CaRMIS online Platform: Where Technology Meets Emergency Response

Michael Ibe, a seasoned humanitarian and development expert has continued to explore the meeting point between technology and emergency response. Working with Ikechukwu Enumah and Henry Isibor – IT engineers, Michael between 2018 to 2020 developed and deployed a homegrown platform for collection and collation of project data, data analysis, project reporting and monitoring. In fact, the platform was designed to be a one-stop online platform for project and program managers with which they could monitor the progress of their projects from any part of the world.

Figure 1:Figure 1: With youth group in Askira Uba, Adamawa State

Figure 2: After a Training on Trauma healing and psychosocial support counseling

Figure 3: Institutional Capacity Building for JDPC Wukari, a local partner

Figure 4: Sensitization on the use of CaRMIS reporting platform

Additionally, in 2017, Michael led the design of a cash distribution strategy which involved the use of e-wallets for safe and dignified cash transfers. This was coming at a time when cash distributions in the Northeastern part of Nigeria was risky, susceptible to corruption, and at best, expensive to implement. The use of e-wallets ensured that physical cash was not moved from point of origin to points of distribution, but was safely transferred to the debit cards/wallets of receiving beneficiaries. This not only ensured their financial inclusion, but promoted the digital footprints of cash which could be tracked easily for issues resolutions.

Currently, Michael Ibe has developed an initiative – the design of another online platform – CaRMIS which serves the purposes of online training platform for partners, a reporting and project monitoring platform which could be used for the purposes of effective project coordination between the lead organization and her partners, as well as a stop for mentees to access and contact their potential mentors for further post-training support. This is important for organizations in large networks such as Caritas Nigeria, Caritas Internationalis, ICRC, UN organizations, etc. The projects below are some of the initiatives which Michael led in the deployment of the technological initiatives. With these initiatives, millions of individuals have experienced improved wellbeing.

Below are a few of the initiatives:

German Foreign Office-Funded Food Security Project which saw to the improvement of food availability, access and utilization by indigent households in Northeast Nigeria.
Emergency WaSH Assistance to Displaced Persons which ensured the improvement of the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WaSH) conditions of persons in rural communities as funded by UNICEF. More specifically, Michael oversaw the construction, repairs and rehabilitation of solar-enabled boreholes and handpumps in Yobe State, Nigeria.
WaSH Assistance to Conflict-Affected Households which ensured the enhancement of Water, Sanitation and menstrual Hygiene conditions for poor schoolgirls, funded by Malteser International.
Promotion of increased awareness on Optimal Nutrition and Management of Severe Acute Malnutrition among the Infant and Young Children in the North-east Nigeria.
Led the implementation of Food Security and Livelihoods improvement for vulnerable IDPs, returnees and Host Community members in the North-east Nigeria affected by insurgency funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through Caritas Norway.
Livelihoods Project for Conflict-Affected Population which ensured the access to Funds for Income Generating Activities, Savings and Internal Lending Communities funded by Caritas Germany.
Agricultural Inputs Distribution to Vulnerable Persons which promoted the distribution of agricultural inputs to poor farmers
Oversaw the Cash Transfer to Indigent Beneficiaries through e-wallets to poor people in Chibok, funded by UN-FAO
Led the Rainy Season Assistance to Vulnerable Persons through distribution of agricultural inputs in Borno State
Managed the Rainy Season Project funded by UN-FAO which also saw to the distribution of Agricultural inputs in Northern Adamawa State
Dry Season Project funded by UN-FAO which ensured the distribution of agricultural inputs to farmers in Northeast Nigeria
Australian DAP Program which ensured the distribution of agricultural inputs via inputs fairs and the rehabilitation of dysfunctional boreholes and funded by the Australian Government
Emergency Appeal, (2012) funded by Caritas Internationalis Member Organizations which saw to the establishment of Savings and Internal Lending Communities in rural areas targeting indigent women, as well as the food distribution through unconditional and unrestricted cash transfers to poor households
Leaning on the success of the former, this project scaled up activities via Emergency Appeal (2014) for vulnerable persons affected by the conflict in Northeastern Nigeria
Emergency Appeal (2015) for vulnerable persons affected by the Boko Haram conflict in Northeastern Nigeria as funded by Caritas Internationalis Member Organizations which ensured Protection, WaSH, Healthcare Psychosocial Support & peacebuilding assistance to poor people affected by conflicts
Emergency Appeal 31 (2016) continued the preceding interventions in the heat of the Boko Haram insurgent attacks to deliver high quality integrated emergency and early recovery response in Borno and Adamawa States
With the ongoing conflicts on the Nigeria southeastern and south southern border which featured the Ambazonian conflicts in Cameroon, a Rapid Response managed by Michael oversaw the distribution of food items and Non-Food Items (NFIs) to refugees and host community members in Cross River State, Nigeria
Funded by the Start Network, an emergency response was led by Michael to support victims of flood via unconditional cash transfers
Emergency Education Support to Schools affected by Boko Haram insurgency funded by Union Bank Nigeria was led by Michael to renovate classrooms in Northeastern Nigeria
Livelihoods Support to Conflict Affected Persons funded by UNHCR ensured the Livelihoods, IGA, SILC, Livestock distribution and Cash transfer for food interventions for vulnerable households in Northeastern Nigeria
ECHO SaHARA Project funded by ECHO continued the safe and dignified cash transfers to indigent persons through e-wallets system which was co-designed by Michael and pioneered by Caritas Nigeria, one of the few organizations in Nigeria to practice this as a safe, simple, and dignified cash delivery mechanism. This ensured financial inclusion for most affected and reached beneficiaries.
CRS-Funded ICS project saw to the Institutional Capacity Development of individuals, departments and partner organizations within and outside of Caritas Nigeria, with whom Michael worked as its head. Having institutionally supported over 14 local organizations, effectively preparing them for localization and effective locally-led responses, the project plans to support a target of 60 organizations, still using the CaRMIS online platform. This CaRMIS online is being developed to be a one-stop user-friendly platform where partners can access self-paced trainings, as well as ensure coordinated response through programmatic reporting, information sharing and data management.

