Nairobi — The government has embraced the use of technology in finding missing persons which is set to transform search and rescue efforts of finding missing children.
This follows a partnership between Meta and DCI- Anti-Human Trafficking & Child Protection unit (AHTCPU) and Missing Child Kenya that will see Meta bring AMBER Alerts to Facebook and Instagram in Kenya.
Dubbed 'Kenya Emergency Child Alert (KECA)' it is set to increase the chances of finding missing children by increasing the number of people on the lookout.
Kenya becomes the 34th country globally and third in the continent to join this vital technological innovation, following in the footsteps of South Africa and Nigeria.
Presiding over the launch, Principal Secretary State Department of Interior, Raymond Omollo stated that technological advancement has offered powerful tools and strategies to locate individuals swiftly and efficiently.
"Traditionally the process of notifying the public that a child is lost has been cumbersome and what we are doing through use of technology is using the amber tool that allow internet users to locate a child that is lost," Omollo said.
The Interior and National Administration Principal Secretary explained that the fast digital adaptation in the country will enhance the effectiveness of amber alerts in fast-tracking the search for missing children.
"The innovation enables us to leverage on technology in finding solutions in the country by increasing the chances of finding missing children in an efficient manner," Omollo averred.
Director of Trust and Safety at Meta, Emily Vacher, expressed that Meta is thrilled to announce the launch of Kenya Emergency Child Alert (KECA), an expansion of our AMBER Alerts program.
"In collaboration with Missing Child Kenya and Directorate of Criminal Investigations, we aim to quickly disseminate critical information to help locate missing children in Kenya and reunite them with their families," stated Vacher.
"AMBER Alerts have become an important way for us to support our communities in keeping children safe and we hope to continue this work," she added.
The Director of Criminal Investigations Mohammed Amin noted that the amber alerts initiative will enable a faster response in locating missing children by engaging more people to be vigilant and report any leads to the appropriate authorities.
"We are delighted to collaborate with Meta in launching the AMBER Alert. We values this partnership with Meta and we are eager to work together to help find missing children in Kenya," said Amin.
Founder and CEO of Missing Child Kenya, Maryana Munyendo termed the "Kenya Emergency Child Alert" as a game changer as it will enhance data sharing, provision of information and timely reporting of missing children in Kenya.
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"It takes a village to raise a child - and with technological advances, the global village is now borderless and digital. We are proud to be part of this initiative that champions for Better Data - Better Lives," said Munyendo.
The amber alerts are set to increase the chances of finding a missing child when more people are on the lookout, especially in the first few hours.
With this update, if an AMBER Alert is activated by law enforcement and you are in the designated search area, the alert will now appear in your Facebook & Instagram feed.
The alert will include important details about the child such as a photo, description, location of the abduction and any other available information that can be provided.
People can also share the alert with friends to further spread the word.
These alerts are rare and specific to the search area. If you get one, it means there is an active search for a missing child nearby.
In order to know who to show these alerts to, we use a variety of signals, including the city you list on your profile, your IP address and location services (if you have it turned on).
AMBER Alerts were launched in 2015 and they have assisted in hundreds of successful child endangerment cases in the US and around the world.
