TSF exists to protect people in crisis and humanitarian emergencies through communications and access to information. We work alongside NGOs from all over the world to help those in need.
The purpose of this newsletter that sits at the intersection of humanitarian action and telecommunication technology, is to provide you with pertinent curated content that will assist you with your work.
The Call to Comms will be in your inbox every Tuesday. We'd love to see you there!
Previous Issues of The Call to Comms
Researcher on Connectivity in Humanitarian Action Today
What you need to know about the impact of connectivity on humanitarian crises, explained by the author of a recent report.
Inès Guittonneau
Call to Comms: World Telecom Day & ITW Charity Run
The impact telecoms have had in humanitarian action, and the importance of digital inclusion. Also: ITW Charity Run.
Inès Guittonneau
C2C#066: TSF ICT Specialist on Tech in Humanitarian Action
Meet Sebastien, a TSF ICT engineer, as he shares his experience, what his job entails, and his insights on tech in humanitarian action.
Inès Guittonneau
C2C#065: Meet Gabriela, a Paralegal at a Mexican Migrant and Refugee Shelter
We talked to Gabriela Rosales to learn more about the services she and the shelter offer to migrants and refugees and how TSF supports them.
Cyrine Bettaieb
C2C#064: Voices of Afrin, Syria
We talked to 3 participants from Syria, to get their opinions on TSF’s latest Digital Inclusion project in collaboration with Zoom In Organization.
Cyrine Bettaieb
C2C#063: Climate Change Displacement: An Explainer
4 questions to understand how climate change is affecting population displacement, and what we can do about it.
Cyrine Bettaieb
C2C#062: How Connectivity Fosters Social Empowerment in Madagascar
We talked to Prisca, a former volunteer and frequent visitor of IT Cup Miarinarivo Madagascar to learn how she uses her digital skills in her work and to support her community. Read on to learn more about Prisca and IT Cup project.
Cyrine Bettaieb
C2C#061: 5 Key Points for Wi-Fi Distribution in Humanitarian Crises
TSF’s technical team shares its expertise and 5 essential points to consider in order to provide quality connectivity in humanitarian settings.
TSF IT
C2C#060: Meet Olga, a 76-year-old Ukrainian living in a shelter
Directly from the field: a testimony of what it’s like fleeing the Ukraine war, finding shelter, and how connectivity comes into play.
Inès Guittonneau
C2C#059: Empowering Women in Syria and Bridging the Digital Divide
Get to know TSF’s latest project in Syria in partnership with Zoom In Organization to train women in Internet safety, digital security, and protection from electronic blackmail.
Cyrine Bettaieb
C2C#058: TSF’s Latest Capacity Sharing Training in Southeast Asia
What happens when we share our expertise with regional organizations, and why is it useful for everyone involved?
Inès Guittonneau
C2C#057: Meet Marta, ICT Specialist and Digital Inclusion Program Manager at TSF
Marta’s combined focus on ICT and digital inclusion gives her an insightful perspective on how TSF aims to include girls and women in ICT during humanitarian crises.
Inès Guittonneau
C2C#056: Women and ICT in Humanitarian Settings: An Interview with Kristy Crabtree
What can humanitarian actors and service providers do to better meet women and girls’ needs during crises? TSF and Kristy Crabtree, Technology for Programs Strategy Lead at the IRC, discussed the issue.
Cyrine Bettaieb
C2C#055: A Day in the Field with Ihor, TSF IT specialist in Ukraine
What are the everyday actions needed to provide connectivity to displaced people in Ukraine? ICT specialist Ihor tells us.
Also: an interview with DigitalBridge, TSF’s partner.
Inès Guittonneau
C2C#054: Two Years of Responding to the Ukrainian Crisis: Then and Now
How are communication and information needs evolving as the crisis in Ukraine continues?
Inès Guittonneau
C2C#053: Meet the Researcher Working on Humanitarian Participation & Tech
Centre for Humanitarian Action researcher Andrea Düchting gives an interview to Call to Comms on how humanitarian organizations can use digital technology to improve the participation of affected populations.
Inès Guittonneau
C2C#052: Women in Mexican Migrant Shelters Share Their Stories
Being a forcibly displaced woman, testimonials and the importance of information.
Inès Guittonneau
C2C#051: ‘Technology is Revolutionizing Our Cooperative’ in Madagascar
This week, find out more about TSF’s new digital inclusion project, and discover Lucile’s story of how she accessed digital training and uses it for her agricultural cooperative.
Inès Guittonneau
C2C#050: 4 Ways ICTs Can Help Deliver Humanitarian Supplies
How can ICTs improve the way help reaches the people who need it?
