Overview / Background
In every emergency, whether a natural disaster or an armed conflict, the commotion of survival and flight leads to the separation of children from their caregivers. NGOs and other partners devote considerable time and effort to bringing these families back together through a process called Family Tracing and Reunification, or FTR. Their work involves documenting children by collecting whatever personal information they can, taking their photographs, and then sharing what they've collected with other non-governmental organizations (NGOs), local institutions, and community members.
The longer a child is separated from his or her family, the more vulnerable he or she is to violence, economic and sexual exploitation, and trafficking. While speed is of the essence in reuniting children with their parents and caregivers, current practices to document separated children are paper-driven and inefficient. As a result, precious hours and days are lost in efforts to reunite children with their families.
In response, UNICEF and a group of partners designed and developed RapidFTR—a versatile and open-source Ruby on Rails/Android application and data storage system designed to help humanitarian workers collect, sort, and share information about unaccompanied and separated children (UASC) in emergency situations so they can be registered for care services and reunited with their families. RapidFTR is specifically designed to streamline and speed up FTR efforts in the immediate aftermath of a crisis and ongoing recovery efforts.
Since its conception in late 2009, RapidFTR has undergone over three years of iterative development, and has been successfully deployed in Uganda, South Sudan, and the Philippines. Given the complex range of contexts in which RapidFTR will be deployed by UNICEF and the range of child protection partners supporting Family Tracing and Reunification interventions, RapidFTR requires additional development to be a truly versatile and ready-to-deploy system in any context. The proposed engagement with Summer of Code would support some of these essential additional developments to bring RapidFTR to the next level of functionality scalability.
RapidFTR – System Overview
The aim of RapidFTR is streamlining and speeding up a process that is already in place, using portable computers and mobile phones to collect and share information. RapidFTR does not aim to rethink the steps aid workers take in order to reunite families, but simply to support them with a more effective and efficient tool to expedite their work. Stated simply, RapidFTR is “faster paper” for the FTR process.
The Conception
RapidFTR was originally conceived in late 2009 by a team of graduate students from NYU's Interactive Technology Program (ITP) during the ‘Design for UNICEF’ course, in consultation with UNICEF’s Child Protection in Emergencies team. The students presented a series of mock-ups at UNICEF headquarters around the time of the Haiti earthquake. Following abundant reports of child trafficking in the aftermath of the emergency, UNICEF supported the group of students to develop RapidFTR further. It was subsequently developed into a Master’s thesis and open-source project by one of the students, who after graduation was hired as a consultant by UNICEF in May 2010 to coordinate the project. RapidFTR development is now led by the UNICEF Global Innovation Centre in Nairobi, in close collaboration with the Child Protection in Emergencies and Innovations units at NYHQ.
Current Features
RapidFTR’s current features include the following:
Customising inter-agency standard FTR forms for local needs as the primary format for gathering information about a child or parent/caregiver1
Recording essential information as part of a child’s record2
Taking photos as part of a child’s record
Recording audio of interviews with a child as part of their documentation
Basic export of records to CSV and for paper backup
Printing photos for use on photo walls
Allowing Android devices to work without network coverage and synchronize when it is restored / when they come online
Searching records from both the Android and the web.
Sharing records across devices with other Child Protection Specialists to facilitate tracing.
Logging and display of changes to child records, so that no information is lost.
RapidFTR functionality has been developed for the web, Android, and Netbook (Ubuntu and Windows) platforms. The next stage of the development includes both extending the functionality and exploring the packaging of RapidFTR for deployment in rapid onset emergencies, with a focus on innovative solutions to connectivity and power in remote or resource scarce environments. Compatibility with existing systems, specifically the Child Protection Information Management System, is a major requirement for RapidFTR and is another a priority in the next stage of software development. In turn, enhancing the form builder to make this more flexible and extend this flexibility and dynamic functionality across the other related components of the system is a priority for the next version of RapidFTR.
RapidFTR – Open-Source System In Action
RapidFTR is currently being used in Uganda, South Sudan and Philippines. Across these three deployment scenarios, RapidFTR has been tested in three distinct humanitarian contexts: South Sudan - conflict with internal effects (Internally Displaced Persons), Uganda - conflict with cross border effects (refugees), and the Philippines - natural disasters.
Uganda & South Sudan: RapidFTR is being actively used in the refugee centers (in Uganda) and IDP / Protection of Civilian areas (South Sudan) to collect information about unaccompanied/separated children to support expedited and secure tracing for family reunification. Read more about the work in Uganda here.
