Germany backs humanitarian assistance project of NGO Commit Global/Code for Romania with EUR 1.35 mln

The Federal Foreign Office in Berlin is supporting a humanitarian assistance project of the non-profit Commit Global/Code for Romania with EUR 1.35 million for the next 18 months. Humanitarian Assistance Digital Infrastructure aims to streamline access to humanitarian aid by building a globally connected digital infrastructure so that those in need can receive aid faster.

The project will be developed based on the experience already gained by the NGO from implementing this humanitarian infrastructure to support Ukrainian refugees, created at the beginning of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine.

The digital infrastructure helped government agencies, international or non-governmental organizations, companies, and private initiatives to centrally manage the distribution of information and medical services, accommodation, and necessary resources to refugees.

German ambassador Peer Gebauer commented: “I am glad that, within our collaboration with Commit Global/Code for Romania, we can contribute significantly to the faster provision of aid to those in need. Given the increasing global crises, armed conflicts, and humanitarian catastrophes, it is crucial that humanitarian aid is distributed efficiently, reaches those in need quickly, and makes important information available to all. […] This project proves once again that Romania plays an important role in the development of innovative IT applications.”

In his turn, Bogdan Ivănel, founder and president of Commit Global/Code for Romania, said: “The reality is that we live in a world marked by crises. The effects of climate change are becoming more severe, armed conflicts are multiplying, and democracy and the protection of human rights are under unprecedented pressure. In the midst of these deepening crises, we all look to civil society to come up with practical solutions. But the reality is that civil society itself is exhausted by these challenges. Technology can support civil society and institutional partners to respond faster and more effectively to increasing challenges. And we can do that anywhere, not just locally, because the technology is language and geography agnostic.”

According to him, the information systems needed to ensure humanitarian assistance, disaster management, or human rights protection, provided free by an NGO, can reach tens of thousands of other non-governmental organizations, helping millions of people get the help they need.

Romania-born non-profit Code for Romania is the largest civic tech organization in the world, with a community of over 3000 volunteers. Since 2016, it has been identifying systematic social problems and building free digital infrastructure to help solve them. So far, it has developed 58 vital digital solutions for Romania, including the digital infrastructure for managing the COVID-19 crisis and the refugee crisis in Ukraine.