The Russian president Vladimir Putin announced the start of military operations in Ukraine: the immediate repercussions not only penalize people and industries, but also humanitarian organizations, which have asked for the support of companies in the tech world. An appeal to which he responded immediately Tech to the Rescue, Polish foundation that unites tech companies and non-profit organizations, launching an information campaign featuring the hashtag #TechForUkraine.
Geopolitics
The war of microchips between the US and Russia
by Francesco Semprini
What it takes
IT infrastructure is needed, IT security technologies, for the protected exchange of information and for the planning of corporate resources and health: these are all areas in which Ukrainian NGOs are poorly prepared and which are essential to support the civilian population.
Jacek’s appeal Siadkowski, co-founder of Tech To The Rescue, is aimed at companies and organizations anywhere in the world and, in addition to asking for the necessary technologies, it is also open to those who have the knowledge to make the most of them: “The international technology community has shown solidarity with many causes in the past and, in recent months , Tech to the Rescue was delighted to connect businesses with nonprofits seeking their pro-bono support. We now call on industry leaders to mobilize in the face of an immediate threat. The Ukrainian non-profit organizations need support more than ever, and we call on technological innovators to apply solutions by contributing to poverty reduction, medical support and the continued functioning of civil society for Ukrainian citizens ”.
The #TechForUkraine campaign it also coincides with the start of a collaboration between Tech to the Rescue and Gurt Resource Center, an organization founded in 1995 and active in the sector of innovative projects aimed at relaunching Ukraine.
Bogdan Maslych, director of the Gurt Resource Center in Ukraine, recalled that “the digital age requires Ukrainian non-profit organizations to modify structures and activities to maximize impact when they are most needed. Often non-profit organizations they do not have internal resources for effective digital transformation and require professional software services to implement digital solutions. Building the resilience and digital capacity of non-profit organizations allows them to have a greater impact on Ukrainian society ”.
Since 2014, the year they started the diplomatic-military clashes between Russia and Ukrainelocal NGOs have supported 2.9 million civilians, and today the absence of a sufficiently scalable and stable IT infrastructure makes its weight felt more than ever. What is needed are security, ways to reach the most needy population and coordination of activities between the different organizations: those who want to know more can consult the web page dedicated to the initiative.
Tech to the Rescue
Founded in 2020 thanks to the initiative of 10 tech companies from Central Europe, it has created in a few months a network of over 250 technology companies and more than 300 non-profit organizations that have implemented projects with positive effects on over one million people in 12 countries, especially in the areas of information security and public health.