How Humanitarian Technology is Transforming Lives During War: Innovations That Make a Difference

In cities under Russian control, volunteers play a vital role in supporting local government centers. These centers are not located in occupied areas but instead operate in regions controlled by Ukraine. They serve as community hubs for people who have fled their homes due to the conflict.

For instance, Severodonetsk is occupied by Russian forces, but its community center functions in Dnipro. This center provides assistance to residents who have evacuated. Our organization collaborates closely with these “exile centers” and their dedicated volunteers.

To manage communication and resources, we use several digital tools. Apps like Telegram, WhatsApp, and Viber help us stay connected. We’ve even created a custom chatbot and a customer relationship management (CRM) system to streamline our efforts.

The Center for Humanitarian Technology in New York has been a huge help. They developed a software bot for us, enabling aid to reach about 8,000 families each week. This chatbot, called Telegram for Humanity, was created with partners like Automation Anywhere and Zendesk.

This digital tool speeds up processing thousands of aid requests, saving valuable time in a challenging environment. The chatbot simplifies registration and appointment scheduling, reducing long waiting lines for those in distress.

It’s essential for us at Step With Hope to support communities in a dignified way. We focus on providing regular meals to those in difficult situations. Over the past two years, we’ve served nearly 100,000 individuals, thanks to these technologies. The chatbot helps us effectively prioritize needs and maintain order in our services.

We also aim to provide ongoing support, not just one-time aid. With assistance from CFHT, we’ve developed a CRM system to track families’ long-term needs. This way, we follow up with them and understand their situations better. We want to help children and provide support groups for both men and women, depending on what they need.

Collaboration with other organizations is another positive step forward. For example, the Mennonite Central Committee, based in the Kharkiv area, has created a virtual hub for local humanitarian groups. They gather vital information about refugee needs and even developed plans for evacuating people from conflict zones.

They also conduct psychological support activities for adults and children. Over the past two years, they have distributed more than 100,000 food parcels. Additionally, we rely on the Ukraine Trust Chain for logistical assistance, especially after recent disasters like flooding in the Kherson area and ongoing attacks.