The International Rescue Committee’s (IRC) Signpost programme has won the first-ever European Prize for Humanitarian Innovation (InnovAid). Signpost offers vital support and information to refugees and those displaced by conflict and disasters. The programme also received a prestigious United Nations (UN) “Connect” award in 2023.
Yuri Milner’s non-profit Tech For Refugees has made a multi-year commitment to help the IRC with Signpost’s expansion. The programme has now reached more than 20 countries, including Ukraine, Italy, Mexico, and Kenya.
Signpost Becomes First-Ever InnovAid Winner
The European Commission announced the winners of the first edition of InnovAid on 19 March 2024. InnovAid recognises companies, social enterprises, and humanitarian organisations that are developing technology to help those living through natural disasters and human-made crises.
Signpost secured first place for its considerable efforts in empowering millions of displaced people with vital, accurate information. This information covers details of critical services and how to find legal advice, housing, or employment.
Teams of local community liaisons research and distribute this information through various digital tools and portals. Plus, liaisons offer individualised support to help users make potentially life-saving decisions.
When Signpost launched in 2015, there were 65 million forcibly displaced people worldwide.The European Commission reports that the figure has risen to 110 million.
As of March 2024, Signpost has reached 79 million people across 20 countries with information products. In addition, 12 million unique Signpost users speaking 25 languages have accessed the programme’s platforms.
Signpost Wins a United Nations SDG Action Award
The InnovAid win has seen Signpost become a multi-award-winning humanitarian programme. Previously, Signpost received a highly coveted award at the 2023 UN Sustainability Development Goals (SDG) Action Awards in Rome.
Commenting on the win, the IRC emphasised that precise, reliable information saves lives during journeys of displacement. Timely, accurate information also empowers asylum-seekers to understand their rights and make well-informed decisions. Additionally, this information weakens the influence of smugglers who rely on misinformation.
Tech For Refugees’ Three-Year Commitment to Signpost
Signpost’s various private sector partners include Cisco, Google.org, Meta, Schmidt Futures, Tech for Refugees, Tripadvisor Foundation, and Zendesk.
In February 2023, Tech For Refugees made a three-year commitment to support Signpost’s expansion in Asia Pacific, the Americas, Africa, and the Middle East. Yuri Milner says his non-profit is honoured to collaborate with the IRC. The partnership will help bring cutting-edge technological tools to millions more people as they try to rebuild their lives.
Yuri Milner co-founded Tech For Refugees with his wife Julia in 2022, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The initiative sponsors the humanitarian programmes of leading tech-centric organisations like Uber and Flexport.org. Tech For Refugees’ programmes help refugees in Ukraine and other crisis zones worldwide.
Find out about Tech For Refugees’ programmes.
About Yuri Milner
Yuri Milner is a passionate science philanthropist who has signed the Giving Pledge. Aside from creating Tech For Refugees, he has co-founded the Breakthrough Prize, Breakthrough Junior Challenge, and Breakthrough Initiatives.
Launched in 2012, the Breakthrough Prize rewards major advances in fundamental research, raises the profile of brilliant scientists, and inspires young minds to engage with science. In line with this latter aim, Yuri Milner founded the Breakthrough Junior Challenge in 2015. The global competition invites students to make creative videos explaining tricky scientific ideas.
In 2021, Yuri Milner published Eureka Manifesto: The Mission for Our Civilisation. The short book explores profound topics like the future of humanity and whether we’re alone in the Universe.
The search for extraterrestrial intelligence is also a focus of the Breakthrough Initiatives. Yuri Milner founded the space science programmes with Stephen Hawking in 2015. The Breakthrough Initiatives are identifying planets that could host primitive alien life and developing technology to enable interstellar travel.
