Within the project the system provides information products to support SOS Childrenās Villages International in their site development, monitoring, controlling and management as well as to assist fundraising activities and to increase resource efficiency.
SOS Childrenās Villages is an international non-governmental social development organisation that makes child care, education, and health care available to children and their families directly, and helps to improve policies and practices of the state. The European Space Agency is Europeās gateway to space. Its mission is to shape the development of Europeās space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.
SAS is developed and operated by GeoVille Group. GeoVille Group is a private sector enterprise specialised in satellite Earth Observation and derived geo-information products and services. Offices are located in Austria and Luxembourg.
The latest generation of very high resolution satellite data will be applied to serve situational awareness requirements of SOS Childrenās Villages International. A geographic information system approach will allow further analysis, derivation and provision of sector specific information products.
The situational awareness system will focus on the following key target areas:
1. Timely identification of suitable sites for construction
2. Operational monitoring of construction progress
3. Community development monitoring around SOS childrenās villages4. Delivery of situational awareness information in the aftermath of crises
The products will be provided by GeoVille Group in the form of digital maps and reports and easily accessible over the Internet and mobile devices for SOS Childrenās Villages staff in headquarters and in the field. āGeoVille Group will merge satellite data with cutting edge technology for out of Europe timely childrenās security monitoringā, said Christian Schleicher, SAS Project Leader.
āSOS Childrenās Villages is active in 133 countries. It works with disadvantaged families and their communities in order to prevent crises that can lead to family separation. Around 80.0000 children who have lost parental care are provided with a caring, loving, and secure family environment. Each year several new locations for SOS Childrenās Village programmes are under development. With the help of SAS and satellites we will be able to make more informed decisions in site selection and management. Most importantly satellite derived information will assist to react more quickly in the aftermath of natural hazardsā, explained Michael Spuller, Construction Commission Director.
āWe are pleased to be working with SOS Childrenās Villages and have the opportunity to demonstrate that the European Space Agency and European earth observation satellites can bring useful and needed information to support their important work in helping children and developing communities around the worldā, said Volker Liebig, Director of ESA Earth Observation Programmes.