Michael continues to explore other avenues to make work easy, more coordinated and efficient for project/program managers through technology.

Figure 5: Conducting an assessment on organizational efficiency and the deployment of technology in emergency response, Enugu State

Figure 6: With the Community Project Implementation Committee (CPIC), after an assessment using CaRMIS platform in Askira Uba, Adamawa State

Figure 7: A solar enabled borehole constructed in Tarmuwa, Yobe State

Figure 8: With Community Stakeholders in Damaturu, Yobe State – Sensitization on the efficiency of e-wallets

About the Author

Dr Michael Ibe is a Program Management Director and the Head of Institutional Capacity Strengthening unit with Caritas Nigeria, a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to the mission and service to the poor and most vulnerable. So far, he has led design and execution of successful humanitarian and development interventions worth over $15.5m that have seen to the improvement of quality of life for over 9.1 million persons. In August 2021, he was appointed as the Chairman of the Humanitarian Reference Group for Caritas Africa – a network of 43 African faith-based not-for-profits. In September 2022, he was elected as the Co-Chair of Humanitarian Committee, Caritas Internationalis, a global network of over 162-member organizations dedicated to humanitarian and development action. In 2023, he was appointed as a Co-Chair of Charter-for-Change working group dedicated to ensuring locally-led responses in Nigeria. With over 15 years of cognate experience, Michael Ibe holds a Bachelors in Philosophy, a Bachelors in Religious Studies, both from Urbaniana Pontifical University, Rome; a Masters in Peace Studies and currently on the final stages of his academic Doctorates in Peace Studies Conflict Resolution with National Open University of Nigeria and currently holds a Doctorates (Honoris Causa) in Peace Studies with African American University, Akpevi, Benin Republic. Currently, Michael works as the Head of Institutional Capacity Development unit with Caritas Nigeria and an expert in Project Management. Michael’s dedication to excellence remains unyielding and his passion for integral human development has not flinched in spite of challenges and successes.