OpenSchool is pursuing its vision of opening communication and extending education to the victims of Super Typhoon Haiyan. In the wake of the massive destruction in Tacloban wrought by the typhoon, all systems, all vestiges of modern living including communications and education system were down.

OpenSchool is currently collaborating with the local government in Tacloban to help rebuild communication lines for people to find their missing loved ones and to reconnect and update their families overseas about the recent situation in the region.

To address these critical needs of the survivors, OpenSchool is embarking on the mission “Aid for Help”. The project aims to deploy communication system to ease the current situation and to rehabilitate the education system and communication means by the end of January 2014.

How does it work?

OpenSchool volunteers extend their time and experience to set up information system to bring wider access to computers and communication. The team also aim to slowly rebuild education infrastructure to help those children in need of quality learning environment.

Currently, OpenSchool has the following resources which are ready for deployment by December 2013 and is targeting to implement the project before Christmas season just in time for the people to reconnect and re-engage themselves with their friends and loved ones. We have:

• 9 computers
• 1 server
• enterprise network router and access point, for delivering robust internet access

Simply effective

The deployment of the server will allow the connection of any computers to the network to boot into a robust, secure and intuitive communication operating system, Edubuntu. Internet access can be accelerated by the employment of web cache and quality of services, sharing the available resources carefully.

Secondly, a local website and blog can be set up which will create a central and accessible point of contact for registering missing people and eventually helping them  reunite with their loved ones.

With these initial resources, OpenSchool is seeking help from individuals, NGOs or charitable institutions for additional aid to make this project a success. With 9 computers on hand and targeting to expand in the region, the team still faces the problem of scarcity of such resources as:

• additional computers or any equipment related to the communication system
• transporting those equipments from Singapore to Cebu or Manila
• any donation in cash to support this humanitarian advocacy