The International Federation of the Red Cross has launched a mobile app that will be of great help in addressing natural and man-made disasters in the Philippines.
Virtual Volunteer is an app that helps refugees that give access to medical, psychological and legal support of Internally Displace Persons (IDP) and refugees.
Against the backdrop of a record 22.5 million refugees and IDPs in the world, Virtual Volunteer can be of great help to these people.
In fact, it was already launched during the World Refugee Day. "People moving are often caught in a fog of poor information," said Jagan Chapagain, head of programs and operations at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
"They don't always know what services are available to them. This is a tool that will help give them a clearer view so that they can make informed decisions," he said in a statement.
Using a smartphone with the app, Virtual Volunteer enables users to access a map with information on available shelters, food banks, WASH Facilities, clothes distribution centers, maternal health centers, language schools, free legal assistance, and dentists.
It also provides information to refugees and IDPs on how best to protect against human traffickers. Virtual Volunteer also provides information on tracking of the whereabouts of family members displaced by disasters.
The app was developed by the Red Cross and IBM and is already operational in Greece and Sweden and currently has 30,000 users.
"Information saves lives. Ensuring that people can access unbiased, factual information has a big impact," Italian Red Cross President Francesco Rocca said in a statement.
Aside from smartphones, Virtual Volunteer is also accessible via its website that features information in multiple languages.
The planned expansion of the app includes the Philippines and Africa.
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