Kenya Red Cross awards Airtel for curbing disaster cases with the TERA technology

The TERA application, hosted on the Airtel network is designed to be operated remotely, allowing the Kenya Red Cross staff to easily use it live in any disaster cases. Unlike traditional SMS services, which require broadcast messages to be delivered to every subscriber. It enables the Kenya Red Cross to specify a particular region or even a neighborhood to send text messages to affected people through their mobile phones.

While accepting the recognition, Airtel Kenya CEO Adil El Youssefi said, “We are delighted with the recognition of our efforts in using technology to provide life-saving information to our communities in Kenya. We will continue to adapt and effectively deploy more such solutions to enrich the lives of our customers.”

The affected communities are also able to send updates messages with information concerning the situation on the ground back to the Kenya Red Cross. Consequently, TERA text messages elicit exceptional response rates from mobile phone users in need of aid, giving them an effective voice in the management of their situation.

“We are grateful to Airtel for enabling us free access to The TERA system that helps us save lives through timely delivery of targeted advice to disaster affected communities by making our disaster relief efforts more efficient. It also helps to give communities a voice, ensuring that the correct type of aid is delivered to the right places. Most of all, it lets disaster affected people know that they are not alone, giving them the strength that they need to carry on”, said Kenya Red Cross Secretary General Dr. Abbas Gullet.

Airtel Kenya teamed up with Kenya Red Cross Society a year ago to launch location based public emergency information service in Kenya that continues to offer disaster management information to Airtel customers across the country through their mobile phones at the touch of a button in emergency cases or outbreaks such as floods, fire and terrorist attacks.