“Facts, not fear, help people protect themselves”

Gunnar Checks passengers' health status and provides sound advice Estonia, Tallin

The reopening of ports and airports must be managed carefully to prevent a second wave of COVID-19 from spreading. In Tallinn, volunteers of the Estonian Red Cross have been lending a helping hand. Gunnar is one of these volunteers. “My role is to ensure that all arriving passengers are well informed and know how to apply the necessary precautions to prevent the virus from spreading. We check passengers’ health, take their temperature and provide basic guidance,” he explains. Red Cross volunteers like Gunnar play an important role in efforts against this outbreak. They educate the public, share prevention information, help prevent misinformation, and control rumours and panic. Tallinn is just one example of many cities across Europe taking on similar initiatives. Parliament is calling for a swift and full re-opening of EU borders without any discrimination based on nationality to ensure the EU’s economic recovery after the Covid-19 pandemic. Discover more here.

“By telling stories together, sharing our joys and successes, we can make it through”

Pille Offers support to parents through the Read Aloud campaign Estonia, Tallin

As the coronavirus continues to spread, most people who are used to working in an office environment suddenly face the reality of a new workspace - their own home. Elsewhere, schools across Europe have closed their doors to all children – except those of key workers – meaning that the majority of families are now going to be spending extended periods of time in the house together. The reality of having to juggle work commitments and a hectic family life simultaneously can be daunting. That's where the Read Aloud campaign comes in. Pille and her team offer support to parents working from home who are looking for educational and engaging activities for their children. Read Aloud strongly encourages children to read, listen to stories, and even create their own. This support comes in the form of one-to-one calls through Facebook or Skype, tailoring the experience to each child's reading level and making sure they stay interested. The ability to practice reading aloud ensures that literacy levels continue to improve while simultaneously boosting the child's confidence.

“All students should have access to high quality education while staying at home”

Maria EdTech entrepreneur working to ensure equal access to e-learning devices Estonia, Tallinn

Solidarity and mutual help are more important than ever, to get through the COVID-19 pandemic together. With this in mind, María is connecting Estonian families so that they can help each other on a specific issue. While Estonian students are asked to attend e-learning classes from home, not all of them can do so, due to the lack of electronic devices such as laptops or tablets. Thanks to María’s project “A computer for every student”, families who have unused devices at home or in the office can give them to those who don’t, and ensure that every student has access to distance learning. 1200 computers have been traded between families in less than a month.