Internet Resiliency

Context

The causes of humanitarian situations in Latin America and the Caribbean are multiple, intertwined, and sometimes mutually reinforcing. These include political and social situations, organized crime, and an increase in climate crises that contribute to isolating affected populations. The region is particularly affected by intense storms and hurricanes, which impact telecommunications.  

TSF has been responding to the needs related to migration from Central America since 2017. The need for communities to access information and communicate with their loved ones is exacerbated during natural disasters, and events such as earthquakes, floods, and landslides, some of which are exacerbated by climate change and climate phenomenons.

Main objectives

The main objective of the mission is to strengthen community resilience by providing reliable Internet access to people affected by natural disasters and to humanitarian organizations in Mexico, Costa Rica, and Jamaica.

The project is supported by the Internet Society Foundation. It involves equipping locations already identified by communities with a more disaster-resilient, satellite Internet access system, so that affected communities can access the Internet quickly after a disaster. A satellite Internet connection system is less affected by natural disasters and can be deployed immediately after a crisis situation, as it does not require terrestrial infrastructure. 

Internet access in crisis situations is also essential for humanitarian organizations involved in the immediate response. This is particularly the case for coordinating the various response actors and reporting information. 

By enabling access to information and communication, connectivity is essential for improving the resilience, safety, and inclusivity of disaster victims, as well as migrants who are doubly affected.

Implementation

TSF is part of a crisis preparedness approach and supports national actors by offering its expertise in emergency telecommunications to community centers and national Red Cross organizations. We visited the identified centers and worked with local teams to co-create connectivity and energy solutions that are viable, sustainable, and adapted to the context, location, and needs.

Some ten centers have confirmed their participation in the project, which is still in the implementation phase.