Funds Sources: Ukrainian Peace Campaign

Project Name: Solidarity Call Center

Donation Links: Ukrainian Peace Fund | UPF Facebook Fundraiser

Recipient Organization: Geeks for Democracy

Starting Date: March 2022

Financing: Financed 

Project Status: In Development

Total Project Budget: $20,000

Financed Amount: $8,000

Short Description

From the earliest days of the war, we focused on supporting the people forced to flee from Ukraine. In addition to the punctual help provided at the border points and the NorthRailwayStation, we reactivated the call-center project, inspired by the one we developed during the Covid-19pandemic but adapted to current needs.

Details

Since March 10, the Call Center has received over 2000 Ukrainian, Russian, Romanian, and English calls. With dedicated mixed language teams, we directly solved the requests that came to us or forwarded the a solution to the authorities. The problems faced by those forced to leave the path of war are varied, such as transport/accommodation/public and private medical services/legislation and procedures for obtaining documents, employment or entering the education system, etc.

• We segregate data to help authorities properly assess the situation on the ground.
• We mediate and resolve medium and long-term problems for people displaced because of the war in Ukraine to scale the efforts of the authorities and associations involved.
• We partner with the authorities to maximize resources so that the support process is coherent and traceable.

Geeks For Democracy (G4D) is a non-profit/non-governmental organization that operates on "volunteerism as service." G4D projects facilitate contribution-type volunteering through expertise and professionals and mobilize human resources in one-off actions with a flexible volunteer schedule. G4D projects are characterized by a SMART intervention and the stimulation of civic/social/educational volunteering through transparency, an enthusiastic approach, in a team spirit so that people feel part of a common approach, of common principles and values in which their efforts are rewarded (through credit, interactions, meaning).

Funds Sources: Ukrainian Peace Campaign

Project Name: Code for Romania War Task Force

Donation Links: Ukrainian Peace Fund | UPF Facebook Fundraiser

Recipient Organization: Code for Romania

Starting Date: April 2022

Financing: Financed 

Project Status: In Development

Total Project Budget: $12,000

Financed Amount: $8,000

Short Description

The Task Force mechanism will help provide qualitative information about the ongoing situation and the effects of the war and aid in managing the critical needs of the refugees, resources, and capacity of local authorities and support for the civil society in Ukraine and the Moldova Republic.

Details

On 24 Feb, our usual activities were put on hold, and we redirected all our resources on relaunching the Task Force to support the Ukrainian refugees fleeing the horrors of the war, but also to assist the Department of Emergency Situations and the Romanian Government in their endeavors to manage the
humanitarian crisis. 

In less than eight weeks, we delivered 11 digital tools designed to improve Romania’s response to a humanitarian crisis of such dimensions. The first three tools of this ecosystem were up in just ten days and addressed the refugees’ urgent needs:

• Access to official information - dopomoha.ro is the go-to refugee resource and assistance platform, which offers information verified and validated by international refugee support organizations and local authorities. Our content creation and validation partners are the Romanian National Council for Refugees - CNRR, IOM Romania, the Department for Emergency Situations (DSU), and UNHCR. All information on the platform is available in Ukrainian, Russian, English, and Romanian.
• Resource and housing management - UnAcoperis.ro (One Roof) is the platform where refugees in need of accommodation can access places that have been checked and adapted to their special needs so that those fleeing the war stay safe. 
• SprijinDeUrgenta.ro (Emergency Support) is a space where those who want to offer their help but do not know how can get in direct contact with those who need help. For resource allocation and procedures, we collaborate with the Department for Emergency Situations (DSU), which access and coordinate the distribution effort according to the needs of the people who are now crossing the border in Romania. Both platforms are available in Ukrainian, Russian, English, and Romanian.

We continue to work tirelessly to address the long-term needs that the Ukrainian migrants have during their unlimited stay in Romania. The financial support received will be directed to the development of new digital tools designed to ease access to:

• medical services for chronic patients (UkraineChildCancerHelp and ConsiliereHIV are live)
• education and integration
• psychological assistance, especially for those affected by PTSD.

At the same time, we continue to collaborate with the authorities and the NGO sector in Romania to consolidate this growing integrated digital ecosystem that will support the Romanian society in managing the effects of any future humanitarian crisis.