Digital CEA Solutions Offering
08 September 2026
The Red Cross is there to help. To this end, it is vital that information on how to access assistance is easy to find for affected communities. In an increasingly digital world, effective communication across multiple platforms is crucial for humanitarian organizations that rely on strong connections with their communities. The Georgia Red Cross Society recognized this need and turned to the Netherlands Red Cross to streamline its communication channels by implementing the Digital Engagement Hub (DEH). By merging multiple communication channels into a single, unified system, DEH has revolutionized how the National Society interacts with the communities it serves, getting help to those who need it much faster.
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 standardized tool to enhance multi-channel communication. Developed by a team of humanitarians who can uniquely relate to the challenges that fellow humanitarians face when engaging with their communities, DEH connects organizations with individuals impacted by crises. In doing so, the system delivers actionable insights from the feedback of those affected, enabling National Societies to tailor their response to community needs.
Streamlining communication, enhancing collaboration
The Georgia Red Cross Society manages its digital communication through Facebook, phone calls, and WhatsApp. Each of these channels was handled by separate customer service teams in the past, without a database to collect information, which led to fragmented coordination and made it difficult to manage high volumes of inquiries. Implementing DEH tackled this challenge by merging all incoming messages from these channels into a single platform. With all communication channels neatly integrated into one system, the Georgia Red Cross Society can now easily track interactions and understand the reasons behind each inquiry, allowing them to respond to community needs more quickly and accurately.
“If a project manager was curious about the number of interactions from social media and the hotline, they had to ask separate persons. With DEH, we can observe referrals and have the history of different people affected all in one place.”
A significant benefit of the DEH implementation has been the unification of the previously separate customer service teams per channel, which has created a more collaborative work environment. Instead of navigating different systems, team members can now share information and respond to requests in a coordinated way, making their daily lives easier and allowing them to focus on supporting their communities.
“Step-by-step, we adapt and resolve technical issues to make it more comfortable and user-friendly for people affected because this is our priority. The flexibility of this system is a big plus.”
Leveraging communication industry trends
DEH stays ahead of trends in the communications industry: it can easily incorporate new channels and adapt to emerging technologies. Amid the growing importance of chatbots in community engagement, DEH is equipped to embed them seamlessly, ensuring that National Societies can continue to meet evolving community needs. By continually improving, DEH signals its commitment to make it easy for people affected to access the support they need.
A new era of connectivity
The implementation of DEH has marked a new era of connectivity for the Georgia Red Cross Society by centralizing communication channels and promoting teamwork, ensuring a smoother user experience and more efficient support to people affected. Its adaptability to new communication trends positions DEH as a leader in digital community engagement. As the hub continues to evolve, it promises to further simplify the way humanitarian organizations connect with the communities they serve.
