PRESS RELEASE
For immediate release
January 20, 2021
NetHope Communications Team
communications@archive.nethope.org
NetHope is bringing connectivity services to communities affected by Hurricanes Eta and Iota in Nicaragua, with support from Amazon Web Services (AWS). This response will enable NetHope Member organizations and other NGOs to communicate and coordinate as they respond to the huge needs arising from the hurricanes.
AWS has provided financial support to assist this NetHope response, enabling NetHope to install up to 10 secure WiFi networks in locations in Nicaragua. Through these networks we will support both responding organizations and the affected population, providing secure internet connectivity with VSAT solutions, and providing connections from local internet service providers and mobile network operators when systems are up and running again.
“Having access to connectivity within the affected areas will enable local aid agencies and NetHope Members to share trusted information and coordinate quicker relief aid efforts urgently needed to reach vulnerable people,” said Ingo Haraldsson, NetHope’s Emergency Response Specialist.
Commenting on the AWS support of this response, Maggie Carter, Global Lead for AWS Social Impact, said: “We are proud to support NetHope’s mission to coordinate and accelerate humanitarian aid through technology. Rebuilding connectivity is a crucial part of supporting coordination efforts by local aid agencies and relief organizations on the ground, and we are glad to support NetHope’s recovery efforts in Nicaragua."
In December 2020, NetHope deployed a technical expert to assess the situation and needs in Nicaragua and the wider region following Hurricanes Eta and Iota. Hurricane Eta initially weakened critical telecommunication infrastructure in parts of Central America when it made landfall as a Category 4 storm in November. With the arrival of Iota only days later, the fragile infrastructure was decimated by the intense winds and torrential rain. Through the NetHope deployment, we found that there was a huge need for connectivity services in the region, and particularly in Nicaragua.
The AWS donation was coordinated through AWS Disaster Response, which works collaboratively with organizations to help communities prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters. The funds will be instrumental in enabling NetHope to provide this vital connectivity service. The Patterson Foundation is also generously supporting this NetHope response. Find out more here.
About NetHope
NetHope empowers committed organizations to change the world through the power of technology. NetHope, is a consortium of nearly 60 leading global nonprofits. Its membership collectively delivers over 60 percent of all annual, international, non-governmental aid. NetHope unites with technology companies and funding partners to design, fund, implement, adapt, and scale innovative approaches to solve development, humanitarian, and conservation challenges. Together, the NetHope community strives to transform the world, building a platform of hope for those who receive aid and those who deliver it.