Mobile for Humanitarian Innovation

Our mission is to accelerate the delivery and impact of safe, efficient, and dignified digital humanitarian assistance.

The Mobile for Humanitarian Innovation programme catalyses partnerships by bringing together mobile operators and humanitarian partners; invests in innovation through a humanitarian innovation fund; unlocks policy barriers with advocacy efforts; and builds a learning and research agenda to inform the future of digital humanitarian response.

The mobile industry continues to grow its engagement and investment in partnerships and solutions that will deliver a digital humanitarian future — 160 mobile operators have committed to the GSMA Humanitarian Connectivity Charter, a set of shared principles on humanitarian preparedness and response.

We have reached over 10 million people with improved access to and use of life-enhancing mobile-enabled services during humanitarian preparedness, response and recovery.

The programme is funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), and supported by the GSMA and its members.

Latest Publications & Resources

M4H Innovation Fund lessons and outcomes: SOLIS Bot

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Wednesday 24 May 2023 | Case study | Innovation fund and grants | Middle East and North Africa | Mobile for Development | Mobile for Humanitarian Innovation | Refugee crisis | Refugees and forced migrants | Resource |

The GSMA Mobile for Humanitarian Innovation Fund aims to promote innovation in using mobile technology to address humanitarian challenges. The 

Mobile for Humanitarian Innovation Annual Report 2022

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Wednesday 12 Apr 2023 | Disaster response | Global | Innovation fund and grants | Mobile access and use | Mobile for Development | Mobile for Humanitarian Innovation | Policy and regulation | Preparedness | Refugee crisis | Report | Resource |

In 2022, despite many countries in the world experiencing some respite from COVID-19, millions more people were pushed (and continue to be) into needing humanitarian assistance, primarily due to conflict, but also often compound risks ...

M4H Innovation Fund lessons and outcomes: Improving refugee access to clean energy

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Tuesday 21 Mar 2023 | Case study | Energy | Innovation Fund | Innovation fund and grants | Mobile for Development | Mobile for Humanitarian Innovation | Rwanda | Uganda |

The GSMA Mobile for Humanitarian Innovation Fund aims to promote innovation in using mobile technology to address humanitarian challenges. The second round of the Fund focused on providing support to test new technical solutions; ...

M4H Innovation Fund lessons and outcomes: Enabling access to energy through innovative battery solutions by UHD in Uganda

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Wednesday 4 Jan 2023 | Case study | Disaster response | Innovation Fund | Mobile for Development | Mobile for Humanitarian Innovation | Uganda |

The GSMA Mobile for Humanitarian Innovation Fund aims to promote innovation in using mobile technology to address humanitarian challenges. The second round of the Fund focused on providing support to test new ...

The Digital Worlds of Displacement-Affected Communities

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Tuesday 25 Oct 2022 | Disaster response | Mobile for Development | Mobile for Humanitarian Innovation | Papua New Guinea | Refugee crisis | Refugees and forced migrants | Report | Resource | South Sudan |

This report presents a holistic understanding of how displacement-affected communities in three humanitarian settings are using their mobile phones.

M4H Innovation Fund lessons and outcomes: Danish Refugee Council’s Water ATMs in Uganda

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Friday 11 Nov 2022 | Case study | Disaster response | Innovation Fund | Mobile for Development | Mobile for Humanitarian Innovation | Sub-Saharan Africa | Uganda | Water |

The GSMA Mobile for Humanitarian Innovation Fund aims to promote innovation in using mobile technology to address humanitarian challenges. The second round of the Fund focused on providing support to test new ...

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Climate change adaptation and livelihood restoration in Tana River Delta

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Wednesday 17 May 2023 | Case studies | Case study | Climate | Kenya | Mobile for Development | Mobile for Humanitarian Innovation | Resource | Sub-Saharan Africa |

Climate change and land degradation threatens livelihoods and food security of rural communities across Tana River Delta. In response, World Vision Kenya (WVK) – a Christian relief, advocacy and development organisation – have embraced ...

Mobile for Humanitarian Innovation Podcast – Episode 9:
Adopting New Technologies

Video

Wednesday 9 Sep 2020 | Mobile for Humanitarian Innovation | Podcasts | Video |

In Episode 9, Jaki Mebur (Market Engagement Manager at GSMA), Hamse Koshin (MEAL Specialist at Care International Somalia and Somaliland) and Ali Bosir (Head of Business Development at Telesom Somaliland) ...


This initiative is currently funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), and supported by the GSMA and its members.
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