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The International Organization for Migration and Digicel are launching a major public awareness campaign in Haiti using hundreds of thousands of SMS messages to advise vulnerable Haitians on ways to protect themselves during the hurricane season.

IOM is also launching a daily radio show that will focus on disaster risk reduction during hurricane season.

Digicel is Haiti's largest cell phone carrier and the SMS campaign is expected to reach a majority of the country's mobile phone users.

For the 1.5 million Haitians made homeless by the 12 January earthquake, the hurricane season marks a period of great danger. Gusting winds exceeding 100 mph can make short work of tents and shelters. Flash-flooding and landslides represent an ever present and deadly risk for camp dwellers.

"This campaign shows that technology has an important role to play when it complements solid humanitarian action on the ground," said Luca Dall'Oglio, Chief of Mission for Haiti.

"Digicel's primary concern is the safety and welfare of the Haitian people," said Digicel Haiti CEO, Maarten Boute. "Every year, Digicel makes significant investments in preparing the Haitian community for expected hurricanes. This year, we are delighted to partner with IOM to launch this hurricane preparedness campaign in order to keep the population informed and ready."

The Digicel SMS campaign is an expansion of efforts already underway between the Haitian Red Cross and another cell phone carrier. Both campaigns use messages approved by the government's Directorate for Civil Protection (Direction de la Protection Civile – DPC) in collaboration with the Haitian Red Cross. These messages will be sent to millions of Digicel subscribers over the coming weeks.

The campaign will deliver clear and simple information about staying safe during hurricanes and avoiding floods and landslides. Meteorologists have warned of a particularly dangerous Atlantic hurricane season with as many as 8-12 hurricanes expected.

The campaign will supplement Digicel's existing special 4636 short code for Hurricane season awareness.

The SMS campaign will take place across the country with messages sent in Creole to all Digicel phone subscribers in specific geographic areas. Other cellular carriers are participating in a parallel SMS exercise with the Haitian Red Cross and the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

For the radio show, an outside broadcast van will travel to a different IDP camp every day giving the earthquake affected population a unique opportunity to express itself on national radio about its safety concerns.

This special programme is a joint production between IOM and Cité Soleil's community station, Radio Boukman. It will be broadcast nationally between 5:00 and 6:00 pm by the Radio Tele Ginen network.

IOM and Digicel are also collaborating on a graphic newspaper, Chimen Lakay (There's No Place Like Ä¢¹½´«Ã½). The newspaper aims to both entertain and inform camp dwellers. This week's edition contains a special poster on precautions to be taken during the summer rainy season.

For more information or to set up interviews, please contact:

Leonard Doyle
IOM Haiti
Tel: + 509 3702 5066
E-mail: [email protected]