By Madeline Kane
“Information is like food here,” a Save the Children aid worker tells us. “All of the minors we work with use phones, and Wi-Fi is the only way they can connect with family and find out what will happen to them.”
As soon as NetHope Wi-Fi goes live, refugees log on to search for information about border closings, the asylum application process and basic services. To help ensure they find accurate facts, NetHope Wi-Fi connection takes them directly to Refugee Info Hub, where they can read the latest facts in six languages. NetHope maintains the site with partners Google, Mercy Corps and the International Rescue Committee.
“Countering misinformation is very important,” says UNHCR officer Catriona Muanika. “It’s difficult for refugees to understand what information is correct and what is not.”
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- Zayd uses NetHope WiFi in Giannitsa camp, Greece, to stay in touch with his sister and grandparents in Mosul, Iraq.
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- Women in Giannitsa camp check the news at a charging station.
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- A young man in Diavata camp, Greece, helps his grandmother log on.
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- The NetHope Wi-Fi splash page directs new users to RefugeeInfo.eu.
This post is part of an ongoing series of stories from NetHope's work in Greece to provide connectivity to refugees.
- 'Information is like food'
- 'For refugees, internet is a lifeline'
- Faces of NetHope: David Tagliani
- Wired, and ready to receive more
- A family waits to be connected - and reunited
- 'Even the small things we do can improve their lives'
- 'Refugees Need Wi-Fi'
- Faces of NetHope: Kevin MacRitchie
- Matt Altman - Supporting Refugees with Wi-Fi
- Atallah's Story - Connecting Families at Cherso
- Introduction: Connecting Syrian Refugees
Filed Under: Emergency Response, Syria Refugee Crisis