CRS Program Manager Michee Kashoshi helps a woman register for a CRS project using an ipad in Pweto territory, Katanga province in eastern DR Congo. Catholic Relief Services, along with local Caritas partners, has launched an emergency response program in Katanga Province - an area which has faced decades of instability. The CAPABLE project 'Capacity Building for Leadership in Emergencies' which started in Summer 2013 will support 7,200 disaster affected families. The project involves a host of activities like NFI 'Non Food Item' fairs, construction of community and household latrines, community water points, sanitation and hygiene services, as well as community-based early warning systems against rebel attacks. CRS is pilot testing cutting-edge technology as part of the project - using equipment such as ipads, ipods, GPS systems, barcode scanners and portable printers. Using electronic data collection techniques has reduced data entry error by up to 30%, increasing program quality and accountability to project participants and donors alike.

Photo by Helen Blakesley/Catholic Relief Services