Mobile Application Reconnects Refugees with Loved Ones
(Thomson Reuters ONE) -
* Enables refugees to use mobile phones to register themselves, search for
loved ones and reconnect via an anonymous database
* 36 million refugees globally could benefit from this service
* Commitment announced at Clinton Global Initiative's annual meeting in New
York
* Successful pilot in Uganda expands to other countries of Africa
In support of the hundreds of thousands of refugees who have fled from conflict
and disaster areas, Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) and Refugees United, in partnership
with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and mobile
operator MTN in Uganda, have launched the first project to locate and reconnect
refugee and IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) families through the innovative
use of mobile phones and internet.
The program enables refugees to use mobile phones to register and search for
loved ones via an anonymous database, and subsequently reconnect using mobile
text messaging (SMS) or the Internet. The information registered may be accessed
by refugees and NGOs caring for displaced people, and used to quickly put them
in touch with their families.
António Guterres, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, says: "The role
of the private sector is increasingly important for humanitarian assistance.
Lending their knowledge and expertise to support the refugee cause is crucial as
many of these projects would otherwise be outside of our reach. Today mobile
phones are everywhere. Utilizing this readily available technology for a good
cause to enable refugees to connect with and reach out to family members they
have lost contact with is fundamental."
Presented to governments and business leaders at the Clinton Global Initiative's
annual meeting in New York today, the initiative started with a pilot deployment
in northern Uganda at the beginning of September. The application is now being
extended to other camps in Eastern Africa.
According to David and Christopher Mikkelsen, Directors of Refugees United, on
a recent implementation visit with UNHCR to Uganda they witnessed long lines of
refugees waiting to sign up to the service to find missing family members. Most
refugees have used a mobile phone so they feel secure, they know how it will
work, and they give only information they are comfortable sharing, to reconnect.
Today more than 4,500 refugees have registered, a considerably higher number
than possible with traditional methods.
"As a company and leader within our community, MTN understands the need to help
where we can and have a deep emotional attachment to this project. Mobile
telephony has contributed significantly to the growth of emerging markets, and
we are proud to be part of this innovative use of the mobile phone to reunite
displaced families in the Great Lakes region," says Anthony Katamba, General
Manager, MTN Uganda.
According to UNHCR, there are over five million people of concern in East and
Horn of Africa, some 14 percent of the global number of people that UNHCR
assists around the world. UNHCR's main operations in this region include
Somalia, Sudan, Uganda, Kenya and Ethiopia.
Hans Vestberg, President and CEO, Ericsson, says: "For well more than a decade
now, through our Ericsson Response program, we have played an active role in
responding to natural disasters or other human suffering. A sad part of that
suffering is often the separation of families when large numbers of people
become refugees or displaced. This commitment addresses this tragedy directly by
helping reconnect those who have lost contact with their loved ones."
Refugees United also provides the service via computers and internet, but with
more than five billion mobile subscriptions today the service via mobile phones
is highly relevant. In Africa less than two percent of people have access to
computers, compared to more than 45 percent that have a mobile phone.
In offering the service, Refugees United will create, maintain and update the
database while Ericsson will provide the mobile application, technology and
systems integration to enable the application in mobile networks. MTN will host
and offer the service on their networks, and UNHCR will help to implement the
project in the different refugee settlements. Refugees United is actively
supported by Delta Partners, who are providing strategic guidance to the
initiative.
"Our mission is to make use of mobile technology to eliminate a major global
issue, which is to reunite refugees with their loved ones", says Kai Uwe Ricke,
Partner and Chairman of Board of Directors, Delta Partners.
"It was amazing and heartwarming to be able to visit Uganda and to see how
thrilled the refugees were at the prospect of being able to reconnect with their
lost loved ones. It really magnified how powerful and life changing this new
technology is; it will change the lives of millions of refugees worldwide," says
Emmanuel Jal, musician and former Sudanese refugee and child soldier.
Notes to editors:
Refugees United mobile site:
m.refunite.org
Our multimedia content is available at the broadcast room:
www.ericsson.com/broadcast_room
Ericsson is the world's leading provider of technology and services to telecom
operators. Ericsson is the leader in 2G, 3G and 4G mobile technologies, and
provides support for networks with over 2 billion subscribers and has the
leading position in managed services. The company's portfolio comprises mobile
and fixed network infrastructure, telecom services, software, broadband and
multimedia solutions for operators, enterprises and the media industry. The Sony
Ericsson and ST-Ericsson joint ventures provide consumers with feature-rich
personal mobile devices.
Ericsson is advancing its vision of being the "prime driver in an
all-communicating world" through innovation, technology, and sustainable
business solutions. Working in 175 countries, more than 80,000 employees
generated revenue of SEK 206.5 billion (USD 27.1 billion) in 2009. Founded in
1876 with the headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden, Ericsson is listed on OMX
NASDAQ, Stockholm and NASDAQ New York.
www.ericsson.com
www.twitter.com/ericssonpress
www.twitter.com/ericssonsustain
www.facebook.com/technologyforgood
www.youtube.com/ericssonpress
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT
Ericsson
Ericsson Corporate Public & Media Relations
Phone: +46 10 719 69 92
E-mail:media.relations(at)ericsson.com
Ericsson Investor Relations
Phone: +46 10 719 00 00
E-mail:investor.relations(at)ericsson.com
About the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI)
Established in 2005 by President Bill Clinton, the Clinton Global Initiative
(CGI) convenes global leaders to devise and implement innovative solutions to
some of the world's most pressing challenges. Since 2005, CGI Annual Meetings
have brought together more than 125 current and former heads of state, 15 Nobel
Peace Prize laureates, hundreds of leading CEOs, heads of foundations, major
philanthropists, directors of the most effective nongovernmental organizations,
and prominent members of the media. The CGI community also includes CGI
University (CGI U), a forum to engage college students in global citizenship,
MyCommitment.org, an online portal where anybody can make a Commitment to
Action, and CGI Lead, which engages a select group of young leaders from
business, government, and civil society. For more information, visit
www.clintonglobalinitiative.org.
