Monday, October 25, 2010

Mobile Hope For Interloper Search

A giveaway mobile service has been set up to help reunite refugees who have been replaced by war, harm or innate disasters.

The innovative network from non-profit organization Refugees United allows people with even the many simple of handsets to rapidly record their sum around SMS, and be suited up with the seeking for them.

The intrigue - frequently referred to as simply Refunite - differs from other amicable networks as it allows a user to upload usually the data they are cozy with sharing, such as nicknames or even just descriptions of birthmarks or other quirks.

The covering of anonymity means refugees who have fled their home countries in apprehension can persist the safety whilst still pity sufficient data for family and friends to be able to find them.

The site was founded by Christopher and David Mikkelsen. For the BBC World Service's Digital Planet, Anna Cavell spoke to David.

"The thought came about when we was assisting a young Afghani interloper called Mansour perplexing to fix up his family a couple of years ago.

"While carrying out so, my hermit and we realised this probability of an online tracing apparatus where you could go in, do a profile, giving out data that you're usually cozy with."

The site has given captivated thousands of users. But in demand for it to rise further, the Mikkelsen brothers knew they had to attain audiences who did not have access to a P.C. and the internet.

"We're carrying out a commander on how to do hunting and registration around mobile phones.

"Not just around chic phones, but obviously moreover by the aged college content messaging system. Even in the many remote interloper settlements, you still find mobile phones everywhere."

Tomas Krag, Refunite's technical director, explained how by using a simple subject and answer format, users may be rapidly purebred from an "old school" mobile handset.

"There's a array of keywords, so if you send 'REG' to the number, it assumes you're induction and it sends you back a solicit that starts off by asking your name. Then it asks your age and your gender and so forth.

"By the finish of it the interloper will have registered. Then there's a simple menu network that allows you to select not similar options thereafter so you can hunting for people on the system, and if you find someone you regard might be family you can send a summary as well."

The site urges people contacted by other users to inquire a array of personal questions to settle that the contactee is in fact who they affirm to be.

One area the network is being trialled in is Adjumani, north Uganda, nearby the Sudan border. There are 10,000 refugees there, living in thatched sand huts. A lot of huts, however, offer a luck to assign mobile phones around solar panels.

John is a local protector of Refunite, assisting the people in Adjumani pointer up.

"I'm tasked with the shortcoming of induction the refugees in the network of Refunite.

"I encouragement them in mentoring them in how the systems work, in coaching them in how they can use the system."

It is key work, says Kai Nielsen from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

"Prior to this program being created and this plan being started, it compulsory a earthy participation for tracing to be undertaken.

"This plan does this electronically, so it does not need the earthy participation in, sometimes, locations where it's obviously unfit to be physically present."

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