Voice of Haitians's blog

A first-of-its-kind Red Cross interactive information line in Haiti has registered its millionth call, less then ten months after the system began operating.

Dubbed Telefon Kwa Wouj in Creole, the Red Cross line broke the 1 million barrier on Tuesday, just 9 months and 28 days after launching at the end of May last year. 

“The demand for information from the system is incredible,” said Kerbie Paul, who manages the system for the IFRC.

Having spent the last few months in Haiti trying to get our collective heads around the success of the Telefon Kwa Wouj IVR system - and the vast amounts of data it is producing – it was something of a relief to take a step back and visit London last month.

The trip inadvertently ended up being something of a busman’s holiday; as well as getting to see family and friends, my stay in the UK coincided with a couple of HIF events which I was invited to talk at.

Three months ago when the server for our IVR was making its umpteenth trip from Red Cross HQ to be reinstalled at the telephone company following another round of repairs, it felt like this project was on the verge of becoming a bad joke.

Already beset by delays, just as it looked like we were finally going to go live, the most important piece of equipment in the whole system packed up.

Who knew being innovative would be so hard? Surely you just come up with a good idea, the HIF will give you the money and you implement it? The problem with innovation is that no one has done it before, so there are not the usual lessons learned, evaluations, how-to guides and checklists to follow. We are literally trying something for the first time, which means the process is one massive learning curve.

Sharon Reader - Beneficiary Communications Delegate, IFRC

This has been the question of most journalists visiting Haiti this week, coupled with ‘what has been done?’

Sharon Reader, Beneficiary Communications Delegate, Haiti

Entry 1 – Thursday 14 July 2011
“People need information as much as water, food, medicine or shelter. Information can save lives, livelihoods and resources. Information bestows power” (The 2005 IFRC World Disasters Report)