Missions

After a powerful cyclone made landfall in Mozambique in the night between 14 and 15 March, TSF teams deployed to the coastal area of Beira to provide communication means to the affected population.

In the autumn of 2011, the western coast of El Salvador experienced torrential rains. The departments of Ahuachapan and Usulutan were invaded by large-scale floods. TSF supported the Civil Protection with a system for data collection and emergency communication.

Severe floods in July 2010 killed more than 1,500 people. TSF supported survivors who found themselves in utter destitution by offering free calls in the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh. In addition, TSF telecom specialists provided communications facilities to UNDAC and OCHA teams in Punjab and Islamabad.

Hurricane Ida swept the coasts of Nicaragua and El Salvador in November 2009. At the request of UNDAC, TSF teams traveled to both countries to provide communications to the United Nations assessment teams.

The resumption of conflict between the Pakistani army and the Taliban in May 2009 forced more than 2 million people to flee northwest Pakistan. In very difficult security conditions (attacks, kidnappings), TSF provided more than 3,000 calls to civilians heavily affected and often injured by the violence. In such a context, talking with a loved one is priceless.

300 people lost their lives in the 6.5 magnitude earthquake that rocked Balochistan in October 2008. TSF assisted survivors by offering them a free call. 514 families were able to contact their relatives and give them news through the telephone calls organised by TSF.

The flood of the Zambezi River exceeded the alert level by 3m at the beginning of 2008. More than 100,000 Mozambicans were displaced in temporary accommodation camps. At the request of UNCEF, TSF supported the ETC in the coordination centres of Mopeia, Caia and Mutarara. The team then traveled through the temporary camps to offer free calls to those affected. More than 1000 families were able to give news to their loved ones.

Weeks of heavy rains triggered flash floods along the Zambezi river and its tributaries, washing away homes, bridges, livestock and crops in four central provinces (Tete, Manica, Sofala and Zambezia). In coordination with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and Unicef, Télécoms Sans Frontières (TSF) responded to the emergency by deploying a first communication centre at the office of the National Disaster Management Institute of Mozambique (INGC) in Caia, only 24 hours after the activation of the Emergency Telecommunications Cluster (ETC) on February 15th.

On 8th October 2005, Pakistan, Afghanistan and India suffered a 7.6 magnitude earthquake. The main affected areas are northwestern India, eastern Afghanistan and especially northern Pakistan. In Pakistan, heavy relief intervention is required, with primary assessments showing the need for a telecommunications service.

TSF worked with Telecom Salvador in response to the massive earthquake that hit the capital, San Salvador