Andy Wilson has long had ties with Afghanistan — he worked for several months in the Middle Eastern country and his company, Quiet Professionals, has more than a dozen employees within the country at any given time.
So when he began to receive an overflow of messages across social media sites from distressed Afghanistan residents, he knew he had to help. Quiet Professionals is a government contracting technology company and was able to launch a tracker similar to Johns Hopkins' now-famed coronavirus tracker map.
"What we've done is we've parlayed what we've been doing for the government, so we're now offering the tech as a grassroots movement, as a massive global force," he said. "We built similar dashboards, but use our own features, and the idea is, 'Let’s go out there.' Because there were so many people who reached out over LinkedIn and WhatsApp because they were friends."
The Quiet Professionals OSINT (open-source intelligence) tracker is able to connect with those in Afghanistan seeking to leave the country due to the turmoil that has occurred after the Taliban took control of the country in mid-August. Those interested can fill out a survey, which will then be scrubbed from their cell phone to ensure safety. They will be able to be tracked through the sensor in their phone and can be "sponsored" by those interested who can further help coordinate a rescue plan.
"As you get connected in with this network of folks — it's strange, they're getting hooked on helping people," Wilson said. "And you're communicating them in real-time. You're giving [the refugees] a shred of hope more than they have before. That they're on a list beyond something the government has, and the hope that at some point someone will pull their name."
He added while this is not the first international act of service he has done, it's the first spearheaded from Tampa. The company, founded in 2013, is one of the largest veteran-owned businesses in the region.
Quiet Professionals has also launched a not-for-profit, the Project Afghan Relief Fund to further fund and coordinate evacuation efforts.
"I have a lot of people — congressional leaders, donors, Fortune 500 companies, asking where to donate funds to," he said. "We launched the not-for-profit and we want to load that up, to help everyone get out who wants to get out. But then, and perhaps more importantly, help them integrate into the society they will come to with food, shelter, clothing and jobs."
It's a big undertaking, having to balance the intricacies of an overseas humanitarian crisis while building and funding the technology efforts. But Wilson believes because of the company's capabilities, there is an obligation to help.
"I feel like we have an obligation; when someone helps me and then I find out their life is in danger, coming from the background I come from, I'm not going to sit idly by," he said. "I look at the U.S. and with great power comes great responsibility. And the responsibility part is being let down right now and I won’t stand for it. We're making a massive impact and because we can, we will."
To get involved and learn more, head to the dashboard's website here.