Refugees United
Refugees United is a 501c3 non-profit helping refugee families that have lost
contact with loved ones during escape from conflict with an anonymous platform
to reconnect. Leveraging the power of mobile and Internet technologies, Refugees
United provides a collaborative platform enabling NGOs and refugees themselves
to exchange information on missing family across borders and conflicts to
reconnect. Please visit www.refunite.org
Helene V. Sorensen
Outreach officer
Tel: +45 3127 3972
Email: hvs(at)refunite.org
Twitter: twitter.com/refunite
Facebook: www.facebook.com/refunite
UNHCR
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees was established
on December 14, 1950 by the United Nations General Assembly. The agency is
mandated to lead and co-ordinate international action to protect refugees and
resolve refugee problems worldwide. Its primary purpose is to safeguard the
rights and well-being of refugees. It strives to ensure that everyone can
exercise the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another State, with
the option to return home voluntarily, integrate locally or to resettle in a
third country. It also has a mandate to help stateless people. In more than five
decades, the agency has helped tens of millions of people restart their lives.
Today, a staff of some 6,600 people in more than 110 countries continues to help
about 34 million persons.
Needa Jehu-Hoyah
Assoc External Relations Officer
UNHCR Uganda
Tel: +256 (0) 414 230 011
+256 (0) 414 231 231
Email:jehuho(at)unhcr.org
ABOUT THE MTN GROUP
Launched in 1994, the MTN Group is a multinational telecommunications group,
operating in 21 countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. The MTN Group is
listed on the JSE Securities Exchange in South Africa under the share code:
"MTN". As at 31 March 2010, MTN recorded 123,5 million subscribers across its
operations in Afghanistan, Benin, Botswana, Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire, Cyprus,
Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Guinea Republic, Iran, Liberia, Nigeria, Republic of Congo
(Congo Brazzaville), Rwanda, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Syria, Uganda,
Yemen and Zambia. The MTN Group is a global sponsor of the 2010 FIFA World Cup
South Africa(TM) and has exclusive mobile content rights for Africa and the
Middle East. Visit www.mtn.com and www.mtnplay.com
For more information, please contact: Rukh-Shana Namuyimba on +256 (0)31
212 1070 and on email: namuyir(at)mtn.co.ug
About Delta Partners
Delta Partners is the leading TMT advisory and investment firm in emerging
markets. With more than 160 professionals the firm operates across 50 markets in
the Middle East, Africa, Eastern Europe and Emerging Asia. Delta Partners
provides three synergistic services: management advisory, corporate finance and
investments from its offices in the UAE, Bahrain, South Africa, Spain and
Singapore. Delta Partners delivers tangible results to its clients and investors
through its exclusive sector focus on telecom, media and technology, and a
unique approach to services, combining strategic advice and a hands-on pragmatic
approach.
For further information please contact:
Mia Mutic
Delta Partners
+971 (4) 369-2999
mmu(at)deltapartnersgroup.com / www.deltapartnersgroup.com
About Emmanuel Jal
Emmanuel Jal was born in Southern Sudan, and spent the early years of his
childhood in the midst of its longrunning civil war. At the age of 7, after the
death of his mother, he was recruited as a child soldier for the Rebel army
(SPLA). Amazingly, he survived front line action and eventually managed to
escape with 300 other "lost boys", enduring a 3 month trek on foot without any
supplies to reach safety. One of only a handful to survive the journey, Emmanuel
was rescued by Emma McCune, a British Aid Worker, who smuggled him to freedom in
Kenya and enrolled him in school for the first time. Tragically, Emma died
shortly afterwards in a car accident. Gradually, after so much sadness and
trauma in his life Emmanuel began to find healing through the church and through
music.
Emmanuel is now a world famous rap artist with a Number 1 record under his belt.
He has performed at Live 8 in Cornwall and his song Baai featured in the smash
hit film Blood Diamond. "War Child", a documentary film telling Emmanuel's life
story has premiered at the Berlin and Tribeca Film Festivals, and his album of
the same name is on worldwide release. Throughout all this, Emmanuel has worked
tirelessly with the United Nations, Amnesty International and Oxfam to campaign
against the employment of child soldiers and the illegal trade of arms. His work
with GUA Africa remains his overriding passion.
www.emmanueljal.com
Please find below the PDF version including pictures.
[HUG#1446236]
press release in pdf:
http://hugin.info/1061/R/1446236/389235.pdf
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Source: Ericsson via Thomson Reuters ONE
Unternehmensinformation / Kurzprofil:
Datum: 22.09.2010 - 21:03 Uhr
Sprache: Deutsch
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