Philippines: RapidFTR was deployed in Philippines as an emergency response post Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda(November 2013). Initially, the humanitarian responders did not believe that there were many unaccompanied or separated children. Since RapidFTR made collecting data much easier and faster, the social workers and policewomen were able to go to as many places as possible and find the children. Read more about the use of RapidFTR in the Philippines here 1, 2 and 3.
Technology stack of RapidFTR includes Ruby on Rails, CouchDB, Solr and Android application.
RapidFTR challenges are much different from other applications because our typical deployment locations involves places with no electricity, no internet connection and sometimes both. Usually we carry all the hardware with us to such places and to Philippines we carried 200kg of gear. We deploy RapidFTR both on cloud, cheap laptops and android phones.
Technical Development and Functionality
RapidFTR is an Application Programming Interface (API) that connects to a schema-less database called CouchDB. An API makes it easy for applications to interact with a web-based service so that data can travel between two endpoints in a structured way. RapidFTR is designed for use by future developers as much as it is by current child protection specialists. By following the documentation, developers can build whatever tool an aid organisation needs to be able to integrate RapidFTR into its workflow. As technology changes and organisations move to other platforms, they will need only to create new client-side applications, not entirely new systems.
RapidFTR makes use of CouchDB, a schema-less storage system that can return whatever information UNICEF and partner organisations need in the format they desire. Information is stored as individual documents and accessible through HTTP requests. Each child record is stored independently which means information can be appended, edited and reorganised without repercussions for the database as a whole, so the individualised schemas of different organisations can be easily accommodated, even if they change after the system has been deployed.
Another advantage of CouchDB is its replication system, which makes it easy to clone databases and keep multiple instances running that can share information and update each other. If need be, each organisation can host its own version of RapidFTR in keeping with its particular data security policies. The systems can synchronise silently in the background, so child records remain accessible regardless of which group collected them. Replication also allows for the creation of local databases.3
Mentors
Stuart Campo, project coordinator from UNICEF, will guide the participants and the mentors.
I, @sriprasanna, will be a mentor from the RapidFTR community and we also have mentors from different geographical locations to help the participants with Ruby and Ruby on Rails.
RapidFTR An innovation to expedite family tracing and reunification of unaccompanied and separated children in emergencies.
Website
Overview / Background In every emergency, whether a natural disaster or an armed conflict, the commotion of survival and flight leads to the separation of children from their caregivers. NGOs and other partners devote considerable time and effort to bringing these families back together through a process called Family Tracing and Reunification, or FTR. Their work involves documenting children by collecting whatever personal information they can, taking their photographs, and then sharing what they've collected with other non-governmental organizations (NGOs), local institutions, and community members.
The longer a child is separated from his or her family, the more vulnerable he or she is to violence, economic and sexual exploitation, and trafficking. While speed is of the essence in reuniting children with their parents and caregivers, current practices to document separated children are paper-driven and inefficient. As a result, precious hours and days are lost in efforts to reunite children with their families.
In response, UNICEF and a group of partners designed and developed RapidFTR—a versatile and open-source Ruby on Rails/Android application and data storage system designed to help humanitarian workers collect, sort, and share information about unaccompanied and separated children (UASC) in emergency situations so they can be registered for care services and reunited with their families. RapidFTR is specifically designed to streamline and speed up FTR efforts in the immediate aftermath of a crisis and ongoing recovery efforts.
Since its conception in late 2009, RapidFTR has undergone over three years of iterative development, and has been successfully deployed in Uganda, South Sudan, and the Philippines. Given the complex range of contexts in which RapidFTR will be deployed by UNICEF and the range of child protection partners supporting Family Tracing and Reunification interventions, RapidFTR requires additional development to be a truly versatile and ready-to-deploy system in any context. The proposed engagement with Summer of Code would support some of these essential additional developments to bring RapidFTR to the next level of functionality scalability.
RapidFTR – System Overview The aim of RapidFTR is streamlining and speeding up a process that is already in place, using portable computers and mobile phones to collect and share information. RapidFTR does not aim to rethink the steps aid workers take in order to reunite families, but simply to support them with a more effective and efficient tool to expedite their work. Stated simply, RapidFTR is “faster paper” for the FTR process.
The Conception RapidFTR was originally conceived in late 2009 by a team of graduate students from NYU's Interactive Technology Program (ITP) during the ‘Design for UNICEF’ course, in consultation with UNICEF’s Child Protection in Emergencies team. The students presented a series of mock-ups at UNICEF headquarters around the time of the Haiti earthquake. Following abundant reports of child trafficking in the aftermath of the emergency, UNICEF supported the group of students to develop RapidFTR further. It was subsequently developed into a Master’s thesis and open-source project by one of the students, who after graduation was hired as a consultant by UNICEF in May 2010 to coordinate the project. RapidFTR development is now led by the UNICEF Global Innovation Centre in Nairobi, in close collaboration with the Child Protection in Emergencies and Innovations units at NYHQ.
