Télécoms Sans Frontières (TSF)’s Post

In the latest blog post, we explore how rail infrastructure helps deliver crisis relief, focusing on its reliability, capacity and sustainability. Visit our website to learn more about the role of rail in global humanitarian operations! 👈

We opened new avenues to extend humanitarian reach in #AsiaPacific in 2023. From inaugural shipments to Papua New Guinea and Myanmar to conducting a Logistics Preparedness Workshop in the Philippines, we achieved several "firsts," too. Jennifer Torner and Claire Leow of Airlink's APAC team detail every response from 2023, share personal messages, and highlight involved partners and our collective regional impact, which includes: 💰 Transportation Savings: Our collaborative efforts saved over USD $715,000 in transportation costs for #NGOs, ensuring resources were efficiently directed where they were needed most. 📦 Humanitarian Cargo Sent: Thanks to the partnership and generosity of #airline partners, we facilitated the transportation of 75 metric tons of vital supplies, bridging the gap between aid and communities in crisis. 🛫 Flights for Responders: 168 skilled responders were swiftly mobilized to areas facing humanitarian challenges, making a tangible difference on the ground. 🌏 Number of Countries Reached: Our reach extended to 13 countries, fostering global collaboration to address diverse and complex needs. 🤝 NGOs Supported: A total of 38 NGOs received Airlink support for their programs in the region, amplifying the impact of their crucial work and strengthening the network of humanitarian aid. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eiG9tKte

When disaster strikes, mobile connectivity is key, and today its playing an even bigger role in the lives of those affected by crisis, and the humanitarian response. In 2023 we saw the highest number of humanitarian crises in a decade driven by conflict and climate change. Over the year, the GSMA Mobile for Humanitarian Innovation team was hard at work engaging with the mobile industry, funding innovators, supporting governments and much more. Read the report to learn about our activities and impact in 2023 👇 https://bit.ly/3JmZoR1

🌱International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and CGIAR’s Fragility, Conflict, and Migration initiative (FCM), are working to inform the humanitarian response to climate-based vulnerabilities in Jordan through anticipatory action. By focusing on the Northern Jordanian city of Irbid, the research aims to build climate resilience for both refugees and hosts. 🔗Read more: https://lnkd.in/egrbuujh #ClimateAction

When disaster strikes, mobile connectivity becomes a lifeline 📱 2023 witnessed the highest number of humanitarian crises in a decade, driven by conflict and climate change. The GSMA Mobile for Humanitarian Innovation Programme responded by: 📱 Engaging with the mobile industry 💵 Funding innovators 🤝 Supporting governments and regulators ➕ And more! Read about the programmes impact and activities in 2023: https://bit.ly/3JmZoR1 #HumanitarianInnovation

New publication (open access): Revisiting the definition of humanitarian logistics https://lnkd.in/dm-2s2Q9 Some 20 years ago, I started working with humanitarian logistics (HL) in the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the World Food Programme. I often reflected on a question that has stayed with me for two decades: “what is humanitarian logistics?”; what are the similarities or differences to, for example, business logistics and disaster management?   While a collective understanding of HL exists, clear boundaries between what it is and what it is not remain lacking. Recent disasters have shown that the scope of HL is expanding, as in cases of cash-based interventions, outsourcing to commercial companies, and stronger involvement of local communities. Recent disasters such as COVID-19 have also shown that countries typically acting as donors and providers of humanitarian aid can find themselves in the hotspot of managing a humanitarian crisis in their respective territories.   Together with my friends, colleagues, and co-authors Nathan Kunz, Lina Frennesson, and Diego Vega, we set out to revisit and revise the definition of HL. We followed a systematic process that combined insights from the academic literature and thought leaders in HL academia and practice. This process led to a revised definition of HL: “The logistics and supply chain management focusing on the preparation for, response to, and recovery from a humanitarian crisis, with the aim of saving lives and alleviating the suffering of affected populations.” We complement this definition with accompanying properties (i.e., properties that are unique to HL but may change over time).   We are extremely grateful to all experts participating in the study, as well as the editors and reviewers at Journal of Business Logistics.   Lund University | Berner Fachhochschule BFH | BFH Wirtschaft | Hanken School of Economics | HUMLOG Institute | Logistics Cluster | Robert Glenn Richey, Jr. | #HumanitarianLogistics | #logistics | #supplychainmanagement

🌍 Sustainable Humanitarian Aid 🌱 Humanitarian aid saves lives, but sustainability ensures long-term impact. By integrating eco-friendly practices and empowering communities, we can build resilience and reduce future vulnerabilities. Let’s focus on aid that not only addresses immediate needs but also fosters sustainable growth. #HumanitarianAid #SustainabilityMatters #EcoFriendlySolutions #ClimateResilience #ZeroHunger #EmpowerChange #CommunityFirst #ResilientFuture #ActForThePlanet #SustainableDevelopment

Congratulations to colleagues from Victoria University of Wellington, the Norwegian Red Cross, and the International Committee of the Red Cross - ICRC, including Marnie Lloydd, Tobias Ehret, Peter herby, and Caroline Baudot, for spearheading this research and releasing an excellent report on a topic that is more pertinent than ever: the protection of essential services and the people who enable them during armed conflicts. https://lnkd.in/erGdeZm4 This report gives a voice to practitioners, engineers, technicians, and frontline workers, sharing real-life cases and stories that bring the realities of conflict to light. It illustrates in very clear terms how hostilities impact civilians, not only through direct destruction of critical infrastructure but also by endangering essential service providers. The report raises questions about the protection these workers deserve, what international humanitarian law says, and what more can be done. It offers practical cases, followed by simple but effective recommendations and seeks to ignite discussions on how to better protect those delivering critical services essential for the survival and dignity of populations affected by conflict. We hope this report will drive urgently needed actions and inspire all those working to protect both the systems and the people that keep essential services running, even in the most challenging circumstances. A must read!

A borderless Africa will improve socio-economic and infrastructure developement.