Refugees United
 | |
| Founded | 2008 |
|---|---|
| Founders | Christopher Mikkelsen & David Mikkelsen |
| Type | Refugees United is a 501(c)(3) non-profit working to provide refugee families that have lost contact with each other during escape from conflict with an anonymous platform to reconnect. |
| Purpose | Humanitarian |
| Location |
|
| Mission | "To help refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) reconnect with lost loved ones" |
| Website | Refunite.org |
Refugees United is a non-profit technology based organization established by two Danish brothers, David and Christopher Mikkelsen with the stated mission to “help refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) search for their missing loved ones.” It focuses on online and mobile solutions to help families reconnect.
The organization works through partnerships with like-minded individuals, organizations, corporations, and humanitarian agencies. The headquarters are located in Copenhagen, Denmark and a technology development lab in Nairobi, Kenya.
History
REFUNITE was founded in 2008 by two Danish brothers, David and Christopher Mikkelsen, after their personal journey trying to reconnect a young, Afghan refugee with his family. In their search, the two brothers discovered that existing family tracing programs lacked cross-border, collaborative technology and the process of family tracing was also often tied to cumbersome procedures and paperwork.
Family Reconnection Services
Web
The family reconnection platform can be accessed through the official website with the search tool available in seven languages: Somali, French, Swahili, English, Amharic, Arabic and Sudanese Arabic.
USSD
REFUNITE has developed a mobile search tool that is accessible using an entry-level mobile phone. This tool is currently available in Kenya and Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Call Centre
REFUNITE has helplines in Kenya, Turkey, Somalia, Uganda and DRC, and runs a multilingual call centre in Nairobi, Kenya.
Data collection
Users provide information that only they themselves find safe enough to share, which gives them the option of staying anonymous. They can choose to register with personal information that only their family or closest friends would recognize, e.g. birthmarks, favorite foods, or person specific information.
Operations
REFUNITE has outreach volunteers in Kampala, Uganda and refugee camps in Dadaab and Kakuma in Kenya.
Films by REFUNITE
Lost and Found - The Story of Refugees United[1]
Created with MediaStorm
Estelle's Story[2]
Created with Ericsson and House of Radon
Awards
- 2013 Prix Ars Electronica
Award of Distinction in the category Digital Communities[3]
- 2013 Lovie Award
Lost and Found - The Story of Refugees United[4]
- 2012 Webby Award Winner
Lost and Found - The Story of Refugees United[5]
Partners
REFUNITE’s corporate partners include mobile network operators, which enables the organization to communicate directly with refugees and send text messages to their phones. The operators include:
- Ericsson[6]
- Safaricom in Kenya
- Vodacom DRC in Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Telesom in Somaliland
- Avea in Turkey
- Asiacell in Iraq
- Zain Group in Jordan and South Sudan
- Smart Communications in the Philippines
REFUNITE also partners with the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR and other humanitarian organizations. It is funded by the IKEA Foundation.
References
- ↑ "Lost and Found: The Story of Refugees United". MediaStorm. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
- ↑ "Estelle's Story". YouTube. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
- ↑ "Winners Prix Ars Electronica 2013". Ars Electronica Blog. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
- ↑ "Refugees United Receives a Lovie Award". Refunite Blog. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
- ↑ "Lost and Found – The story of Refugees United". Webbyawards.com. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
- ↑ "In-kind donations". Info.refunite.org. Retrieved 2 December 2014.