“The Red Cross Listens to You”: DEH in Colombia

In Colombia, humanitarian needs are diverse, ongoing and often converge within the same territories. The country faces simultaneous impacts of migration, socioeconomic hardships, the persistence of armed conflict, gender-based violence, and natural hazards such as floods, landslides and earthquakes. To respond to these complex and evolving dynamics, the Colombian Red Cross transforms how it connects and engages with communities. Through the Digital Engagement Hub (DEH), the National Society streamlines communication, strengthens accountability, and addresses people’s needs with speed, dignity and care. This initiative has been funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands and Twilio.

What is DEH?

A collaborative effort by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), the Norwegian Refugee Council, the Netherlands Red Cross and several National Societies, DEH is a modular platform designed to centralize and streamline communication across multiple channels, including WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, SMS, helpline calls, online forms, and even offline conversations documented through data collection tool Kobo Toolbox. Built for humanitarian contexts, DEH allows National Societies to manage incoming messages, assign cases, monitor responses, and actionably visualize data all in one place – making community engagement more inclusive, efficient, and secure.

DEH has already proven its value in diverse settings, from supporting vulnerable populations in Georgia to helping refugees from Ukraine access services in Hungary. In each case, the platform adapts to local needs, enabling teams to respond with empathy and precision.

From Fragmented Channels to Unified Communication

Before DEH, the Cruz Roja Te Escucha (‘Red Cross listens to you’) team used separate portals for each channel and manually logged interactions in Excel, making data consolidation and timely reporting difficult. With DEH now in place, these channels have been unified. WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, online forms and the National Society’s helpline are fully integrated, which enables the team to manage conversations, assign cases, and follow up on them, all within a single platform. Through enhanced data reporting capabilities, deeper insights into the support provided through the channels, and greater ease in handling specialized or sensitive feedback, this shift has significantly improved the overall quality of care – meeting crucial community needs.

“Cruz Roja Te Escucha is not only a communication channel – it’s a place where community voices turn into humanitarian action, where every message becomes an opportunity for us to respond with humanity. Transforming this service has allowed us to expand our capacity to listen, respond in a timely manner, and strengthen the trust of the people we serve.”

Diana Paola Campos Bustos, Manager of Risk Management and CEA at the Colombian Red Cross

Impact Built for Local Needs, Owned by Local Teams

DEH’s implementation in Colombia strongly emphasizes local ownership. The Colombian Red Cross had already developed a functional helpdesk system in-house, and it was essential that DEH matched its existing functionalities while adding further benefits. Besides centralizing all incoming messages, the new system includes features such as automated notifications to users when their request has been received and when their case is closed, tailored dashboards for reporting, and integration with Kobo Toolbox for seamless data collection. In parallel, the National Society proactively increased the visibility of the Cruz Roja Te Escucha service across various communication channels, which together drove a substantial rise in the volume of requests and comments.

A new WhatsApp button added to the Colombian Red Cross’ website generated a 1000% increase in feedback submission, with 1524 cases logged from June to November 2025.  Within five months, web submissions grew by 82%, email cases increased by nearly 400%, and phone calls rose by 186%. Taken together, these increases represent a significant expansion in the National Society’s capacity to capture, process, and respond to community feedback.

The new DEH system also offers an option to submit feedback anonymously, and access to reporting on sensitive cases is restricted to designated team members. These improvements enhance data privacy and build community trust.

“The integration of DEH with Twilio is a powerful tool to strengthen National Societies’ capacities in CEA and safeguarding. It significantly enhances their ability to listen to communities, ensure accountability, and handle sensitive cases safely and confidentially.”

Isis Zarazúa Hernández, National Society Development Coordinator at IFRC Colombia

Capacity strengthening was a cornerstone of the implementation. Colombian Red Cross staff were equipped to manage and maintain the system independently, ensuring long-term sustainability. The process brought together multiple departments, creating a shared sense of purpose and collaboration across the National Society’s teams, and encouraging its use for a variety of operations.

Looking Ahead

DEH’s flexibility allows space for future growth, with potential use by the migration team to support community engagement at humanitarian service points along the border. Integration with the National Society’ blood bank donor app is also underway, enabling users to submit feedback directly from their phones. And the journey doesn’t stop here! The Colombian Red Cross is exploring further enhancements, including chatbot functionality, and expanded use across local branches.

This implementation is a testament to the power of locally led innovation. The Colombian Red Cross’ journey with DEH shows how digital tools can be adapted to meet real humanitarian needs, driven by the people who know those needs best.

DISCLAIMER: Please note that the Arabic, French and Spanish versions of this article were automatically generated using Artificial Intelligence. We cannot guarantee full accuracy of these versions.