Inès Guittonneau
C2C#049: Meet Magdalena, Communicating With Communities in Poland
Magda, a TSF employee in Poland, explains how reliable information is useful to Ukrainian refugees, and how she makes sure she selects relevant information for people.
Inès Guittonneau
C2C#048: Free Software: A Tool To Help People
Why is free software important in humanitarian missions? How does TSF use it?
Emmanuel JEAN
C2C#047: An overview of TSF Missions in 2023
For this final issue of 2023, The Call to Comms retraces TSF’s missions in 2023, from the earthquake in Turkey to the hurricane in Mexico.
TSF Comms Team
C2C#046: What You Need to Know About the 2024 Global Humanitarian Overview
How will the humanitarian situation look in 2024? Also: an open position at TSF, and the latest news.
Inès Guittonneau
C2C#045: Meet Stefany, External Relations Officer at TSF
Find out first-hand from TSF staff what is involved in carrying out a humanitarian project across several countries.
Emma Dupraz
C2C#044: TSF Mission Updates - Information Diffusion in Poland
Learn more about the situation in Poland for refugees today, how relevant information supports them, and the project’s latest advancements.
Inès Guittonneau
C2C#043: Meet Zacharie, Educator at TSF
Meet Zacharie, educator at the IT Cup Center in Madagascar.
Also this week: Updates on the humanitarian crises in Gaza and in Sudan.
Emma Dupraz
C2C#042: Why Do Cyclones Have Names?
Have you ever wondered why extreme weather events are named? Here’s a quick explanation. Also this week: Education During War, Online Disinformation, Climate Action and some recent news from our work in Ukraine.
Emma Dupraz
C2C41: TSF Regional Manager Reflects on 15 Years of Missions
From Haiti in 2010 to Ukraine in 2022, learn about the experiences of TSF’s Regional Manager.
Inès Guittonneau
C2C#040: TSF’s Response to Hurricane Otis
Learn more about TSF emergency response to Hurricane Otis in Acapulco, Mexico. Also this week: updates on Armenia and Gaza.
Emma Dupraz
C2C#039: How To Know What You Read Online Is Trustworthy
The situation in Gaza is everywhere on the Internet. Here’s a simple way to ensure that what you read is trustworthy. Also this week: a special focus on Gaza, 6 months of war in Sudan, and Capacity Europe.
Emma Dupraz
C2C#038: World Disaster Risk Reduction Day
This newsletter explores the link between poverty, inequality and natural disasters, and shows how capacity building helps mitigate disaster risks.
Emma Dupraz
C2C#037: Meet CartONG, the humanitarian mapping NGO
Meet CartONG, an NGO specialized in digital mapping and data management in the humanitarian sector.
Inès Guittonneau
C2C#036: 20 years of the Americas base
To celebrate the 20 years of the base, learn more about the evolution of TSF’s missions in Latin America.
Emma Dupraz
C2C#035: Meet Alma Angelica, shelter manager in Mexico
Discover the insights of a shelter manager on the Information Diffusion Project in Latin America.
Emma Dupraz
C2C#034: How do NGOs respond to natural disasters?
3 steps that NGOs take into account when responding to natural disasters, from the early days to the long term.
Also: an interview with AT&T.
Inès Guittonneau
C2C#033: TSF On Site For the Moroccan Earthquake
TSF deployed following the earthquake in Morocco. Learn more about the disaster, and the work our team has started on-site.
Emma Dupraz
C2C#032: Why Is Literacy Important in Humanitarian Crises?
Misinformation is dangerous for everyone, but for people in humanitarian crisis situations, the risks and stakes are often higher. How can literacy help?
Inès Guittonneau
C2C#031: Displaced and Disconnected
How can connectivity contribute to better lives for displaced people? Also this week: a pollution-monitoring instrument, ASEAN Disaster Management Week and a tool to help reduce global hunger.
Emma Dupraz
C2C#030: 5 Things To Know About Technology in Education
What do we know so far about the role of technology in education? What is TSF doing to use technology for education in humanitarian crises? Also this week: Haitians’ resilience, the situation in Afghanistan, and LEO connectivity solutions.
Inès Guittonneau
C2C#029: World Humanitarian Day: A Day in An NGO
For World Humanitarian Day, follow us on a day in an international humanitarian NGO. Also this week: latest news, and updates from Ukraine.
Inès Guittonneau
C2C#028: Choosing the Right Tech for Emergency Connectivity
How does a technical NGO select equipment to provide emergency connectivity?
Inès Guittonneau
C2C#027: Community Resilience And Climate Change
Hurricane season is nearing its peak. To face storms exacerbated by climate change, preparedness is essential. Learn about TSF’s latest update on its mission in the Caribbean.
Inès Guittonneau
C2C#026: 25 years of TSF!
