Founded | 2001 |
---|---|
Founder | [Edward G. Happ and Dipak Basu] |
Type | Non-governmental organization |
Focus | Connectivity, Field Capacity Building, Emergency Response, Shared Services |
Location |
|
Area served
|
180 countries |
Method | Collaborating across members, solving common technology problems, fostering strong relationships with private industry, and educating members and the wider community of humanitarian organizations worldwide. |
Key people
|
|
Revenue
|
US$1.75 million (2009) |
Employees
|
10 |
Slogan | Wiring the Global VIllage. |
Website | www.nethope.org |
NetHope, Inc., founded in 2001, is an American consortium of 50 American non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that specializes in improving IT connectivity among humanitarian organizations in developing countries and areas affected by disaster. The organization has partnerships with Microsoft, Cisco Systems, Intel, and Accenture. Its humanitarian development, emergency response, and conservation programs are in place in 180 countries worldwide.
In March 2001, Edward G. Happ, then CIO of Save the Children, authored a paper entitled "Wiring the Global Village" that discussed two hypotheses:
This paper was presented to Cisco's corporate philanthropy group and became the basis upon which NetHope was created. Shortly thereafter, Cisco fellow Dipak Basu coined the name "NetHope."
NetHope members operate in over 180 countries around the world. NetHope also operates four regional chapters in the following areas: East Africa, West Africa, Sri Lanka and India. Future chapters will be launching in South Africa, Bangladesh and Panama. NetHope Headquarters are located in McLean, Virginia.
Working with Cisco Systems and British satellite firm Inmarsat, NetHope developed the NetReliefKit, which is a solar powered wireless router that can connect users to the Internet via a satellite uplink. They were distributed for use with nonprofit organizations such as Save the Children, Catholic Relief Services, Oxfam, and Mercy Corps. The kits are meant to be used for relief agencies to coordinate their response efforts. The device was deployed to provide Internet connectivity after the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake.