Since a ceasefire broke down in August, around 14,500 of people from DRC have fled across the border into Uganda to refugee camps.
A team from TSF has deployed emergency communications in Nakivale, Uganda, where nearly 30,000 refugees are now living some distance from the DRC border.
TSF's Monique Lanne Petit said: “Refugee numbers at Nakivale have been swollen by more than 6,400 in recent days. Many people have left their homes with no time to contact friends or family so we are offering them free calls using mini M to help them check how their loved ones are and hopefully helping to reunite families.”
She says TSF's mission is primarily focused on this humanitarian calling and has deployed four Inmarsat mini M phones for that purpose.
But the team from TSF's headquarters in Pau, France, is also equipped with three BGAN terminals for high-speed broadband connectivity.
Monique said, if required, BGAN could be used to enable the United Nations and non-governmental organisations to send and receive vital data to coordinate relief work.
TSF's current mission to Uganda is supported by all its partners including Inmarsat and Vizada.
