anGadgets EditorsThe state of alarm is causing difficulties on many levels, almost all of them caused by the quarantine that keeps most people in their homes and allows them to leave only for what is essential and permitted. Hence, some collaborative neighbourhood projectsThe volunteers are trying to give a hand to those who need it most.
In Spain, in fact, we already have two proposals set up in the form of a mobile application, going one step further than hashtags or groups for social networks. Dedicated apps such as FrenaLaCurva or TeAyudoThese are two very similar projects in terms of conception and options that make up small neighbourhood networks, so that both can lend a hand in these difficult times.
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BrakeTheCurve opened the way (Ushahidi)
At the end of March FrenaLaCurva arrived. The application is not a private initiative as such but a international project adapted by the Government of AragonThis is a new type of infection, which can be included in the list of official apps developed by and to mitigate the effects of the coronavirus, although from a different point of view than the apps for the detection and control of the infection.
Similar to the operation of other neighborhood networks such as the one proposed by Facebook with Nextdoor, but with a very different objective, FrenaLaCurva allows you to see a map four different types of needsOwn Need in red color, Need with Intermediation in orange color, Offer in green color and Public Service Available in blue color.
An alarm system with needs to be covered promoted by the Government of Aragon
With these alarms active, any user can register both to indicate that they have certain needs and to pitch in to the others. In addition, within each of the needs we can register we have subdivisions to be more specific. Such as needs related to hygiene, psychological help or simply people who need some kind of accompaniment.
Since it is a local aid app, FrenaLaCurva tells us where each of the needs is located with the distance in kilometres, so that we know whether or not we can lend a hand, and also we can filter to show only the closest. FrenaLaCurva is available both in web version and in app for iOS and Android, the latter in its international version but valid for our country. We leave you the links just below.
BrakeTheCurve (Ushahidi app)
TeAyudo has followed him
TeAyudo is the latest collaborative neighborhood project to emerge during this quarantine. It is, again, a kind of local bulletin board where we can to register specific needs, or to address those that have already our neighbors in case we can satisfy them. Among the needs we can find from neighbors who need to take their animals for a walk and can not do it, even to make purchases in pharmacies and so on.
Since this is a mobile app, TeAyudo indicates quite accurately how far we are from the person in need when it comes to lending a hand. As indicated on its website, TeAyudo’s goal is to “facilitating local collaboration and creating stronger communities. Respecting your privacy and avoiding competing with existing channels“.
TeAyudo opens threads with needs and turns them into private conversations when the right volunteer appears, all anonymously
The operation is quite simple. You only have to access the application, specify if you want help (a thread is opened with your request) or help others (the list of open threads is accessed). No need to provide phone number or nameIf you want to help, you access the thread you want to help and then the thread is closed, becoming a private conversation. As soon as the help thread is complete, it is erased and disappears forever.
TeAyudo provides valuable information when it comes to helping others because of the restrictions that many are confined to their homes. It indicates, for example, that one can go out to buy food and basic necessities, to care for the elderly, dependents and people with disabilities, or in situations of major cause.
“A TeAyudo volunteer may use any of these Article 6 exceptions to provide assistance. Therefore, no special permission is required. In addition, he or she will have the opportunity to show the competent authorities the task in the TeAyudo PPP in advance, demonstrating the nature of the task and the intended recipient.“
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