Technology sure has come a long way over the years. Some of the older generation chastise new technology for making the younger generation too content with convenience and bought off easily by gadgets. However, in the case of the Haiti disaster, technology is making a humanitarian effort.
Twitter is being used as a main source of communication for search and rescue efforts in Haiti. Shortly after the earthquake struck, people started sending messages through the social networking site looking for relatives. Now, numerous user pages are helping ease along the process of finding relatives and have exploded over the past week.
Google has a program running that aids in the search for missing persons as well (http://koneksyon.com), and Facebook users have produced many groups and pages for the same cause.
Pierre Cote, a journalist stationed in Montreal, has been broadcasting live video reports, from Carel Pedre in Haiti, using the video chat client Skype. Numerous news organizations have used his reports to relay information, as Carel has a firsthand view on the massive damage within the nation.
Text messages, or SMS, have also been utilized in helping along the cause. All you have to do to donate to the relief fund is text the word “HAITI” to the number 90999. Ten dollars will be charged from your monthly statement and will go directly to the relief fund.
With the widespread failure of Haiti’s already weakened infrastructure, newer technologies around the world have played an important role in the recovery process, and seem to open new doors for future rescue efforts. However, not everything you see regarding Haiti is 100 percent true or helpful. Use caution when browsing ways to offer a helping hand, and make sure you are dealing with a reputable source.
