curated and created mental health content, with helpful exercises and contacts. 86.6% of people who access this information decide to follow these self-care tips and safety measures, and 93.7% decide to ask for psychological or medical assistance.
But information and resources are not the only way ICTs can help mental health.
Fatimada, a Congolese refugee, shared her story and what it’s like living in a refugee camp – what it does to your mental health, and how connectivity helps. “One day, they woke us up at 5 in the morning and told us we had to leave and come here. No explanation, no nothing. They don’t treat us okay. I was very scared. In Congo, I was facing physical violence but here in the camp is mental violence. I don’t know which is worse. We don’t do anything here. Just wait and pray. I want to work, I want to live. I want to do something. And this is why it is important to have the internet. Because it allows us to be distracted, at least a little bit, and to be in touch with friends and family. My sister is here but the rest of my family is still in Congo and I worry about them, they worry about me. If I have Internet I can send them messages and tell them that I’m fine. Even if sometimes it’s not true. So thank you for the connection, people need it. We would go crazy otherwise. Here the situation is really bad right now. You are only allowed to go out a few hours per week. It feels like prison. People need to be in touch with the world outside and the internet allows us to do that. People outside should see how it is inside.”
“We don’t do anything here. Just wait and pray. I want to work, I want to live. I want to do something. And this is why it is important to have the internet. Because it allows us to be distracted, at least a little bit, and to be in touch with friends and family.”
In case you missed it: meet Kostiantyn, Head of Shelters for Displaced Ukrainians
TSF recently met Kostiantyn, a shelter manager in Ukraine. Read this interview to understand his role and his work as President of a Union of Shelters across Ukraine.
“We collect information about who is evacuating whom, where they can be accommodated.”
Inès Guittonneau
Capacity Europe: interview with CEO Ros Irving
TSF will be attending Capacity Europe next week, an event for connectivity providers. On this occasion, read the interview of Ros Irving, CEO Events at Delinian, Capacity Media’s parent company. She discusses the relationship between Capacity Media and TSF, its history, and more.
“Supporting TSF felt like a natural synergy because our events, much like TSF's work, aim to connect people across the globe without any political or religious affiliations. Our global reach allows us to promote TSF’s work to a wider audience, enhancing its impact.”
Cyrine Bettaieb
See you in two weeks!
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