In the true spirit of #coronakindess, a group of over 50 volunteers led by siblings Lizzie and James Elgar are set to launch a non-profit interactive app, now-u, on the 1st July. The app aims to educate, inspire and empower users to tackle some of the world’s most pressing issues through simple individual action.
Amidst the worldwide pandemic, a group of volunteers from across the UK and beyond have dedicated their time during lockdown to work on making the world a better place. Lizzie, a recent Cambridge graduate currently on furlough and James, a computer science student at Bristol, wanted to develop an app that would bring complex world problems closer to every individual, and help them realise that their actions can drive real change.
now-u is designed to educate people on a wide range of problems related to human rights, welfare and the environment. Users will be invited to participate in regular individual actions, and to set challenges for influencers, companies and governments. These actions, which are the key part of each monthly campaign, will include signing petitions and open letters, pledging behavioural changes, sharing campaigns on social media, and making small donations of time or money to a cause.
“People can often feel overwhelmed by large-scale problems and powerless to help.
But all of us have huge power to drive change. The global tragedy of the coronavirus pandemic has highlighted people’s willingness to help others at their times of need” Lizzie explains. This is where now-u comes in: by combining the small actions of each of us, the now-u community can play a huge part in driving positive change.
There will be different campaigns each month that participants can learn about and get involved in. The first campaigns will be focused on problems exacerbated by the pandemic such as domestic abuse in the UK, refugee welfare and resettlement in Europe and water, sanitation and hygiene in low- and middle-income countries.
The app is availablr now on the App Store and Google Play Store.