Crowdfunding portal set up to help human trafficking victims

Microsoft and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) today announced the launch of 6Degree.org, the first crowdfunding portal that enables the public to directly support the voluntary return and sustainable reintegration of human trafficking victims.

6Degree is the result of a public-private partnership between Microsoft and IOM. The development of the portal was led by IOM X, which is IOM’s new campaign to encourage safe migration and public action to stop exploitation and human trafficking, produced in partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

“The growing operational challenges of migration management demand out-of-the-box thinking on how best they can be tackled,” said Stefan Sjöström, Vice President for Public Sector, Microsoft Asia. “The use of technology shows enormous potential in this respect, and combining Microsoft’s deep expertise in deploying cloud computing technology to support public sector endeavors inspires confidence in our efforts to aid human trafficking victims.”

IOM has provided more than 70,000 survivors of human trafficking with humanitarian, medical, legal and migration support since 1997. On average, IOM helps 6,000 to 7,000 individual trafficking survivors every year. With the additional funding, the cost of shelter, medical and legal assistance, repatriation, and education or skills development to prevent re-trafficking can be covered to meet demand.

“6Degree is the first time we have been able to provide individual donors with direct access to supporting a proven and time-tested mechanism for helping individual survivors of trafficking,” said Andrew Bruce, Regional Director, IOM Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific. “I am excited by the possibilities this technology opens up for organisations such as IOM, and the opportunity to give more victims of human trafficking a second chance at life.”

Source: 6Degree.org website. Each survivor’s story is told through interactive story maps, which strike a balance between protecting the victim’s identity, and telling a compelling story to potential funders. 

6Degree is the first crowdfunding portal that meets the strict requirements of IOM’s victim protection and privacy standards. Because a survivor’s anonymity is their most important form of protection, 6Degree does not use photographs of faces and modifies information that could compromise their safety or chances of a normal life. Instead, each survivor’s story is told through interactive story maps, which strike a balance between protecting the victim’s identity, and telling a compelling story to potential funders.

The interactive map allows users to follow the journey of each former victim, with significant milestones illustrated by clickable icons. When clicked, the user is presented with a narrative elaborating on the survivor’s experience at that point in their journey. By following the stories icon by icon, the user can understand the circumstances that led to the person being trafficked, appreciate the challenges faced during exploitation, learn how they reclaimed their freedom and discover what their dreams and ambitions are for the future.

“6Degree is about connecting individual users with individual human stories,” said Tara Dermott, IOM X Program Leader. “Parallel to the funding aspect, these stories will help develop awareness, build understanding and nurture commitment towards stopping human trafficking through the many actions of a united collective.”

Mango Routes uses Ameyo to manage customer campaigns

Source: Mango Routes website.

Mango Routes, a Gurgaon-based travel service company, has implemented technology from Ameyo for customer engagement.

As a startup, Mango Routes needed call technology that provided a better customer experience. The solution had to integrate seamlessly with its customer relationship management system while ensuring best-in-class customer support, first call resolution* (FCR) and streamlined communication processes. 

"As a complete travel services company that offers its services to businesses and retail customers alike, taking care of their end-to-end travel requirements, we needed a communication platform that could enable us to provide hassle free services. We chose Ameyo over other vendors because of its one stop solution, technological advancement and its solution oriented approach. 

"Our entire calling setup is built on (Ameyo) and it works as a heart for our system. Within months of deployment, we were able to see better management in our outbound campaigns. We believe that Ameyo will help us in understanding our customers well in the long run," said Amit Nautiyal, Travel Expert and Contracting Head, Mango Routes India.

*FCR refers to resolving the customer's request without requiring further calls.

Epson printer helps Indonesian entrepreneur expand, diversify

Source: Epson. A range of the results from the printer.

When Indonesian entrepreneur and digital textile expert Budi Santoso opened his own business in 2008, it had nothing to do with printing. Moshaict is a clothing store that specialises in fashions for Muslim women. The first store opened in Jakarta about six years ago. In 2011, he had a brainwave: why rely on external printers, when he could print his own products and sell them in his store? 

Having discovered the Epson SureColor SC-F7070 online, Santoso made some comparisons with other similar machines and found that the SC-F7070 was the most suitable for his needs. “Everything I read talked about the quality of the prints and the cost was within my reach. I also found out that many of the other brands use Epson’s parts so I thought why not get an entire machine that was made by Epson, rather than one that only has parts," said Santoso. 

“Working with my designer, I used the printer to create our own unique fashion designs and print them in-house. It was a hit and we managed to reduce our costs,” 

The in-house capability that Santoso had spread by word of mouth, with one designer telling another and coming to Santoso for printing. This led to the creation of another company, iPrintex.

Since purchasing the SureColor SC-F7070, Santoso has seen his business double. When he started with iPrintex, he went through a roll (approximately 100m) of material per day, but after a year, the business is going through two rolls per day, its maximum capacity.

Source: Epson. The Epson SureColor SC-F7070.

Santoso currently has ten Moshaict outlets in and around Jakarta and is looking to open at least another five more. This means more textile printing, an area that Santoso has already decided to focus on.

"I chose Epson and it paid off; my customers are all very satisfied,” states Santoso. “This investment has already allowed me to grow my fashion business and branch out into a brand new area of business – professional printing. I definitely want to expand my printing capabilities, invest more in it and see it grow.”