Missions

Cyclone Batsirai made landfall on the east coast of Madagascar on Saturday 5 February, with registered wind gusts of up to 235 km/h. Less than three weeks after, on 22 February, another powerful cyclone, Emnati, hit the same area. Thousands of people have been impacted and displaced.

In the department of Chinandega, more than half of women report having suffered physical, sexual or psychological violence. TSF supports the action of the Chinandega Women's Movement Association (MMCH) with a mobile early warning and prevention system to combat such violence.

ICT to help bridge the digital divide in Nicaragua's remote and rural communities

Near the northern border of Nicaragua, Telpaneca is a district populated by indigenous populations. In the eponymous town of 20,000 inhabitants, the economy relies mainly on the production of bananas and coffee. The IT Cup centre opened by TSF in partnership with the PIT facilitates access to ICT for students, teachers, farmers and local NGOs. It also enables residents to learn about the uses of the internet, to improve their daily lives.

TSF organised a capacity building programme to strengthen the humanitarian response system through the optimal use of technologies

TSF contributes to narrowing the digital divide in some of the world’s most remote and vulnerable areas. For the past 10 years, TSF, from its regional base in Nicaragua, has been providing computer and Internet training sessions to the inhabitants of the San Bartolo area. This region situated in the northwest of the country, far from the other main cities, is characterized by its poorly developed rural areas.

Improve access to information and digital technology for vulnerable populations in Miarinarivo, while strengthening their knowledge of responsible use of ICTs. Context According to a survey of 146 residents conducted by the TSF team in 2024, interest in digital technology is growing in Antananarivo, but significant access inequalities persist, particularly for women and young people. The priorities identified for the project are: accessible training, adapted support, awareness of responsible use. It is also essential to strengthen local structures to facilitate this access. Activities Access to digital tools and raising awareness The IT Cup Centre has initiated partnerships with local schools (Miarinarivo High School, Mimosa High School and CEG Reference). According to their age, students in these institutions receive an introduction to computers (word processing, spreadsheet, internet, e-mails). Students are divided into two groups of up to 10 pupils. Personalised assessment systems allow each student to become aware of their skills and progress. Usually, before the training, more than half of the students has never used a computer. The cybercafé was the first activity set up at the IT Cup center when it opened. It gives the residents of Miarinarivo direct access to computers and the internet, as well as essential tools such as printers and scanners.The cybercafé receives an average of 700 visitors per month. Users are mainly young people (aged 16-25), with two-thirds being boys and men and one-third being girls and women.Internet search training sessions, as well as online protection activities such as 1,2,3 Cyber, are regularly provided.In 2025, the IT Cup center organized workshops on the digital collage. Based on collective intelligence pedagogy, the digital collage helps participants understand the essential mechanisms of the global digital infrastructure and its impact on the environment. Events around digital topics Safer Internet Day took place on May 12, 2022, in Miarinarivo and is a European initiative aimed at raising awareness among young internet users about issues related to internet use: digital identity and personal data, social networks, cyberbullying, etc. As part of the IT Cup program, this international day is an opportunity to introduce the residents of Miarinarivo to the uses of the internet in order to develop responsible use that is adapted to local development issues. Other events are organized with TSF's partners in Miarinarivo, notably the Alabri center Extra-curricular activities To educate and raise awareness among young people, extracurricular activities are organized in partnership with the Alabri center and schools in the city. e-Hianatra Club Working with secondary school teachers, students learn how to conduct research on the internet and verify the sources they use. Academic support Every Saturday morning, in partnership with the Alabri center, students come to study at the IT Cup center, using available digital resources such as the Educmad platform (supported by the NGO Accesmad), under the supervision of teachers from partner schools. Technical Club On Saturday afternoons, motivated young people discover digital technology and algorithms in a fun way with Scratch, the mBot robot, and more. HIstory of the project Miarinarivo is the capital of the Itasy region, located in central Madagascar, a three-hour drive from the capital city of Antananarivo. The Itasy region is predominantly rural and has many assets that promote sustainable development and benefit the population. The city of Miarinarivo is home to all of the region's administrative bodies, as well as numerous schools where children from the surrounding countryside come to study. In 2011, the city had no public internet access. TSF therefore set up an internet access point, thanks to funds raised by the IT Cup the previous year. A partner since 2006, the IT Cup is an association that organizes a charity soccer tournament for companies in the new technology sector. The center has a high-speed internet connection, computer and digital equipment, and spaces adapted for the center's various multi-sector activities. The initial objective was to contribute to the region's development by introducing digital technology and connectivity, working closely with local stakeholders and including activities related to various sectors: education, services, agriculture, health, etc. Over time, the IT Cup Centre has become a dynamic and important community organisation in the town of Miarinarivo, providing digital access to serve the local community.

Between August 2010 and February 2011, TSF trained 102 staff members from organisations and humanitarian agencies in Asia and Central and Latin America to improve effective use of telecommunications service in emergency situations.

To combat the dengue epidemic that has been spreading in Nicaragua since October 2010, TSF set up an innovative system to monitor the spread of the disease. This system, based on simple SMS, enables the rapid centralisation of reliable data from several dozen health centres. This initiative set up in partnership with the PATH NGO is intensely used by SILAIS, a crisis unit mobilised by the Nicaraguan Ministry of Health.

Hurricane Ida swept the coasts of Nicaragua and El Salvador in November 2009. At the request of UNDAC, TSF teams traveled to both countries to provide communications to the United Nations assessment teams.

Thanks to the Libreville agreement that put an end to fighting between the Central African army and rebel armed groups, refugees gradually regained their village after two years of absence. TSF supported the rehabilitation project set up by IRC by installing radio links between the capital offices and the bush offices, as well as in vehicles to ensure the safety of humanitarian workers.

Following Hurricane Felix, TSF installed three emergency communication centres for the United Nations and the humanitarian community in the Puerto Cabezas region, in partnership with the European Commission Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO).