• Vodacom in Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) commits to send out eight million text messages to generate awareness among families in DRC
• Vodacom DRC will launch a new hotline for service assistance in DRC as well as a free mobile application that empowers families to take the search for missing loved ones into their own hands
• For the first time in DRC’s history, families in remote areas can search for long lost relatives via mobile phone and without accessing the Internet

Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo – With more than 43 million people forcibly displaced globally due to draught, conflict, or disaster, the need for a service to reconnect separated families is as pressing as ever.

Today Vodacom DRC, along with Refugees United and Ericsson, are taking a groundbreaking step toward reaching the goal of connecting one million refugees on the Refugees United platform by 2015. There are currently 2.2 million forcibly displaced people living inside DRC.

Using a free dial code and toll-free lines from Vodacom DRC, displaced families will be able to access the family reconnection platform invented by Refugees United. 

Refugees United is a free, mobile and online platform that allows people to search for missing family members, friends, and relatives on a safe and anonymous basis. Prior only accessible via a computer or internet-enabled mobile phone, the platform will now be available through a toll-free line and via a simple dial-code system, just like users know it from e.g. mobile banking.

Christopher Mikkelsen, co-founder of Refugees United, says: “Everyone has the right to know where their family is. Thanks to Vodacom DRC and Ericsson, families can simply call our toll free line or dial a simple short code from their mobile phone to start the search for long lost family members or relatives.”

“We are excited about the partnership with Refugees United, which permits us to use our technology to change people’s lives,” says Kalley Nsiku, Head of Staff, Vodacom DRC.

“This initiative has the power to transform the nature of family reconnection for generations to come. It is an example of how mobile technology is truly changing the lives of people on the African continent for good. We are really looking for innovative ways to get this to scale, and partnerships are key to success,” says Marije van Donk, Country Director, Ericsson DRC. 

Leveraging the ubiquitous nature of simple mobile phones across Kenya and DRC, the new, simple ways of accessing the Refugees United family reconnection platform will serve many more thousands of families in the search for their missing loved ones. Ericsson and Refugees United have set a goal to reach one million users on the platform by the end of 2015. Families in DRC can call the following toll free number: 62014.

NOTES TO EDITORS

REFUGEES UNITED

Refugees United, www.refunite.org is a tech non-profit with the mission of reconnecting separated families. The Refugees United service is accessible via a computer or any entry-level mobile phone and is free of charge. Users provide only the amount of information that they themselves find safe to share, which give them the opportunity of staying anonymous. www.refunite.org is available in multiple languages and contains searchable profiles of more than 180,000 users.

Collaborating with large mobile network operators like Vodacom in DRC, Refugees United is able to leverage the mobile platform free of charge to families in some of the world’s most refugee prone countries. Ericsson supports Refugees United as main technology partner. 

MEDIA INQUIRIES: 

Contact Ida Jeng. Refugees United’s Communication Manager. Mail: ij@refunite.org. Mobile: + 45 31 49 31 93.