How social media was used intelligently to extend humanitarian aid in 2015

Social media, which became galvanized during the 2010 Haiti earthquake, is a bullhorn of support in aiding humanitarian work every time a country has been struck by national catastrophe, a terrorist attack or refugee crisis ever since.

Recently, UN sent 44 aid trucks to the beseiged Syrian town of Madaya, where children and adults are dying of starvation. Even as international agencies, NGOs and governments play their part, 2015’s unfortunate events saw common people using social media not only display support, but become active participants by sharing information and extending aid. This new platform of sensitive humans across the world emerged as the new forum for collective intelligence, social convergence, and community activism in the hour of need. Here’s how:

Syrian refugee crisis

Even as the UN, Germany, and Europe as a whole, have been hailed as the saviours of refugees, another less talked about silent saviour has been the social media. There are various Facebook pages that provide crucial information to refugees, which include instructions on what they should carry during their journey and which officials they should contact. There are numerous groups on Facebook such as the ‘Syrian Refugee Helpers in Istanbul’, which allow volunteers and activists to gather on a single platform and organise their efforts effectively in order to cater to the needs of refugees. Besides, CNN noted that there is a section of Syrian refugees which has made use of social media to make the migratory journey somewhat more organised. Syrian youth is making use of the internet, Facebook in particular, to issue distress calls while they’re at sea. They have the phone numbers of the Greek and Turkish police and once they arrive at their desired destination, they know exactly where to go and what to do.

Chennai floods

Floods in Chennai spelt doom for the people of the city, but social media was a force in Chennai which emerged more powerful than the rains pounding the city. While bridges collapsed, floodgates opened and people were confined to their homes, citizens came together on social media – Twitter and Facebook – to coordinate efforts to send or seek help with accommodation, food and rescue relief.
From sharing Chennairains.org, a Google spreadsheet listing helpline numbers, aid offers and requests, rescue requests, volunteer details and accommodation details to provide necessary information to volunteers to a crowdsourced effort to map inundated roads in Chennai, along with information on vulnerable and water logged points and flood relief camps, many such initiatives by the people (updates by independent weather blogging community, portals sharing info on stranded residents, rescue operations, resource requirements) put together made social media act as the savior for victims in their hour of need as more and more Indians reached out to help, and the donations were directed in the right places.

Nepal earthquake

As the catastrophe hit the state, several projects started by Nepal’s youth were a kind of rolling coverage with added information — useful data that people from around Nepal and the world could use to direct their help quickly and effectively, during a period that was otherwise characterised by chaos. The hashtag #nepalphotoproject and its matching Instagram account gained widespread exposure. Started by a local photojournalist, it brought together images of quake damage that were seen by tens of thousands of followers around the world. The crowd-sourced pictures also gave people an insight into the degree of damage suffered in hard-to-reach regions. The posts often included links to reliable aid organisations or local volunteer groups.

Paris Attacks

Amid the chaos of gunfire and explosions in Paris that left dozens dead, people used social media to share their sympathy, give advice, and open doors to their homes to others stranded in the French capital. The #PorteOuverte or the ‘open-door’ initiative connected people who were looking for shelter. It popped up on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and opened doors for those looking for support.

(Image credits: Reuters)