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 Home). 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:  "mailto:ldoyle@iom.int">ldoyle@iom.int