Polish IT and tech companies partnering with NGOs to support Ukrainian refugees
Tech To The Rescue is an initiative that delivers much-needed technological aid to NGOs supporting those fleeing the conflict
In response to the war in Ukraine, dozens of Polish IT and technology organisations are partnering with NGOs to support refugees. Members of Software Development Association Poland (SoDA), an association representing the IT service business sector in Poland, have signed up to Tech To The Rescue, to offer their services to help refugees.
Tech To The Rescue, Polish companies support Ukrainian refugees
Tech To The Rescue is an initiative that connects technology and IT companies with non-profit organisations (NGOs) to provide tech for good causes, enabling the creation of innovative solutions for the world’s most pressing issues. The war in Ukraine is one of Europe’s most significant current challenges, so a range of are offering their support at a time of great turmoil for their neighbours.
Marta Kpa, Executive Director at SoDA said: “The war in Ukraine and the stories of people fleeing the crisis have been particularly impactful in Poland. As a neighbouring country, Polish organisations want to do what they can to help refugees, so we’re incredibly proud of the crucial work being done by our members, the NGO partners and everyone involved with Tech To The Rescue.
“IT and technology have a powerful role to play during times of crisis. ‘Tech for good’ is a term that is often used to describe the ways that technology can bring about change, and this is a tangible, real-world example of what happens when the IT and tech community comes together to support real people experiencing a crisis.”
Tech To The Rescue is the brainchild of Tomasz Karwatka, CEO of Divante, an eCommerce solutions company and member of SoDA. So far, more than 700 IT and technology companies have rallied to support 150 NGOs aiding Ukrainian refugees, of which four are members of SoDA: Netguru, Divante, 10Clouds and SoftServe.
10Clouds is a founding member of Tech To The Rescue, working collaboratively with Humanosh. The team has also recently completed a project with Maria Grzegorzewska University. Divante is currently working on a web development project for non-profit organisation Renaissance, while SoftServe, another founding partner of Tech To The Rescue, has finalised a project providing insights into how Ukrainian refugees can transition to online learning in order to continue their education beyond the war.
Jacek Siadkowski, CEO at Tech To The Rescue, said: “There’s a significant crossover of Polish IT and tech companies that are both members of SoDA and founding members of Tech To The Rescue. It shows just how passionate the tech sector is in supporting people in crisis, particularly during the war in Ukraine, and the qualities that SoDA members possess. There’s a sense of coming together to make the world a better place, which is what both of our organisations are all about.
“We’re delighted to be bringing together NGOs and Poland’s most innovative companies to facilitate life-changing tech for Ukrainian people. It’s a challenging period for many, and we hope that the work being done by SoDA members and other tech companies will go a long way to make life that little bit better during tough times.”
Multiple projects have been established by other Polish tech and IT companies that support refugees with finding a safe place to live, protecting their mental health and find assistance with issues relating to settling in a new country. During a recent project, Polish IT for Ukraine, SoDA worked with many companies that are also involved with Tech To The Rescue.
UASOS is a platform that connects refugees seeking accommodation with individuals, institutions, NGOs and accommodation providers that can offer safe housing. Yesterday Today Tomorrow (YTT) is a free app offering psychological support to Ukrainian children, developed by AI Quotient for YTT. The app can be used by parents and caregivers to help children through the trauma of the war in Ukraine.
Safe Ukraine is a platform that gathers questions and answers to help Ukrainian people with their first steps towards building a life in Poland. It includes practical information on obtaining assistance, understanding basic legal issues and support with residence status.
Projects have also been established to tackle cybercrime and the spread of misinformation, in response to the need to tackle the war online.
The software development company, Vazco, is working with Demagog to bolster its website and provide cyber security solutions to fight against disinformation and propaganda. This work has been done for many years already and is now being ramped up in response to the war.
MIM Solutions, a member of SoDA, have created an AI-based model that detects anti-Ukrainian content on Twitter. The algorithm scans tweets in Polish to identify accounts that generate pro-Russian propaganda. While Zglostrolla is a platform that counters fake news to fight the spread of misinformation. People can report suspicious content to the site, which is sent on to analysts for initial review. It then goes to NASK for verification, before being submitted to social media platforms.
To find out more about Tech To The Rescue, visit techtotherescue.org/
To find out more about SoDA, visit sodapl.com/
About SoDA
The Software Development Association Poland (SoDA) is an association of Polish technology companies founded in 2018. We currently link over 180 companies with Polish and foreign capital throughout the country, and employ more than 30,000 employees in Poland.
By conducting research and analyses and organising training sessions, webinars, and networking meetings, we develop cooperation and exchange of knowledge between our member companies and promote Poland as a leading global market in software development and outsourcing of IT services.
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