Missions

A powerful 7.2 magnitude earthquake hit Haiti on Saturday 14 August. TSF deployed a team from its headquarters to provide humanitarian assistance in the affected area.

Within the framework of operational partnerships with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN), Télécoms Sans Frontières is the go-to organisation for providing technical expertise and training workshops on the application of emergency telecommunications in the humanitarian context.

After the hurricane, the most affected cities of Jérémie and Les Cayes were deprived of contact with the outside world. TSF teams were on hand to provide the essential communications to rescue teams and residents.

TSF contributes to emergency response with organisations helping people in the province of Manabi, hard hit by the earthquake.

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

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.

The 2010 earthquake in Haiti is a humanitarian crisis that remains engraved in the memories of people across the globe. With more than 220,000 fatalities, and over 1 million people left without a roof over their heads, relief efforts were titanic. With the support of the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations body (ECHO), TSF provided satellite telecommunications support for the humanitarian response community, including the government and the United Nations, whilst working to provide communications services for thousands of families.

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.

TSF supported satellite communications and IT resource centres for humanitarian emergency operations following four hurricanes in Haiti.

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).

Just after having returned from their mission in Guatemala, TSF Latin America teams are again called upon by Managua's authorities.

Cyclone Jeanne hit Haiti on 18th September. Two days of heavy rains led to serious flooding in North West Haiti, principally affecting the town of Gonaives. At the time of the disaster, TSF was already mobilised on the island of Grenada since 13th September. A TSF team arrived on Haiti on 24th September and had be augmented one week later. The team was from this date operational to bring help and support to the victims as well as local and international NGOs.