Facebook has promised to bring Internet access to U.N.-coordinated refugee camps. Mark Zuckerberg told a U.N. forum, "Internet access is an important enabler of human rights" and that "connectivity will help refugees gain better access to aid communities and maintain links with family and loved ones." Facebook's initiative is one in a string of attempts by companies and individuals to use technology to assist refugees in their current plight.
Google found an innovative way to send its message across to the users. A Google Fortunetelling web page promises users that it will predict their future, only to confront them with real issues concerning them and the world in general. As soon as one begins to type a question, this Google Fortunetelling page starts to auto-fill the question bar with a preset list of questions such as "Where can I find a safe place?" "Will I ever be reunited with my family?" "Will humans ever stop fighting the war?" "Is there a place where they will accept me?" and "Is there a place where I can give my children a safe future?" The page highlights that it obviously cannot predict one's future, but 60 million refugees wonder each day whether they have any future at all. The site further suggests that users take up initiatives locally regarding crises, or donate to a charity.
Apart from these well-known tech firms, there are some dark knights too who are utilizing the Internet to make the world a better place. In response to the housing crisis for Syrian refugees in Germany, a German couple set up a roommate-matching website for refugees who are seeking accommodation in Germany and Austria. The site, called Refugees Welcome, has so far matched about 200 refugees to shared accommodation since it was launched in November 2014. Refugees are housed for a minimum of three months and are always given their own room. A message on the project's website reads, "We think that the refugee should live under the same conditions as the rest of the flat-mates."
The International Organization for Migration said that almost 3,000 migrants and refugees have perished crossing the Mediterranean in 2015 so far, with a record 500,000 in total attempting the crossing. To try and prevent such tragic losses, the Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS) uses two remote-piloted aircraft, otherwise known as drones, to scour the sea and locate refugees in distress. The Schiebel S-100 Camcopters, which can fly for up to six hours and provide a live video stream, reportedly cost $300,000 per month to rent but have played a pivotal role in enabling MOAS to save 11,680 lives so far.
Multiple apps have been built to provide refugees information about routes, access to basic healthcare services and procedures for seeking asylum. Europe's largest software developer, SAP, is also working on a free app that could be used by refugees in Germany to register for asylum. SAP plans to offer 100 internships and 10 additional apprenticeships to refugees in the next year, German news site DW reported.
British TV presenter Dawn O'Porter has used the Amazon wishlist tool to create a shopping list for refugees in Calais. The Help Calais & Beyond wish list includes items such as camp beds, walking boots and Arabic dictionaries. Items ordered from the list are delivered to the organizers and then sent on to Calais.
These simple, yet, very effective tools are helping millions around the globe in the times of crises. It is in times like these when the science and technology plays a vital role. More than making lives easier, the Internet has become a medium of survival for many.
This article was contributed by Infinit-I, the Technology and Systems club of IIM Indore.
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