Article talked about in blog found at: http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/01/20/haiti.amateur.radio/index.html
WHAT?
With the recent earthquake hitting the small nation of Haiti just two weeks ago, many stories have sprung up all over the news about it. CNN posted a recent article by John D. Sutter about the use of low-tech radios in Haiti and the vital part they have played in this natural disaster. With cell phone towers in Haiti collapsed and the internet down, these amateur radios, often called ham radios, have become very important in linking Haiti with the rest of the globe. A technology often forgotten in today’s advancing world is said to be at often times the only way to communicate after a disaster, such as the recent earthquake in Haiti. The article goes on to tell miracle stories of Haitians contacting family members in the United States through the use of these radios and their “low-tech hum” radio frequency. Text messaging, twitter, facebook and other communication methods have proven to be helpful in Haiti during this devastating time, but as manager of disaster services technology at the American Red Cross, Keith Robertory, said, “Amateur radio is a very powerful tool..” and are “extremely valuable.”
WHY DOES IT MATTER?
Overall this article offers some valuable information that many Americans would not have thought about if it was not presented to them in this format. The article tells us that only one third of Haitians even own cell phones and upon further research on MSNBC, out of the 9.5 million people living in Haiti, only about 12,000 have access to the internet. That leaves millions without any necessary means to communicate with the outside world. Many people forget that those living in third world countries, like Haiti, do not have the communicational capabilities that we do. This article is important because it focuses on the significance of a simple tool, like the radio, that is often forgotten in today’s world. Your life, and my life may be technological advanced but it is important to remember that over 1 billion people in today’s world live on less than one dollar a day and more than 2 billion live on less than two dollars a day. That leaves only 3.7 billion people who live on more than 2 dollars a day. Most people do not live like we do and the recent earthquake in Haiti should remind us of that. We are blessed with the communication we have at our fingertips 24/7 and remember those who do not.
WHAT YOU CAN DO…
You may not be able to equip a Haitian family with a cell phone or internet access but there is plenty of other things you can do to help this nation that is in desperate need at this time. Become educated about what is occurring in Haiti, and in other third world countries around the world. Pray and think about how you can help and make an impact in someone else’s life. Be creative. Think big. Make a difference. If you still need ideas with how you can help with the recent disaster in Haiti check out the following websites:
http://www.redcross.org/
www.myspace.com/operationnet
http://www.compassion.com/
http://www.samaritanspurse.org/
WHY DOES IT MATTER?
Overall this article offers some valuable information that many Americans would not have thought about if it was not presented to them in this format. The article tells us that only one third of Haitians even own cell phones and upon further research on MSNBC, out of the 9.5 million people living in Haiti, only about 12,000 have access to the internet. That leaves millions without any necessary means to communicate with the outside world. Many people forget that those living in third world countries, like Haiti, do not have the communicational capabilities that we do. This article is important because it focuses on the significance of a simple tool, like the radio, that is often forgotten in today’s world. Your life, and my life may be technological advanced but it is important to remember that over 1 billion people in today’s world live on less than one dollar a day and more than 2 billion live on less than two dollars a day. That leaves only 3.7 billion people who live on more than 2 dollars a day. Most people do not live like we do and the recent earthquake in Haiti should remind us of that. We are blessed with the communication we have at our fingertips 24/7 and remember those who do not.
WHAT YOU CAN DO…
You may not be able to equip a Haitian family with a cell phone or internet access but there is plenty of other things you can do to help this nation that is in desperate need at this time. Become educated about what is occurring in Haiti, and in other third world countries around the world. Pray and think about how you can help and make an impact in someone else’s life. Be creative. Think big. Make a difference. If you still need ideas with how you can help with the recent disaster in Haiti check out the following websites:
http://www.redcross.org/
www.myspace.com/operationnet
http://www.compassion.com/
http://www.samaritanspurse.org/
What do you think?
--Kali
Interesting post. I was just talking with someone the other day who questioned whether it makes much sense to talk about helping very poor countries to develop mass media when basic survival is a struggle for these countries' people. But I think the role media are playing in Haiti (not even talking about the role media play in bringing news of Haiti's struggles to the wider world) offers some sense of how media can help a struggling people survive and even thrive. It's nice to see a positive story about the role of the mass media in society!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the challenge! It seems a daunting task to help Haiti by ourselves; but if we all do SOMETHING collectively, it'll make a big difference.
ReplyDelete