Voila Teams Up With The Red Cross For A New Haiti SMS Campaign

Great News... Voila, one of Haiti's largest mobile phone companies, has developed a new web-based platform that allows the Red Cross to send emergency SMS messages through their country-wide mobile network.

Voila Comcel - Haiti mobile phone company

Since the Haiti earthquake back in January, every Haitian agree that SMS messages saves lives.

Now Voila has teamed up with the Red Cross to send a series of "preparedness message alerts" to all Voila mobile phone subscribers across Haiti.

With this new system, SMS messages will be sent out to all Voila subscribers with a single purpose: To give people information on what they need to do during and after a disaster.

About 3 days ago, a press release went out about this new campaign nicknamed "Evite Miyo Pase Mandé Padon" (Prevention is better than cure).

It started last Tuesday, August 24, and it will run for six days.

In the press release, Dr Jean-Pierre Guiteau, Executive Director of the Haitian Red Cross says"

"Having access to information is absolutely critical for Haitian people right now. The country [Haiti] is bracing for a bad hurricane and rainy season.

The information that we are getting out to communities, although simple, can make a huge difference."

"This new Voila SMS system," according to the press release, "will also contribute to country-wide disaster preparedness contingency planning that is being led by the Government's Directorate for Civil Protection (Direction de la Protection Civile - DPC). In the event of an official warning or evacuation, it will relay information to at risk communities. "

Related articles:

• HAITI: SMS-ing preparedness
• Hurricane season: Red Cross begins massive SMS campaign in Port-au-Prince

Nowadays, virtually every Haitian has a cell phone, from the heart of the city to the mountain tops of the remote country side.

Honestly, using this mobile device called the "cellular phone", is a surefire way to reach everyone in Haiti in the event of a disaster.

Whether it is a cheap "Psaume 23 / L'Eternel est mon berger" jan frekan yo ti telefon Haiti yo, or a deluxe iPhone or Blackberry, the Haiti mobile phone has a new life saving purpose.

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