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Tech4R, a joint initiative of UNDP ICPSD SDG AI Lab and UN Volunteers, focuses on developing digital solutions for disaster rescue, response, recovery, and resilience.
ISTANBUL, TURKIYE — UNDP ICPSD SDG AI Lab in collaboration with UN Volunteers (UNV), ATÖLYE, Bridge to Türkiye Fund, HP LIFE, EKA, and Ljus, successfully hosted the Design4R Designathon. The event showcased innovative digital solutions for disaster response, focusing on Low-Code/No-Code (LC/NC) technologies to enhance disaster resilience.
Held on February 25-26, 2025, the Designathon gathered 41 Online UN Volunteers from 22+ countries, working alongside Turkish NGOs, including Tohum Autism Foundation, Turkish Education Association (TED), Payda Association, Parıltı Association, and AFETTEK Platform. Together, they co-developed digital solutions tailored to real-world disaster management challenges, ensuring direct applicability based on NGO feedback.
Tech4R, a joint initiative of UNDP ICPSD SDG AI Lab and UN Volunteers, focuses on developing digital solutions for disaster rescue, response, recovery, and resilience. Originating from the “Post-Disaster Communal Living and Community Spaces” workshop in February 2023, Tech4R officially launched in the following months through a series of ICPSD–UN Volunteers workshops.
The Designathon marked the culmination of intensive volunteer-led capacity-building trainings on LC/NC platforms such as Microsoft Power BI, Power Automate, and Kobo Toolbox. Prior to the event, Tech4R conducted focus group interviews to identify the most pressing disaster management challenges. Volunteers then designed and built LC/NC-powered solutions aimed at real-time data collection, resource allocation, and multi-stakeholder coordination.
During the Designathon, online volunteers formed five teams, each addressing a critical challenge in disaster response:
Supply Chain Management – A warehouse coordination tool to track and manage relief supplies.
Field Coordination – A digital platform to improve real-time communication in disaster zones.
Volunteer Management – An activity tracker to enhance planning and deployment of volunteers.
Accessible Data Collection – An oral data collection tool designed for visually impaired children.
Inclusive Disaster Response – An autism support tracker to ensure specialized care in emergencies.
These solutions demonstrated how LC/NC technology can streamline crisis response, ensuring more efficient coordination and support for affected communities.
Reflecting on the Tech4R Designathon milestone, Melissa Lara Clissold from ATÖLYE remarked, 'Two years ago, in the aftermath of the earthquake, we brought together diverse stakeholders at ATÖLYE. Seeing Tech4R grow into a solution-driven ecosystem is truly inspiring.'"
The event underscored the transformative potential of open-source and volunteer-driven digital solutions. Buğra Çelik from Sivil Alan Hareket Ağı emphasized, “LC/NC technology enables rapid prototyping and deployment,” while Furkan Kılıç from Açık Yazılım Ağı highlighted “the power of community-driven digital solutions in crisis response.”
Looking ahead, Tech4R and its partners will focus on scaling these innovations and integrating them into broader disaster response systems. Aylin Yardımcı from Bridge to Türkiye Fund reinforced the importance of equipping civil society with digital tools to enhance resilience.
Emphasizing the urgency of accessible digital solutions, UNDP ICPSD Technical Specialist Gokhan Dikmener stated, “With disasters becoming more frequent, we need scalable, innovative solutions. Low-Code/No-Code technologies empower communities to act swiftly and effectively.”
By fostering collaboration between NGOs, first responders, and policymakers, Tech4R ensures that volunteer-developed digital solutions can be rapidly deployed, enhancing disaster response efforts worldwide.
