At a presentation by TSF at the
Telecommunications Building at AIT, the three along with regional ICT
coordinator Sebastien Sivadier and Oisin Walton, TSF delegate for Asia
and the Pacific, narrated their experience from the disaster
zone.
“We are happy that half of the TSF team in Philippines and Samoa
comprised of volunteers and members of the AIT community, and we are
looking forward towards extending this partnership,” Oisin remarked.
For Frédéric Leduc, who was on his first mission, his experience at
Samoa was different from what was initially expected. “People were
scattered all over and were not located inside a camp,” he recalls.
Hence Frédéric moved around making enquiries from the affected while
noting their GPS locations simultaneously.
Similarly, for both Albane and Fanny, who were based in Manila, it was
also their first mission. “On a typical day, we would begin by holding
a meeting with other agencies and exchanging information,” recalls
Albane. Throughout the day they would help people avail of the three
minute free call facility provided by TSF. “In the evening we checked
with others on the situation so that we could plan for the next day.
And lastly, the day ended with writing a report for our headquarters,”
she added.
All three students missed their examinations. However since they are
in a dual degree program with Telecom SudParis (TSP), TSP has
decided to defer their examinations. Oisin is hoping that a similar
agreement can be worked out in Thailand as well for local students, so
that more AIT students can join as volunteers and work in the field of
humanitarian aid.
The presentation by TSF was telecast by CanalAVIST.
Fanny
Gaborit,
Frédéric
Leduc,
Albane Coeurqueti,
Sebatien Sivadier and Oisin Walton at the TSF
presentation.