Global Voices

English

The world is talking, are you listening?

Ange Embuldeniya is an information systems analyst and relief communications activist based in South West Asia. With roots from Sri Lanka and a Dutch mix thrown in, Ange was born in Bahrain.

Being involved with various non profit initiatives and open source projects, I have been able to spend quality time as a disaster relief, emergency and crisis response volunteer.

It all started when the tsunami hit the South-East Asian region in December 2004 where I used IT (Information Technology) as a tool alongside my background in IP (Intellectual Property) Conflict-Resolution Studies, to apply many skills needed in helping out during the crises. Ange handled relief supply requirements and offers of assistance during the immediate days after the disaster by setting up a database management system within a web-driven interface for all active aid organizations operating in tsunami-affected zones in order to coordinate volunteers’ skills with NGOs’ (Non Governmental Organizations) needs at national level, going beyond to develop and implement mini-communication centers at affected areas while connecting them via shared online gateways to international donor agencies.

Between Decemeber 2004 and July 2005, Ange volunteered as an Information Systems Specialist with the UN HIC, Rotary International and VolunteerSriLanka and was tasked with developing post-tsunami IT infrastructure while promoting and integrating transparency into exisiting and proposed systems for relief operations. Also a SEA-EAT (South East Asian Earthquake And Tsunami) Wiki & Blog team member (tsunamihelp.blogspot.com / tsunamihelp.info), Ange was responsible for blogging and updating information pertaining to relief efforts.

In August 2005, when Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, the SEA-EAT team were on the relief aid scene virtually within 10 hours of the disaster and formed the KatrinaHelp Wiki & Network team (katrinahelp.info / katrinahelp.blogspot.com) which was based in 3 continents (North America, Asia and Europe) where Ange took on the task of relief communications for connecting missing people and victims with their loved ones. Using VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) as their main communications tool that linked up with traditional telecom networks, 50 hours into the disaster, the KatrinaHelp team had set up the first disaster relief communications network into New Orleans and other affected areas through communication hubs located worldwide and real-time communication with those on the ground was established.

Ange also blogs at World Wide Help (blog.worldwidehelp.info), being one of the co-founders, World Wide Help Group, comprises of the same disaster relief outreach volunteer group who were behind the SEA-EAT Blog (tsunamihelp.info).