Makki Posted December 5, 2002 Share Posted December 5, 2002 Managing information technology is a challenge for any organization, but especially for one that operates in many of the world?s poorest countries, often in remote villages without running water or electricity. This is the challenge for Save the Children and Mercy Corps, organizations that range across Africa, Asia and Latin America to provide development assistance and disaster relief. Increasingly, they rely on technology, and use it in innovative ways. For example, after hurricane Mitch devastated much of Nicaragua in 1998, Save the Children fieldworkers used donated handheld PCs with customized software to map population patterns, roads, bridges, water supplies and electrical facilities?assembling a database needed for reconstruction and to prepare for future crises. "Our fieldworkers went out on mopeds and could quickly update disaster preparedness information and feed it back to our offices," says Edward Granger-Happ, chief technology officer for Save the Children. When disasters strike, coordinating quick distribution of food and other supplies is critical. Mercy Corps is working with many other aid groups to create a central, Web-based system to track commodities from donor to end recipient. Developed with help from Microsoft, the Food and Commodity Tracking System (FACTS) enables groups to collaborate in managing dozens of simultaneous relief operations worldwide. "For the first time, we have a standard tracking system that will help save time and effort," says Tom Ewert, director of food resources for Mercy Corps. Technology is also helping foster sustainable development. In Kazakhstan, Mercy Corps used Microsoft technology as the basis for a database system, KREDITS, to track micro-enterprise loans. Adapted for use also in Bosnia and Kosovo, KREDITS helps manage more than $15 million in loans. One challenge for aid groups is Internet access. "In many places, it?s a challenge just to find a phone line, and even then lines often don?t stay connected for more than five minutes,? asserts Granger-Happ. But the world is changing. A year ago in Pakistan, 128 kbps Internet service cost US$4,000 a month, Granger-Happ recalls; he recently signed a deal for a 256 kbps DSL line that will cost only US$300. "When we can have the consistent bandwidth we need, the whole nature of the conversation changes," says Granger-Happ. "We can do things like help fieldworkers in separate locations hold a virtual meeting, and share large files that would otherwise take one to two hours to download." The global work of organizations such as Mercy Corps and Save the Children is enhanced by technology and becomes even more vital as technology draws the world closer together and makes us all more interdependent. Each of us has a growing stake in?and should support?efforts to ease suffering, relieve poverty and enable people to realize their full potential. Source Microsoft Essays on Technology Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RadishTM Veteran Posted December 5, 2002 Veteran Share Posted December 5, 2002 Yeah, it's pretty cool technology they are using to bring families back together & help them survive :) .... Radish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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