Dominican Republic: U-Reporters help Hurricane Melissa response
“In my area, we haven’t had running water for two months, which has caused significant difficulties — especially since we struggle to find water at relatives’ homes for bathing and other basic needs,” shared a 16-year-old U-Reporter from San Pedro de Macorís.
In late 2025, storm Melissa caused widespread flooding and devastation across the Caribbean, including in the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica and Cuba. In this context, ensuring that communities had access to timely, accurate and practical information became critical.
To respond to this need, UNICEF activated U-Report as a tool for mass communication to raise awareness and share life-saving information with young people.
During the emergency, polls were launched to better understand the situation on the ground.
A first poll, conducted before the storm, aimed to assess levels of preparedness among communities. A second poll, carried out after the storm, focused on identifying the needs of affected populations.
The insights gathered helped inform communication efforts and adapt messaging in real time.
Based on the results of the polls, a series of five chatbots was developed to provide targeted guidance and early warnings.
These chatbots covered key topics, including:
- Disaster risk alerts using a color-coded system (green, yellow and red)
- Safe water use
- Cleaning water tanks
- Cleaning latrines or bathrooms
- Prevention of mosquito-borne diseases such as Dengue, Zika and Chikungunya
The content included videos featuring U-Reporters themselves, explaining emergency alerts and the actions people should take. For example, in the case of a green alert, individuals were advised to prepare an emergency kit with essential items such as identification documents, water and a flashlight.
All materials were reviewed and validated by the U-Report Youth Committee to ensure their relevance and effectiveness.
Engaging communities during the emergency
The initiative generated strong engagement across digital platforms.
More than 5,900 interactions were recorded through polls and chatbot campaigns. In addition, 4,126 participants engaged with the color-coded risk alerts.
The information shared focused on essential areas such as safe water use, hygiene practices and mosquito prevention, contributing to improved awareness and preparedness among participants.
Polls enabled the collection of insights to guide decision-making, while chatbots allowed for rapid dissemination of practical information to large numbers of people.
The use of color-coded alerts helped simplify risk communication and encourage immediate action, while messaging on hygiene and prevention addressed key health risks during and after the storm.