Story of GINA GO development
Our company was founded in response to the needs of rescuers after the earthquake in Haiti and we have been working with the largest humanitarian organizations, the UN and the rescue services for more than 10 years. During this time, we have worked very closely with our partners and learned how to incorporate their long-term experience into our products. The first version of GINA GO was tailored to their needs and has for nearly 5 years helped to solve critical situations around the world. During that time, however, the humanitarian sector has changed significantly and new requirements and problems have to be solved. GINA GO has been redesigned from the ground up, is much faster, more secure, and maintains intuitive controls and a comprehensive set of the most necessary functionalities.
Benefits you get using the app
- Data Collection & Reporting - collecting a variety of field data is one of the main tasks of most NGOs. However, specific field data collection tools are often unreliable, complex to operate and train, or are primarily designed for a completely different use. Some workers and organizers choose Google Maps, Excel or even a common notebook. Often these are also combinations. This raises several problems - the use of these tools is not scalable, secure, and scarcely automated. Pairing to other organization systems is stuck and the entire report must often be manually written in the field, saved and rewritten to the organization's system only after returning to base. This brings increased error rates and reduced ability to control the completion of a task, which is often most important when working with local staff. With GINA GO, we use automated reports which structure you choose yourself, leaving the fieldworker simply filling out individual words or choosing from a range of options. You can attach a photo to each report with one click and the report will automatically load the geographical location. Creating a single report usually takes one minute, often less. All this is sent in a fully editable and compatible format to our GINA Central desktop/online application, where data can be further processed and evaluated.
- Personal Safety - working in high-risk countries always comes with an increased risk for the organization's staff. There are more ways to monitor the movement of workers, provide early warnings of impending hazards, and in the worst case, their quick localization and rescue. GSM and satellite trackers are prohibited in some countries and may be a subject of severe penalties. Many radios used for communication do not have a GPS module and cannot be used for location sharing. The GINA GO application has been developed specifically for these situations. Thanks to the GPS module and the data network of your phone, it shares your position in the system while this feature can be turned off if you are at a safe compound or just want to keep your privacy. If you lose your connection, or your phone is destroyed or deactivated, the app will record the last location of the device where you can find out more information to rescue and extract the user. When pressed, the SOS button will record thirty seconds of audio and send your current location as an emergency message to the system. An overview of your employees' positions on the map contributes to a better situation awareness and the ability to write any of them using the chat module allows you to respond rapidly in emergencies.
Customer stories
HELPCODE
Delivering aid to refugee camps could be a real challenge and Helpcode organization pioneers the way forward using modern technologies such as satellite imagery and smartphone applications for tracking its deliveries. GINA GO allows data to be collected in the field to ensure that all activities are managed correctly and their staff is safe and secure. Here is their testimonial:
"For delivery management, we have used an application called GINA GO, which allows data to be collected in the field to ensure that activities and security are managed remotely. The operators need to type symbols to confirm a successful delivery, which simplifies both the registration and the monitoring system. Among other things, the application includes a panic button that workers can activate in case of danger. This allows for immediate action to be taken in response to emergencies.”
https://helpcode.org/en/humanitarian-aid-donations-support-theres-a-satellite-for-all-of-that
https://helpcode.org/en/helpcode-speaks-at-unctad-on-big-data-and-migration
Weapons & Ammunition research agency
When your organizations' daily job is working in active armed conflicts to track the sources of arms and ammunition, data collection and safety are among the top features you ask from your system.
Their staff are threatened with constant disclosure, so they need to use a mobile phone and trackers are therefore out of the question. In such a demanding work, life-threatening situations are still frequent and constant monitoring of their staff position, as well as the possibility of using the SOS button in an emergency, is the necessity for their safety and best performance.
All of the above is integrated into the same application where custom reports about the weapons and ammunition are collected. A single ordinary smartphone with GINA GO could replace several potentially expensive and rigid systems for an affordable price.
Feature set
Tracking
Track user and vehicle positions in real-time. Individual users are visible in the map upon authorization and can be clustered. User visibility is essential in fragile environments.
Data Collection & Reporting
Collect data reports or fill in questionnaires directly from the field including photos in addition to location information. Switch between different forms to collect both security incidents and project-related data reports.
SOS Button
Allows the user to report an emergency. Depress the SOS button in risk situations to instantly alert the security staff. Send short audio messages and location info for faster and more effective reactions.
Geo-Fencing and SOP Support
Be automatically informed while crossing a perimeter of a dangerous zone set by your security managers. Receive SMS and e-mail notification and quickly alert your colleagues. SOPs support to achieve efficiency, quality output and uniformity of performance, while reducing miscommunication and failure.
Different Types of Maps
Show detailed map data according to selected terrain or location. Possibility to store offline map sources to minimize data traffic. Switch between different map bases thanks to our wide map portfolio.
Messaging and Group Chat
Send individual or group messages, share your location and photos with your colleagues. Fast communication between your field staff ensures quick synchronization with minimal mobile data usage.
Availability
The product is available now for download on the App Store and Google Play. We added trial data into the application so you can enjoy a fully working demo version with all features in place.
FAQs
Is the app secured?
Using a number of encryption technologies provides a mechanism for establishing a cryptographically secured connection for every user. The use is therefore maximally secured by using the latest modern encryption technologies
How does the app affect battery consumption?
The application was developed with maximum emphasis on low battery consumption. Therefore, its running will not significantly affect battery life.
How should I log in?
Very easily. Either simply scan the QR code or enter your credentials
Network requirements?
EDGE connection at least 20 kbit/s is sufficient to run the application in online mode.
Is the app working without a data connection?
Yes, thanks to the caching feature, the app can work offline. When the connection is restored, the data are immediately uploaded.
Get in Touch
We are welcoming your feedback in comments below or on our Facebook, LinkedIn or Youtube. You can also get in touch through email or telephone.
