Digital Asset Management Assisting Charitable Organizations

World Vision efforts in Pakistan.

Guest blog from Heidi Lenssen of the Photo Library – Digital Media Centre at World Vision.

A natural disaster. Then another. As each develops, World Vision springs into action.

World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families, and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. We also respond to disasters and humanitarian emergencies ranging from drought and famine to earthquakes and floods.

Because we work in nearly 100 countries, and respond to emergencies around the globe, we need to have the ability to disperse information and photos quickly and efficiently. Since 1996, the MerlinOne digital asset management system has been the go-to method for our organization to share images. On a day to day basis we share images based on assignment requests, but when a disaster happens, everything hits fever pitch. With program staff already working in-county, they are able to transmit photos right away when events happen, which become available to our entire staff almost immediately after captions and metadata are added.

Raising funds to support relief projects requires photos which are readily accessible to capture the attention of donors and to inform them about what World Vision is doing and what needs have been identified.

As the continuing disaster unfolds in Pakistan, the needs are immense. World Vision began with distributions of basic need items to more than 21,000 people including clean water and food. Medical clinics have also been set-up to treat illnesses which are growing in number – like diarrhea, fever, respiratory problems and skin infections.

“People are showing up at the clinic parched and hungry. They’ve walked through rain and mud with clothing caked to their bodies, carrying their children for hours. They’re suffering from ailments such as diarrhea and acute respiratory infections, which can become life-threatening unless treated. The situation is desperate,” said Dr. Sheraz Iqbal, a physician with World Vision in Pakistan.

Images that share with our donors what the landscape looks like and how World Vision is providing for the recipients on the ground helps connect the viewer with those individuals.

World Vision is a digital asset management customer of MerlinOne.

Posted by Heidi Lenssen
Photo by World Vision