Télécoms Sans Frontières, thanks to the financial support of the European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection Department (ECHO) is training 100 international emergency responders in telecommunications and information technology. This year-round training program targets humanitarian organizations on three continents: Asia, America and, for the very first time, Africa.
Capacity building in response operations to humanitarian crises is vital for the effective implementation of coordination mechanisms, especially in support of ground operations. The purpose of TSF training courses is to strengthen the coordination and competence of emergency actors in a particular region. The participants are prepared for emergencies and discover ICT solutions, including the structure and methodology of the United Nations. With more effective response from the emergency players, humanitarian aid on the ground will have a stronger impact on affected populations.
Dakar session: from 20th to 25th May, 2013
In the region of the Sahel and in West Africa, prolonged drought combined with conflicts causes recurrent crises, affecting millions of people. The limited or totally lacking access to means of communication slows the delivery of humanitarian aid to these vulnerable populations. In light of this complex humanitarian situation, there is a crucial need for increased capacity coordination of humanitarian actors and improved diffusion of information in the field.
Effective telecom solutions can therefore reduce the impact of the crisis on people’s lives.
Thus, TSF teams have been working in Mali since February 2013, have offered free calls to the victims of the conflict and then installed a satellite connection for the benefit of local authorities.
For the first time on the African continent, TSF, with funding from the European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection Department (ECHO), is giving ICT training to the West African humanitarian organizations involved in emergency response. This training session began in Dakar, Senegal, May 20th, 2013.
The objective is to strengthen the capacity of humanitarian organizations in West Africa involved in emergency response.
