migrant workers

SOS SMS

file under:
Immigration, Law and Legal Assistance, migrant workers, OFW, sms helpline, Victim Support Services

operates in:
Philippines, Saudi Arabia

contact:

Center for Migrant Advocacy

http://www.pinoy-abroad.net/l

From the MobileActive blog:

References / Past Projects

Read more on the Center for Migrant Advocacy.

SOS SMS: A Text Helpline for Philippine Workers

February 14, 2008 | CorinneRamey

file under:
helpline, migrant workers, OFW, sms

A single computer, hooked up to a modem in Bobby Soriano's house in the Philippines, receives a steady of stream of text messages begging for help. There have been messages from Philippine seamen, who, after being accused of the murder of a Korean captain, were forced to confess by Omani police. There was a Philippine domestic worker in Lebanon who was forced to flee to the mountains to escape Israeli bombings, and a message from twenty Philippine sailors who were evicted from their ship by police near Denmark. In each of these cases, a single SMS message with the keyword "SOS" was sent to a hotline in the Philippines, activating a network of nonprofits and government agencies to come to the workers' rescue.