Tech

Collaboration between the International Refugee Assistance Project, Rosetta Stone to assist refugees


The anxiety of a family of Ukrainian refugees sitting in a train station while waiting to leave Ukraine due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Halfpoint / Moment / Getty Images

First time recorded, more than 100 million people The globe has been forcibly displaced by war, human rights abuses or persecution by 2022, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

That number includes both refugees and asylum seekers. The war in Ukraine plays a rather large role. The United Nations reports more than 5.2 million refugees from Ukraine are now present across Europe and estimates the total 12.3 million people has since been relocated.

As people escape violence, poverty, and oppression, technology can make it easier for them to resettle and the new challenges of displacement.

The language barrier is one of those challenges. The ability to communicate in a local language can connect people in need of legal, education and healthcare help, and help build the trust and necessary community connections.

Companies cooperating since 2018

Rosetta Stone and the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) recently announced an expansion of their partnership starting in 2018. Under the partnership, Rosetta Stone will offer a free lifetime subscription to the platform. language learning platform for IRAP’s global employees and refugee clients.

“Donation subscriptions will provide lifetime access to all 25 languages ​​on Rosetta Stone to help refugees better navigate the resettlement process, improving communication between IRAP staff and refugees , while helping refugees better adapt to their new homes,” Kate Mattison, vice president of curriculum at Rosetta Stone’s parent company IXL Learning, told ZDNet. “IRAP has been our partner since 2018 and we plan to continue this partnership to support our global mission.”

She added:

Acquiring basic language skills is also important for refugees’ social integration – it helps them gain cultural knowledge about the host country, helping them to become active members of society and gives refugees a voice to share experiences and improve intercultural relationships.

Mattison says language proficiency also increases the likelihood that children will succeed in school and opens up more job opportunities for adults.

Those factors are crucial to helping people resettle” because it shifts the odds back in favor of refugees by helping them get an education and become self-sufficient, and it encourages encourage full socioeconomic integration,” Mattison explained.

‘Technology can help displaced people’

In addition to Ukraine, the UN said people from Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, Myanmar, Nigeria, Afghanistan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo are also being affected by “a new wave of violence or protracted conflict.”

IRAP used its global virtual law firm to provide one-on-one legal assistance to 3,627 people from 47 countries last year, according to the report. Report for 2021 for supporters.

“As IRAP continues to grow, we look forward to making this new tool available to any new employees and customers who sign up through the partnership,” said Spencer Tilger, a spokesperson for IRAP.

The organization has five global offices: New York City and Washington, DC in the US; Amman, Jordan and Beirut, Lebanon in the Middle East; and Berlin, Germany in Europe.

“Technology can assist displaced people in many ways,” says Tilger. “When people are on the go, they often rely on their phones to stay in touch with loved ones and access the information they need on their journey. life after relocation.”

Mattison echoed that sentiment:

One important way that technology can help refugees is by providing near-instant access to resources – anytime and from anywhere – to make resettlement easier. easier. Since many refugees are not yet permanently settled, they can rely on technology – specifically smartphones – to access helpful information and educational resources on the go.

Tori Rubloff / ZDNet

The data shows that most modern refugees generally have access to basic technology and that it is a necessity, not a luxury. According to a United Nations study, 71% of refugee households owned a mobile phone in 2016 and 39% had a smartphone.

Language proficiency is the key to starting a new life in a new country.

Mattison said language proficiency “improves communication with advocacy groups to help refugees better navigate resettlement, facilitate social integration into new communities as quickly as possible, and improve their educational and employment opportunities in their new place of residence.”

Mattison continued: “Refugees who lack written and verbal language skills may have difficulty coordinating with aid organisations. “We believe our partnership with IRAP will help reduce language barriers to facilitate a smoother transition throughout the resettlement process, helping displaced people understand their legal rights.” their own and empower refugees as they begin a new life.”

In addition, IRAP is developing a virtual legal information platform for refugees “so that our legal resources can reach more migrants than ever before, wherever they are, and provide give them the information they need to access their legal rights,” Tilger said.

One Sponsorship $53 million over six years through the Audacious Project will support the expansion of IRAP’s services.

By 2027, IRAP says it wants to provide 2.5 million displaced people worldwide with “the legal resources necessary to activate their legal rights,” which would allow them to “follow pursue paths to security with dignity and self-determination.”

IRAP now has a chatbot and legal resource website that can help displaced people learn about their legal rights.

“Many refugees are not fluent in the language spoken in their resettlement country when they first arrive,” says Tilger. “Initiatives like Rosetta Stone’s partnership with IRAP can give them access to free educational tools that help them tailor and improve their economic and social opportunities.”

Other organizations are also using the power of technology to assist refugees.

In April, Airbnb.org, Flexport.org and Spotify teamed up with the Breakthrough Prize Fund to launch Technology for Refugees initiative. The initial $100 million from this fund will assist civilians leaving Ukraine due to the ongoing war.

Support through the Tech For Refugees initiative includes:

  • Free, short-term Airbnb rentals for up to 100,000 refugees fleeing Ukraine
  • Delivery of hospital beds and other medical equipment through Flexport’s digital freight network
  • Free Spotify Premium Access for Ukrainian Refugees

Spotify also has cooperation with UNICEFprovide financial support and explore ways music can help reduce the human impact of war.



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