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Igniting Change Season 6 - Grassroots Innovation Meets AI: International Rescue Committee on Humanitarian Solutions
From the newsroom to the frontlines of humanitarian work. In Episode 2 of this season, we sit down with Hannah Zitner, the Global Safety and Security Director at the International Rescue Committee (IRC), to discuss her inspirational journey from journalism to humanitarian work. Hannah also reveals the challenges and triumphs of using cutting-edge technology to drive change and grassroots innovation.
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Technological transformation is moving at an incredibly fast pace.
Sometimes it can feel like new tech can appear out of nowhere!
So how can we harness the power of these new technologies? And how can we make sure that it’s actually useful for the people who need it?
I don’t want to oversell it here, but this very episode of igniting Change answers those questions.
Revealing what this means for the humanitarian sector, Hannah Zitner, the Global Safety and Security Director at the International Rescue Committee (IRC), joins Puff in our latest episode!
Full of insights, we discuss Hannah’s inspirational journey, as well as the challenges and triumphs of using cutting-edge technology to drive change and grassroots innovation.
Tune into the full episode below!
The landscape is forever changing and you have to really be able to adapt quickly to get the most accurate and up-to-date information.
International Rescue Committee
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is a global humanitarian aid, relief, and development non governmental organisation. IRC works in over 40 countries to help restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster.
As Global Safety and Security Director of Data Analysis and Partnership, Hannah works with the safety and security team to ensure that the IRC’s humanitarian aid workers are kept safe when delivering aid. Whether that’s in Gaza, Sudan, Haiti, or the US.
But Hannah’s unique career has not been linear…
Her first role was actually in a newsroom as a journalist!
After working in journalism for 10 years in different countries across the world. Hannah returned to school to complete a Master’s degree in disaster and emergency management.
I didn't want to write about things happening in the world. I wanted to be part of it.
Hannah had an aim to work in the Humanitarian sector! Starting out in communications (due to her journalism background), Hannah was later introduced to the world of security.
And we’re so glad she was!
Now, Hannah is an expert on the intersection of technology and minimising risk.
We can’t wait for you to hear all about the application of user-driven solutions, bridging the divide with AI, and grassroots innovation in this episode of Igniting Change.
Security & Risk in the Humanitarian sector
Keeping people safe is not just about putting strict rules in place.
Hannah explains that, ultimately, access to information and training people how to think is the key.
This is where technology and innovation comes into play!
I'm not here telling people what to do. I'm here telling people how to think about risk, telling them what risks they might face and what to do if they do face these risks.
With the IRC’s vast number of locations and the variety in the different countries they work in, it is extremely important to know their audience.
- Not everyone is intuitively able to adopt new technology.
- Not everyone will have access to a smartphone.
- Not everyone will prefer to use an app.
So it is very important to consider these different contexts when assuring the safety of IRC staff.
To highlight this, Hannah talks about her experiences. First as Security Manager at the IRC during the 2019 Ebola response, and then during her role managing investigators at a private sector organisation in Myanmar in 2017.
Grassroots, locally-led solutions
Hannah and Puff talk about how innovation can come in two categories:
- A decision to innovate
- Finding a solution to a problem
And who knows the local area and culture the best?
The people who live there!
That’s why Hannah recommends locally led solutions and collaboration with the people who understand what an area or country is like.
A prime example of this is the IRC’s Signpost AI! Focused on providing information to refugees, Signpost AI works in many different languages, countries,and contexts, to provide accurate information.
But we’ll leave it to Hannah and Puff to delve into the details in this week’s episode of Igniting Change 👀
If you don't have that lived experience, then you wouldn't necessarily know
Listen now!
From how tech is reshaping humanitarian aid, to the role of local solutions, and IRC’s projects like Signpost AI, this episode is packed with insights on how technology is being used to make real-world impact.
Tune in to the full episode below!
For more things tech for good, stay tuned for our latest blog posts or shout us a holla to get in touch with us, we would love to hear from you 💚
Published on September 26, 2024, last updated on September 30, 2024
