
The Hong Kong (HK) section of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) started the REACH project in March 2017. The project was based on the experience gained in the region through the Emergency Response Support Unit (ERSU) in HK, which was set up in 2010 to monitor emergencies in Southeast Asia (SEA) and support MSF’s emergency response in the region. The unit found gathering reliable, timely, and actionable information in this diverse and disaster-prone region challenging. The unit wanted to improve the response time after emergency alerts and to streamline data sharing activities. REACH) is an online platform that aims to support MSF’s needs for improved information management in emergencies and more efficient decision-making during disasters. The primary purpose of the evaluation was to assess the value of the REACH platform; support learning around the conditions of the project, its design and implementation; and inform decision-making and make recommendations for similar projects in the future.