Its very human to start thinking in terms of us and them.
Born to Iranian parents, Niknam experienced this first-hand during the Iran-Iraq War.
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Together, they created thePeople for People Foundation.
MessageBird helped get SIM cards to people so they could contact their families.
And it wasnt justtechcompanies.
Any business that contacted the Foundation wanting to help was connected with individuals or a non-profit in need.
Its not just Ukrainians, its also Russians.
Theres no us vs. them.
He explained that a friend of his is now harboring a Russian journalist who opposed the war.
That would have been such a different message for our political leaders to send.
The current approach is a very old fashioned way of thinking.
The first month we were doing many things.
Then we wondered, how can we position ourselves to add the most value?
People for People quickly became a platform to match up those in need of assistance with those offering assistance.
Many companies want to do something but they dont always know how.
If you want to do something, we can have a call and explore different options.
Can you involve your employees in some way, your customers, or can you donate goods or services?
We also started working with foundations that we trust and built relationships with them.
I truly believe in collective entrepreneurship to solve the biggest challenges.
We constantly need to reinvent ourselves because the focus changes.
What I like about scaleups is that you still have the entrepreneurial spirit.
We have a direct line with Niknam, Vis, and Beckers who can make decisions immediately.
Every day youre scrolling the news and feeling super worried.
Awful things are happening every day.
But doing something not only for yourself, but also for Ukraine, helps you continue living your life.
To meet this need, the foundation recently launchedPeople for People Jobs.
When you start a new job in a new environment, it can be difficult.
In Kyiv, for example, the working environment is different.
So we want to support people in the first months here.
And the second most important need after finding a job?
They also need Russian or Ukrainian speaking friends.
Even if you help just one person, thats one less person whos suffering, Niknam said.
Indeed, People for People has helped to create a ripple effect across the Netherlands and beyond.
Another group is looking to emulate the Foundations model in France.
I think during the first month, everyone wanted to do something.
Now we hear more and more, we already did something.
For us the challenges are: how can we keep the momentum going?
I was very touched because, in the beginning, it felt like we were alone in this war.
But then you feel a lot of support from all over the world.
But, there are still people who need assistance.
Donate, hire, volunteer, share, whatever you do, its time to take action.
Contact thePeople for People Foundationtoday to find out what you’ve got the option to do.
Dont forget you’re free to also meet their team in person at this yearsTNW Conference.
