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In the first episode of New Humanitarian’s new podcast series, Fixing Aid, host Alae Ismail explores the hurdles people living in humanitarian crises face when they want to report a problem with the goods or services they’ve received – or even if they just want to offer candid feedback. 

As those who’ve experienced a mismatch between their needs and the aid they received explain, they’re often frustrated by not knowing who to contact, feedback mechanisms that use technology or languages they’re uncomfortable with, or concerns that reporting a problem or making a request could jeopardise access to crucial support for them or their families.

Ismail looks at an innovative approach to addressing this issue: a feedback platform called Loop that uses familiar and easily accessible formats – anything from social media and text and voice messages, to email and old-fashioned phone lines.

She talks to the founder of Loop – a former humanitarian worker – and organisations and individuals who have used it, including the head of Ecoweb, an implementing partner in the Philippines. Together, they address issues of privacy and data security; funding; and how to scale up the small not-for-profit’s services across countries where attitudes towards reporting problems and offering feedback differ, and where technologies and languages can vary.   

Guests: Alex Carle, founder of Loop; Nanette Antequisa, executive director of Ecoweb.