Télécoms Sans Frontières (TSF), the world’s leading emergency telecommunications NGO, received five major honors in March and April. 2010 This high-profile recognition follows an exceptionally busy period for TSF, which was among the first organisations to respond to the two devastating earthquakes that recently struck Haiti and Chile.
In both disaster areas, TSF established emergency telecommunications services for disaster responders on the scene as well as for the earthquake’s displaced victims. More than one hundred emergency response organisations and government agencies used TSF emergency telecom centres in Haiti alone – ranging from UN agencies, Haitian local authorities, to many of the world’s largest NGOs. Additionally, TSF provided free three-minute calls in survivors’ camps in Haiti, reconnecting tens of thousands of previously isolated Haitian families.
“We are honored that in the past several weeks five prestigious organisations have recognized TSF’s recent work, as well as our history of work in other regions of the world afflicted by humanitarian crises”, said Jean-Francois Cazenave, TSF’s President and Co-Founder.
TSF’s recent honors and awards include:
• Consumer Electronics Association Honours TSF. On April 21st, in Washington, D.C., the Consumer Electronics Association’s Annual Digital Patriot’s Dinner recognised TSF. CEA honored Vint Cerf, Vice President of Google and one of the founding fathers of the Internet, Representatives Mike Doyle and Fred Upton, and Ambassador Ron Kirk, the U.S. Trade Representative. All proceeds from the dinner will benefit TSF.
• TSF Co-Founder Appointed Chevalier de La Légion d'Honneur. On April 4th, TSF Co-Founder Jean-Francois Cazenave was appointed as Chevalier de La Legion d'Honneur, by decree of the President of France, for his decades of work in humanitarian relief. Appointment to the Legion d’Honneur is the highest decoration in France.
• TSF Wins SSPI 2010 Industry Innovator Award. The Society of Satellite Professionals (SSPI) also recently named TSF as a 2010 Industry Innovators Award honoree in the category of Service Development and Applications “for applying satellite technology with a positive social, economic, or educational impact.” Other recipients include Cisco Systems, NASA, and Inmarsat. Previous recipients include the American Red Cross (2006), BBC World Service (2004), and the U.S. National Science Foundation (2002).
• Satellite Industry Association Honours TSF. In addition, the Satellite Industry Association (SIA), representing the world’s leading satellite operators, service providers, manufacturers, launch service providers and ground equipment suppliers, recognised TSF for its “exceptional relief efforts” during the earthquake in Haiti. At its Annual Satellite Leadership Dinner, SIA explained that the award recognised TSF for “providing satellite connectivity and offering essential means of communications for victims and relief agencies in the wake of a devastating natural disaster.”
• TSF Wins MSUA User Recognition Award. Finally, the Mobile Satellite User Association (MSUA) gave TSF its 2010 User Recognition Award for being “among the first humanitarian groups to arrive at disaster zones.” According to MSUA Chairman Bob Roe, “TSF understands, values, and optimises mobile satellite communications whenever it deploys to a disaster area.”
Télécoms Sans Frontières wishes to thank its partners, Inmarsat, the Vodafone Group Foundation, the United Nations Foundation, ECHO, Eutelsat, AT&T, Cable & Wireless Worldwide, Vizada, IT Cup, PCCW Global, the Communauté d'Agglomération de Pau and the Regional Council of Aquitaine for their precious support and thanks to those who make the TSF missions possible.