Nature at its worst, human nature at its best

Nature's fury

On 20th September 2017, the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico was exposed to the full force of nature’s ferocity. Hurricane Maria was the worst natural disaster in the country’s history, causing an estimated 90 billion dollars worth of damage and claiming many lives.

A disconnected island

The power grid was severely damaged and 95% of the country was without network service, plunging Puerto Rico back into the dark ages. Getting the country back online was an urgent priority.

Joining forces

The mobile operators in Puerto Rico understood that connecting frightened, desperate people to their loved ones was not just a duty, but a fundamental humanitarian need. Claro, Sprint and AT&T worked together in a way never seen before, sharing their resources, equipment and information to restore the network and, more importantly, hope to a damaged nation.

Rebuilding lives

Case For Change travelled to Puerto Rico a year after Hurricane Maria struck to hear the emotional stories of those that experienced the disaster, learn about the mobile operators’ extensive relief efforts and discover just how much connectivity can mean.