Telefon Kwa Wouj line racks up millionth caller

A first-of-its-kind Red Cross interactive information line in Haiti has registered its millionth call, less then ten months after the system began operating.

Dubbed Telefon Kwa Wouj in Creole, the Red Cross line broke the 1 million barrier on Tuesday, just 9 months and 28 days after launching at the end of May last year.

“The demand for information from the system is incredible,” said Kerbie Paul, who manages the system for the IFRC.

“When we launched Telefon Kwa Wouj last year, a lot of people were sceptical that it would catch on, but this system truly is for everyone and the numbers of people still calling speak for themselves.”

Free to call on 733 on the Digicel network, Telefon Kwa Wouj is an interactive phone line which enables callers to select and listen to a range of health, disaster preparedness and other potentially life-saving information.

As well as playing recorded information on subjects such as cholera prevention, sexual health and hurricane preparedness, by registering callers’ button pushes Telefon Kwa Wouj is also able to collect caller feedback, conduct surveys and host quizzes.

Known in the telecoms world as an IVR, the interactive system is widely used in the private sector for services such as telephone banking and automated ticket purchases, however Telefon Kwa Wouj marks the first time the technology has been used in a humanitarian context anywhere in the world.

“It’s wonderful that so many people are calling 733, and choosing to access information for themselves, but this is also a sign of the huge information gap that exists in Haiti,” said Pericles Jean Baptiste, head of communications for the Haitian Red Cross.

“Clearly people do not have the information they need and that is something we must all work to address. Information can save lives just as surely as medicine - we have to make sure it gets to everyone who needs it.”

Digicel, which hosts the system, has been involved from the beginning of the project, providing free connections, expert technical support and ensuring all calls in to the line are free.

The network has also supported the system by providing Red Cross SMS messaging across the country giving health and disaster preparedness advice, and linking to 733 for people to access more information.

“For Telefon Kwa Wouj to have reached its one millionth call is an outstanding achievement, and as a company we’re extremely proud that Digicel has had a part to play in that,” said Damian Blackburn, CEO of Digicel Haiti.

“As the leading telecoms provider in Haiti, Digicel is committed to helping keep people safe, and using its resources to tackle the humanitarian challenges faced by so many.”

Alexandre Claudon, head of delegation for the IFRC in Haiti, was similarly upbeat about Telefon Kwa Wouj and the ongoing cooperation between the Red Cross and Digicel.

“Telefon Kwa Wouj is a world first, and its proven success here in Haiti means this could be just the first of many such systems supporting people around the globe,” he said.

“Working together with Digicel has been hugely important for this success. Ensuring the 733 number is toll-free means anyone with a phone can access the system, while SMS support has alerted people to coming danger and signposted them to where they can find out more.

“Mobile communications are an incredibly powerful tool for sharing information that can improve, and even save people’s lives. Working with companies like Digicel enables us to harness that power, as we have with Telefon Kwa Wouj, and is vital for us to be able to carry our work forward.”