Citizens for Change #7

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2020

In the last two months of the unusual and in many ways difficult 2020, the crisis caused by Covid-19 reached its peak. In every sense. The number of infected was the biggest, the number of deceased also. The health care capacities were fully used, and the health care workers were on the edge of their capacities. Welcome to the new issue of Citizens for Change!

We have never needed cooperation more than now and it has never been more difficult to make it happen. Nevertheless, at a distance, via various platforms, CSOs have shown that they could also cooperate and function in these times.

The ad-hoc grants of Civica Mobilitas intended for overcoming the crisis situation caused by Covid-19 were completed in this period. The CSOs which were the grantees have distributed more than 2,200 humanitarian packages, more than 320 citizens have received psychological and social support, and more than 160 consulting support. This is especially important to see the negative effects of Covid-19 in a broader sense. Very often, the consequences of the pandemics are expressed in a number of infected people, number of deceased or in amounts that show the economic losses, and in such a way we miss the damages that it has had on our mental health. In this way, those who have maybe managed to protect themselves from the virus have been left out from the group affected by the health crisis.

The crisis managed to mobilize the CSOs, but the citizens as well. It was also seen in the increase of the membership with eight of the ad-hoc grantees, and in the increased number of volunteers with 11 of the CSOs that were the beneficiaries of these grants. Has the crisis stimulated our solidarity? Has it increased the civic activism? Did the citizens recognize CSOs as stakeholders that could help the most? These are the questions for the analyses that should be made by the civil sector. However, not after the end of the crisis, but rather now, while it is still going on. What has attracted the citizens? Why have they chosen to donate their free time and volunteer? If we also want to keep this trend after the crisis, we have to find out now about the motivation of the citizens? Who or what has triggered and released the energy that is invested to help the others?

CSOs, mainly Civica Mobilitas grantees, have offered their help and support to the institutions. Aware of the value of cooperation, they said that overcoming the crisis would be easier if we all do it together. At the forum with the Venko Filipche, the Minister of Health, and Stojanche Angelov, the Director of the Crisis Management Centre, they stressed the pressing issues, such as access to information, access to services, treatment of people with disabilities and other vulnerable categories. They asked about the plan for preparatory activities for vaccination process, information about vaccination and all challenges coming with it. And they have offered their help and support again.

Because cooperation is crucial, and it is easier together!