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Why a
safety net?

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Since its creation, OVG has suffered structural problems and irregular financial support that complicate its dedicated staff’s already challenging work. 

 

For example, while OVG's internet connection is critical to its monitoring mission, from October 2020 till April 2021, OVG was left without an internet connection following the end of a program supported by the World Bank. No other alternative support was organized by the authorities.​  Luckily,  the US Volcano Disaster Assistance Program (VDAP) stepped in to resume the observatory's internet connection from April 2021 for a period of six months. 

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Airtel, a prominent communication company with activities in Goma, offered on May 28th, 2021, a week after the 2021 eruption, to provide two years of free communication services on ten stations under its network and cover the primary internet connection of the Goma Volcano Observatory. Until the end of October 2021, OVG main internet is taking care of by VDAP. 

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This is the motivation for creating a safety net for the Goma Volcano Observatory. A safety net will ensure that the monitoring of the volcanoes and the maintenance of the equipment will be taking care of  even when OVG is going through a period of unstable  institutional support or if one  of  its external partner cannot continue its support.  

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