Kathmandu: Thulo.Com and Enterprise for Management, Economic Reform and Gender Equality (EMERGE) have launched a mobile app on disaster risk reduction and management.
The app ‘Ma Ta Chhu Tayar’ was unveiled at the grand finale of the Private Sector Innovation Challenge.
Tammie Harris, Chief of Party Tayar Nepal, formally launched the app at the event.
The app is supported by USAID’s Tayar Nepal- Improved Disaster Risk Management Project and is a part of the ‘Udhyami Utthan Campaign’ which is a joint initiative of Thulo.Com and EMERGE.
To provide awareness about DRRM, this dedicated app is targeted at businesses (especially women-led) and consumers to enhance their disaster resilience through preparedness and get help at the time of actual disasters, according to the developers.
The app provides disaster-related information in text, links, videos, images, and audio. It is segregated based on the types and stages of disasters to make the information clearer.
We have envisioned this app to be more of an interactive platform that can guide users in case they encounter a disaster. Based on the disaster type the user has encountered, the app will provide relevant information and instruction to get help, Thulo.Com and EMERGE said.
Also, if there is an impending disaster, the app can alert the users and suggest relevant actions that are needed to be taken. The app can be personalized, which means each user has their version of the app which will cater to the information and actions based on its location.
Other app features include access to the weather forecast, reporting disasters, receiving disaster alerts, access to events information, access to disaster management supply stores, and suppliers’ contact details.
Moreover, the app has features targeted at people with visual impairment, such as customizing the font size, switching between dark mode and light mode, and using bright colors.
Raja Ram Nepal, CEO, Thulo.Com said, “The technicalities of the app are developed in such a way that users can customize the app based on their preferred province and municipality. Most of the contents of the app are categorized location-wise, which makes customization easier.”
“We believe the app will be useful to prepare for and manage the hazards that are common in the context of Nepal.”
Surakchya Adhikari, COO, Thulo.Com said, “The app targets businesses (especially women-owned/led) and hence has specific features for preparedness as well as actual management such as an opportunity to become a supplier of disaster management products, access risk financing support, download business continuity plan templates, participate at disaster management events, learn about disaster management, provide help and more.”
She added that the app will enable users to enhance their disaster resilience through preparedness, especially by buying various disaster management products available within the app and Thulo.Com.
According to Dr Mona Shrestha Adhikari, CEO, EMERGE, the mobile app serves as a one-stop information center on disaster risk management for all stakeholders.
“It further requires those who work on disaster management be it government agencies, NGOs, businesses, or consumers, to link the work they do with this app so that users can avail the right information at the right time, become disaster-resilient, and stay digitally connected,” she said.
“We hope to receive support from all agencies to make it more user-friendly and at the same time ensure that no one is missed out on being a user.”
Tammie Harris, Chief of Party, Tayar Nepal congratulated Thulo.com and EMERGE team for designing the launched app. She expressed her best wishes for the uptake and usage of the app by the targeted group – the business and the individuals.
The app is available in Google Play Store and Apple App Store and will run on Android and iOS devices respectively.
For Android Version: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=tayardrrm.thulo.com
For iOS Version: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ma-ta-chhu-tayar/id1619593157
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