NetHope's Haiti Earthquake Response Center

Updated Wednesday, Mar 10th

NEW: NetHope partner Inveneo posted this fascinating account on how to design and deploy a long-range wireless network connecting NetHope member agencies in Port-au-Prince.

Working Around the Clock to Help Rebuild Haiti's Shattered Communications Infrastructure

NetHope and our partners are helping to bridge Haiti's broken IT and telecommunications infrastructure which was almost completely demolished by the devastating earthquake on January 12^th. Bringing connectivity back to Port-au-Prince is critical in the aftermath of this tragic emergency. Without Internet and telephone access, it is nearly impossible for our members - the world's leading international humanitarian aid organizations - to communicate and coordinate on the delivery of aid, food, water, shelter, medical supplies, and other much needed services. Thanks to generous support, NetHope's team has been able to give front-line aid relief workers the internet and telephony communications capabilities they need to help the people of Haiti.

Rooftop to Rooftop - Connecting Member Organizations through a VSAT/ Wireless Solution

Our engineers arrived in Port-au-Prince on January 19th. In short order, they established high-speed Internet access through a High Speed Internet/wireless network with 5.5Mb down, 512k up capacity. 12 member organizations are now connected by Internet and IP phone capabilities. These organizations are CARE, CHF International, CHF Field, Concern Worldwide, Catholic Relief Services, International Rescue Committee (IRC), Oxfam GB, Plan, Profamil (a local NGO), Save the Children (two sites) and SOS Children's Villages.

Six other member organizations - Action Aid, Oxfam America, Mercy Corps and Relief International - are in the queue to get up and running. Two non-members, Haiti's Ministry of Education and St Francis Hospital, have requested to be added to the NetHope network. NetHope is able to get aid organizations on the network and with high-speed Internet access within 72 hours of receiving accurate local office information and completing an area assessment that confirms connection criteria can be met.

Donations

1.5 tons of donated equipment and hardware purchased with cash donations arrived in Port-au-Prince last week. The 20 BGANs, 100 laptops and VSAT dish were prepared for shipment in Miami and flown to Santo Domingo on a Catholic Relief Services (a NetHope member organization) chartered flight. The equipment was then trucked overland to Port-au-Prince. This equipment will provide connectivity to aid workers in areas that currently have very limited or non-existent modes of communications. Additional laptops, solar chargers, networking and other equipment are en route.

Partnerships

Member Organizations and Partners: NetHope is working with Catholic Relief Services (and USAID) to send by airfreight additional equipment in the coming weeks. Catholic Relief Services has committed to ship another 2.5 tons of equipment on a future flight. CHF International generously provided shelter, food and security for the extended NetHope team in Port-au-Prince. Oxfam GB pulled network and ER engineering specialist, Fran Boon, off a key project and seconded him to the NetHope team. Inveneo and Cisco have provided mission critical engineering support in Port-au-Prince to make this VSAT/WiFi network possible.

UN and USAID: We have been collaborating with the UN's Emergency Telecom Cluster, participating in their global and local coordination meetings. We also have been coordinating with USAID, sharing with one another ICT coordination information. USAID will be assisting us with logistical and equipment needs in the coming weeks.

Partnering with Local Institutions To Build Sustainable IT Solutions

NetHope has enabled high-speed internet connections from two local Internet Service Providers (ISPs), Multilink and Access Haiti, for a better long-term IT solution. While the VSAT/long distance Wi-Fi solution is a good short-term solution, we want to support a sustainable IT platform for our member organizations as they begin to consider their future IT needs. We also want to take this opportunity to build local capacity and technical expertise with Haitian Internet Service Providers.

Support NetHope's Haiti Efforts & Spread the Word

If you believe like we do that bringing information and communications technology to Haiti will have a significant impact on the relief efforts underway, please consider making a donation.

Support Our Members Directly

20 NetHope member agencies are operating in Haiti. Please support their efforts directly. Links to their Haiti response sites are below.

Accion ActionAid American Red Cross CARE CHF International Christian Aid

Concern CRS FHI FINCA Heifer International International Rescue Committee IFRC Mercy Corps

SOS Children's Villages Oxfam PATH Plan Relief International Save the Children Winrock WorldVision