On 24 February, 2022, like the rest of the World, we were affected by the sufferings of so many innocent victims, as we witnessed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

We saw civilians trapped in fighting areas who were not receiving any aid and ran out of food, water, medicine and medical attention. Women, children and the elderly were crossing into neighbouring countries with nothing more than what they can physically carry, looking for shelter and safety. Some were entrapped by human traffickers pretending to offer help. 

We witnessed parents having to leave their children at the borders because both parents had to remain in the country by law and as a result, some children are missing. People who had no transportation or are disabled were pleading for help to evacuate to safety. Bodies were buried hurriedly because of the fighting, war crimes being committed, mines and unexploded ordnance were indiscriminately found, people were trapped in collapsed buildings and many other distressful situations.

Unfortunately, intermediaries like humanitarian organisations and allied governments need time and funds before they can provide help. They also tend to focus on certain groups, leaving many others overlooked and abandoned. Then there is the politics which sometimes prevent them from doing anything. But time is not on the side of people suffering. 

So, when aid was not forthcoming, regular people in proximity helped each other by offering direct relief and sharing resources, even though they struggled in their efforts and exposed themselves to personal risks.

They created public group chats on various messaging sites and social media, sharing live information on the crisis situation, communicating with each other and trying to organise themselves. 

Unfortunately, this resulted in a lot of chaos and confusion with the numerous platforms in use and the sheer number of group chats created by people to post and view information. According to the United Nations there were 5 million Ukrainians refugees in other countries, 7 million displaced from their homes inside Ukraine and 31 million were still staying put, as at 4th July 2022.

It became extremely difficult to look for reliable information and to ask for and receive help. A lack of information or disinformation can be life-threatening. 

Inspired by their selflessness, we felt a need to help by creating an app that empowers them with tools that someone caught in such awful situations, may have a chance to survive the ordeal, whether they are trapped in a fighting area, internally displaced or a refugee in another country, much like a Swiss army knife.

With our HELP app, everyone will be enabled to assist another person and with less effort and waste and with greater efficiency, effectiveness and safety.

It will also help reduce the dependency on humanitarian organizations and the waste, inefficiencies, funds and delays that large organisations sometimes experience, which can be better reallocated to where it makes the most difference to people who need help.

Data from the app can also help humanitarian organisations to make more effective plans when they are finally ready to provide direct relief.

Although we are designing this App to support victims of the war in Ukraine, what we eventually build, will also save lives in many other troubled places around the World. 

I am counting on your prayers to complete this work in the best possible way and hope that you will join us in this effort.

Thank you!

In His service,

Tony