Access to information is critical during a complex emergency and in its aftermath.

The United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator reported in July 2007 that 143 million people were affected by natural disasters in 2006. Further, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported an increase in the global refugee population to an estimated 9.9 million.

Whether they occur through extreme weather, famine or conflict, complex emergencies devastate the lives of survivors. Accurate information is an urgent need, along with water, food, shelter, medical attention and clothing.

Incorporating AM, FM, and two short-wave bandwidths, the wind-up and solar-powered Lifeline radio provides access to vital information in even the most devastated areas. Families can learn how to locate missing loved ones, where to go for medical care and food, locations of shelters and how to replace important documents such as birth certificates or identity papers. The ‘voice’ of the radio allows those in ravaged areas to feel less isolated and to know when help will arrive. Displaced populations can use Lifeline radios while they are on the move or living in refugee camps, without worrying about replacing transistor batteries.