For the second time this year, UNHCR Niger hosted a technical team of the German multinational company SAP which is specialized in enterprise software and software-related services. The SAP team spent most of its time with UNHCR and NGO counterparts on software solutions that will ease access of refugees to services, for example by using phones and eMails rather than standing in line waiting. They are also developing a common software for all service providers in the One-Stop-Shop in Niamey, a center to deliver protection and assistance to urban refugees. This technology initiative supported by UNHCR Innovation plans to modernize service delivery in the areas of education, health, and assistance to the most vulnerable refugees.

But the SAP team went further: before traveling to Niger they collected boxes full of children’s clothes from their fellow workers in Germany and Switzerland. Team leader Jörg Forker then went to Mangaizé camp in order to hand the kid’s wear over to UNHCR. This gesture was not foreseen in the “Terms of Reference” of the software project. It came as a surprise not only to refugees, but to UNHCR as well, and moved all of us. The distribution of clothes to the children is scheduled today Monday 25 November 2013.

SAP team leader Jörg Forker hands over the donation to Zeinabou  Amadou, UNHCR Community Services Assistant. /UNHCR/Mangaize refugee camp/21 November 2013

On distribution day, many parents were delighted to try on new clothes to their children. Babywear was particularly appreciated, especially now in November with temperatures cooling down to 25C (at night!). In the picture, UNHCR and partner staff (Zeinabou Hamadou, Audrey Lessard-Fontaine, M. Bah) with three of the refugee children that benefitted from the SAP donation./UNHCR/Mangaize refugee camp/25 November 2013