Nethope’s Open Humanitarian Initiative is a great example of public-private partnerships where global technology leaders such as CISCO, Microsoft, Google join with NGOs to build improved communications technology and information sharing when disaster strikes.
During the past year NetHope has traveled the world, speaking to humanitarian organizations, academic organizations, private sector companies, governments, digital volunteer groups and donors. all in an effort to bring open data to communities when disaster strikes. The consensus is there is a pressing need to improve information sharing during humanitarian response in disasters.
Two key questions were asked of first responders on the ground to get at the heart of the issue:
1. Why does Information and Communications Technology matter when disaster strikes
2. What role can NetHope play in helping to improve ICT and disaster response?
Here’s a first-hand,on the ground response to these two core questions:
When infrastructure is destroyed in a disaster, Information and Communications Technology is a vital life-line to aid. Providing ICT for responders on the ground, command centers, and building capacity for the citizens is the support that is required. This capacity, of course, must be in place before disaster hits.
The Patterson Foundation is a catalyst funder of NetHope’s Open Humanitarian Initiative. OHI is a five year, $15-20 million project that aims to build Information and Communications Technology capacity and foster more effective information sharing via open data during disasters. NetHope is an efficient, effective well-oiled operational machine. A culture of collaboration and sharing is clearly evident.
As the lead communications strategist for The Patterson Foundation, we have a front row seat to seeing these NetHope public-private partnerships blossom and develop.Understanding how global technology leaders partner for a common cause- improved communications and information sharing in disaster response- shows the exponential potential when organizations join hands around a cause and share a similar culture of how things get done.
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