Why CoordinAid

  The complexity and urgency of humanitarian crises creates serious challenges in locating and delivering the appropriate supplies and materials to the intended beneficiaries in time and at the right price.   Delays, overpayments, corruption, and missed opportunities to work with local businesses are all examples of obstacles that hamper immediate relief efforts while short-changing the cause of longer-term development.   The use of information technology including web and mobile methods of providing real-time information and matching supply and demand can provide immediate benefits to the humanitarian relief community.

  CoordinAid aims to address these short term and long term challenges.   By leveraging existing web- and mobile-based technologies, CoordinAid will augment disparate efforts by humanitarian aid organizations in such a way that improves responsiveness, reduces costs, and increases the empowerment of local communities to enable longer term solutions that prevent future crises and reduce international dependencies.  

What is CoordinAid?

  CoordinAid is a web application that aggregates aid shipment requests from humanitarian relief organizations, creating bulk shipments which maximize transport capacities, lowering overall costs.   This automated software solution will enable the visualization of aggregated shipment contents in real-time, revealing supply shortages before they occur.  

  CoordinAid will enlist or partner with on-the-ground relief coordinating actors (UN, NGO's, local government, individuals) who can interact with the system via mobile-based SMS text messaging.   These agents will be able to send specific information about material needs, as well as see what shipments are coming in order to coordinate effective distribution.   Organizations will track their shipments' progress from real-time agent updates via SMS, and will be immediately alerted about specific needs, drastically reducing shipment turnaround times.  

  CoordinAid's long term goal is to empower these local agents to proactively coordinate future aid efforts within local government, business and civil society ecosystems without furthering dependence on international aid.

When and Where?

  CoordinAid will initially target pilot testing in countries already receiving significant humanitarian assistance, such as Uganda, Chad, or Haiti.   This will allow proper testing of the concept.   Once the model is proven, CoordinAid can be expanded into targeted regions as appropriate.