During the drought and famine that struck parts of the Horn of Africa in the first
months of 2011, infoasaid and ActionAid launched an innovative communications
project to support ActionAid’s emergency programmes in Isiolo, Kenya by improving
communication with drought affected populations.
To overcome the numerous challenges in rapidly communicating with large numbers
of people in a vast area with poor roads and security incidents, the project used
several communication platforms to send and receive information. These platforms
included two mobile phone technology solutions- FrontlineSMS and Freedom Foneand
community bulletins.
The project had three strategic objectives: ? To improve the effectiveness of ActionAid’s humanitarian assistance in Isiolo County through systematic, fast, and reliable communication between the organization and the people it serves; ? To enhance ActionAid’s monitoring and reporting through improved data collection; ? To provide communities in Isiolo country with vital information that could improve their livelihoods.