Current Features RapidFTR’s current features include the following:
Customising inter-agency standard FTR forms for local needs as the primary format for gathering information about a child or parent/caregiver1 Recording essential information as part of a child’s record2 Taking photos as part of a child’s record Recording audio of interviews with a child as part of their documentation Basic export of records to CSV and for paper backup Printing photos for use on photo walls Allowing Android devices to work without network coverage and synchronize when it is restored / when they come online Searching records from both the Android and the web. Sharing records across devices with other Child Protection Specialists to facilitate tracing. Logging and display of changes to child records, so that no information is lost.
RapidFTR functionality has been developed for the web, Android, and Netbook (Ubuntu and Windows) platforms. The next stage of the development includes both extending the functionality and exploring the packaging of RapidFTR for deployment in rapid onset emergencies, with a focus on innovative solutions to connectivity and power in remote or resource scarce environments. Compatibility with existing systems, specifically the Child Protection Information Management System, is a major requirement for RapidFTR and is another a priority in the next stage of software development. In turn, enhancing the form builder to make this more flexible and extend this flexibility and dynamic functionality across the other related components of the system is a priority for the next version of RapidFTR.
RapidFTR – Open-Source System In Action RapidFTR is currently being used in Uganda, South Sudan and Philippines. Across these three deployment scenarios, RapidFTR has been tested in three distinct humanitarian contexts: South Sudan - conflict with internal effects (Internally Displaced Persons), Uganda - conflict with cross border effects (refugees), and the Philippines - natural disasters.
Uganda & South Sudan: RapidFTR is being actively used in the refugee centers (in Uganda) and IDP / Protection of Civilian areas (South Sudan) to collect information about unaccompanied/separated children to support expedited and secure tracing for family reunification. Read more about the work in Uganda here.
Philippines: RapidFTR was deployed in Philippines as an emergency response post Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda(November 2013). Initially, the humanitarian responders did not believe that there were many unaccompanied or separated children. Since RapidFTR made collecting data much easier and faster, the social workers and policewomen were able to go to as many places as possible and find the children. Read more about the use of RapidFTR in the Philippines here 1, 2 and 3.
Technology stack of RapidFTR includes Ruby on Rails, CouchDB, Solr and Android application.
RapidFTR challenges are much different from other applications because our typical deployment locations involves places with no electricity, no internet connection and sometimes both. Usually we carry all the hardware with us to such places and to Philippines we carried 200kg of gear. We deploy RapidFTR both on cloud, cheap laptops and android phones.
Technical Development and Functionality RapidFTR is an Application Programming Interface (API) that connects to a schema-less database called CouchDB. An API makes it easy for applications to interact with a web-based service so that data can travel between two endpoints in a structured way. RapidFTR is designed for use by future developers as much as it is by current child protection specialists. By following the documentation, developers can build whatever tool an aid organisation needs to be able to integrate RapidFTR into its workflow. As technology changes and organisations move to other platforms, they will need only to create new client-side applications, not entirely new systems.
RapidFTR makes use of CouchDB, a schema-less storage system that can return whatever information UNICEF and partner organisations need in the format they desire. Information is stored as individual documents and accessible through HTTP requests. Each child record is stored independently which means information can be appended, edited and reorganised without repercussions for the database as a whole, so the individualised schemas of different organisations can be easily accommodated, even if they change after the system has been deployed.
Another advantage of CouchDB is its replication system, which makes it easy to clone databases and keep multiple instances running that can share information and update each other. If need be, each organisation can host its own version of RapidFTR in keeping with its particular data security policies. The systems can synchronise silently in the background, so child records remain accessible regardless of which group collected them. Replication also allows for the creation of local databases.3
For additional information, visit the RapidFTR GitHub Repository.
Tasks We are planning to release the next version(2.0) of RapidFTR later this year and we have tasks lined up for our important new Enquiry feature.
We are happy to support and provide adhoc tasks as well to the participants depending on their skill level.
You can find all the tasks here and more to come.
Mentors Stuart Campo, project coordinator from UNICEF, will guide the participants and the mentors.
I, @sriprasanna, will be a mentor from the RapidFTR community and we also have mentors from different geographical locations to help the participants with Ruby and Ruby on Rails.