TSF celebrates 25 years of humanitarian action! Discover our photo campaign and insights from TSF’s co-founder and director.
Inès Guittonneau
C2C#025: Bridging the Digital Divide
What you need to know about the digital divide and why it matters for education.
Emmanuel JEAN
C2C#024: Solidarity in times of war
A school director in Ukraine shares his experience of how his school has become a collective centre for displaced families, and how important internet access is for those staying there.
Emmanuel JEAN
C2C#023: Satellite Orbits and Why They Matter for NGOs
Why the difference between satellite orbits matter more than you might think, and how they affect humanitarian action.
Emmanuel JEAN
C2C#022: Read TSF Annual Report 2022
How did we work towards our vision in 2022? Discover all of TSF’s actions in 2022, with data, pictures and testimonies, in our new annual report.
Inès Guittonneau
C2C#021: Hope Away from Home: World Refugee Day
World Refugee Day: reconnecting with the world and fighting online misinformation. Also this week: struggle with an app at the US-Mexico border, and a deadly shipwreck off Greece.
Inès Guittonneau
C2C#020: How should NGOs talk about what they do?
How does an NGO use Oxfam’s inclusive language guide? TSF shares 3 things they find interesting in the guide. Also this week: localisation, gender biases and Ukraine dam.
Inès Guittonneau
C2C#019: Climate Change and Technology in Humanitarian Action
How does climate change affect humanitarian situations, and how technology can support resilience to climate-related events?
Inès Guittonneau
C2C#018: 3 ways to support NGO workers’ needs
Witness to crisis after crisis, NGO workers are particularly vulnerable to mental health issues. What can be done to help them?
Also this week: meet Emmanuel, head of communications at TSF. How do you get into the humanitarian sector?
Inès Guittonneau
C2C#017: How can we help refugees with their mental health?
The ITW Charity Run raised funds for TSF! Also this week: how can tech solutions support the mental health of displaced people?
Inès Guittonneau
C2C#016: Why is World Telecom Day important?
This week: why World Telecommunications Day matters, and a digital platform for people affected by humanitarian crises.
TSF Comms Team
C2C#015: Stories of 2 humanitarians helping Ukrainian refugees
We put the spotlight on local initiatives TSF supports in Poland and the stories of humanitarian workers who work there. Also this week: the ITW Charity Run.
Inès Guittonneau
C2C#014: How can tech make medical support possible?
This week we look at how technology can be used to prevent humanitarian crisis and the role of satellite technology in bridging the digital divide.
Inès Guittonneau
C2C#013: Providing Essential Information for Ukrainian refugees
We honor the International Girls in ICT Day coming up, and introduce you to Hanna, TSF staff, a Ukrainian national providing information for refugees in Poland.
Inès Guittonneau
C2C#012: What has TSF done in Latin America in 2022?
New report on the project in Latin America to provide essential information to people in mobility, and a discussion with Eutelsat’s CSR director.
Inès Guittonneau
C2C#011: Data Protection and AI in Humanitarian NGOs
This week we delve into the world of data protection and the impact of Artificial Intelligence in humanitarian organizations.
Tobias Mews
The Call to Comms: The Importance of Digital Mapping
How do humanitarians know where to go when they’re on the field? We explain how GIS works, and how it helps us. Also: 7,000 new islands discovered in Japan’s archipelago thanks to technology!
Tobias Mews
The Call to Comms: The dangers faced by refugee women
What dangers do refugee women face? How can we help reduce them? Also: what you need to know about the latest IPCC report.
Inès Guittonneau
C2C#007 Women in NGOs
Are women taken into account in humanitarian decision-making? What do they bring to humanitarian action? Also: co-founding an NGO as a woman.
Inès Guittonneau
C2C#006: Empowering women through technology
An event to introduce women to digital mapping, what can be done to bridge digital divide, and an interview of Inmarsat, our partner of 23 years.
Tobias Mews
C2C#005: Why we’re still in Ukraine, one year later
How can we provide essential information and connectivity to Ukrainians fleeing the war? Meet the TSF staff who makes it possible.
Inès Guittonneau
The Call to Comms #003: Responding to earthquakes
A quick update on TSF’s response to the earthquake, how technology can help find earthquake survivors, and humanitarian collaboration in the field.
Inès Guittonneau
C2C#002 On the way to restore connectivity in Turkey
In our second newsletter, we talk about deploying to Turkey following the earthquake, how to build community resilience and how humanitarian issues affect women.
Inès Guittonneau
C2C#001: Global Humanitarian Trends for 2023
Télécoms Sans Frontières break down the main points in OCHA’s Global Humanitarian Trends report for 2023 and our insights into what’s in store.
Inès Guittonneau
