What happens now: Connecting refugees to critical information on their phones

Many refugees are as reliant on their mobile phones as the rest of us. More often than not, it’s the primary — or only — way they have to communicate.

That’s why it’s critical that we provide refugees with the tools they need — on their phones — to help them communicate with their loved ones, find information and resources, and ease the challenges they face as they get acclimated to their new homes.

Watch the video to experience the journey of a refugee and learn how our innovative information app helps them along the way.

As a refugee arriving in a new country, how do you know what to do next? Khabhrona.Info, the app we developed for Syrians fleeing to Jordan, offers that guidance and connects refugees to important, credible information about documentation and legal guidance.

Information is also available via the Khabrona.Info Facebook page, which refugees often find through targeted ads on their newsfeed. There they can message with page admins — often former refugees themselves — who will answer their questions and often provide comfort. Common questions are about getting legal assistance and access to cash.

In just 4 months, the Facebook page had more than 30,000 page likes and more than 20,000 engaged users.

In September 2018, Khabrona.Info won an EQUALS Award in the Access category, which recognizes the tool for improving access to digital technology for women and girls.

Providing refugees with necessities like food and water is still vital, too. But the sheer scale of the global refugee crisis calls for bold solutions that go beyond traditional aid. And mobile technology like Khabrona.Info is one of those solutions.

With more information in their hands, refugees are empowered to make better choices for themselves and their families, with a support network to encourage them along the way.

Khabrona.Info is the Jordanian instance of the global Signpost initiative. Mercy Corps and the International Rescue Committee (IRC) co-developed Signpost in 2015 to address the pressing need for reliable information amongst migrants and asylum seekers arriving in Greece and the Balkans. The initiative is supported by Cisco, Google, Microsoft and TripAdvisor and has reached 1 million users.