- Because you know PHP and can code in PHP!
- Because you get a chance to let your code make a difference to a large cause. Globally!
- Because you understand availability of information at the right time is important!
- Because you *want* to do some life changing work! One that can change lives.
Imagine, a missing person has been displaced and lost touch with his family after floods. The relatives fires up an SMS to the system to search him in the database. And finds the person!!! So you can say, that was MY CODE which helped the family unite back after a disaster.***
- Sahana is a PHP/mySQL based web application that can run over a standalone PC or a client/server & networked environment. So you need to have the knowledge of PHP to contribute to the code of Sahana.
- Disaster strikes without notice. Sahana has been deployed at various such incidents and used by the government for relief operations. Right from pre-disaster management planning in the New York City USA, to post-disaster management operations in Sri Lanka, Pakistan, China, Philippines, India, Myanmar. So you know where your code goes! Globally and goes for a social/noble cause.
- In such an emergency situation you need information, which is important, right when it is available. Or at least easily accessible when you want it. Getting information using your cellphone and SMS could be really easy and effective.
- Sahana system has helped track families and unite missing victims. Certainly these are life changing experiences including saving lives. Getting the right supply of relief materials on the right time are among the few aspects the Sahana system is used in.
The example I have used is based on the scenario where Sahana is deployed with the SMS being setup which interacts with the Sahana server. People send SMS to the Sahana number and it retrieves information from the database. Missing persons information is collected at relief camps and entered into the Sahana central system. So, a person could be misplaced and land up at a relief camp in a distant area and get assistance. But his family could be searching for him/her someplace else.
More information can be found here:
http://wiki.sahana.lk/doku.php?id=dev:foss_in_2008_ideas
I am coming to FOSS.in/2008. Are you?
Please do not join this list. That is for the team and people who are working with the Government agencies @ Bihar scenario, NGOs, Sahana developers etc. I understand you wish to help, and hence request to join the appropriate channels of communication! 
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