With Russia's unprovoked military aggression in Ukraine, Lithuanian business initiatives swiftly set up platforms to make aid more accessible and invite other companies to take part in support.
In response to Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, Lithuania has been at the forefront in offering support to Ukrainians in various ways. The country’s startups have utilized their industry knowledge to thwart Russia's disinformation and build charity campaigns and platforms.
New platforms by Lithuanian startup community, such as suukraina.lt or Memby, are offering solutions to simplify aid efforts and bolster a sense of unity with those affected by the war.
Their efforts have recast the industry's role in global war relief and humanitarian aid.
A platform for unifying aid to Ukraine
One of the most recent efforts came from Laisvės TV — a visual content creation company — which has created a platform for concentrating all legitimate news regarding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on one site.
Those that can provide assistance to Ukrainians will be able to easily find and communicate with organizations seeking volunteer workers or financial support, ensuring that the aid delivery process is as simple as possible.
The platform is currently tailored for Lithuanians willing to provide aid, while a Ukrainian version of the site is seeing rapid development.
As sections of the platform can also be useful for other countries, the developers of the platform are proposing to adapt the web to suit the purposes of communities abroad.
The overarching goal is to make support more effective on an international level. Other countries in need of such a platform may contact Laisvės TV for an adapted version of the platform, they would only need to fill it with content and take over the administration.
Online after-school lessons for Ukrainian students
The team at Memby and Digiklasė, an online platform that offers engagement-oriented live tutoring, has collaborated with a private Ukrainian school. Together, they are offering free remote lessons for all Ukrainian students in the first and second grades.
The developers of the program hope to help children cope with the abrupt end to their schooling due to the invasion of Ukraine by offering them a sense of safety and community.
Students who register on the platform have access to over a hundred different lessons, which are taught entirely in Ukrainian. The sessions are led by top-tier private school teachers from Ukraine, who are paid full wages by the creators.
In line with Ukraine’s national education program, the students can continue learning about the same topics from school, allowing them to continue their education and be well-equipped for academic life as life in war-torn Ukraine returns to normality.
To date, this is the only European initiative that can fully cover the Ukrainian curriculum in group lessons, broadcasted in real-time.
There is a slew of such efforts from companies in Lithuania that are constantly providing support for Ukraine. For example, LCC International University is initiating an academic and financial contribution campaign and inviting the public to donate in support of Ukraine.
Other examples include retailers like Popup.lt raising funds with their line of designs with messages of support; Nordcurrent and Soprana aiding refugees in finding housing and work; or Genial Day donating over 9K intimate hygiene products to Ukrainian women.
All of these examples signify how start-ups may use their existing infrastructure, products, and knowledge to provide specific and effective aid to Ukraine, recasting the industry’s potential in support efforts.