CoLoveboration: Compassionate Communities (CoLove)

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  CoLoveboration: Compassionate Communities (CoLove)

HackBangPH Team 111

Problem Statement:

Civic organizations provide humanitarian assistance to individuals, groups, other organizations, and institutions that are less fortunate and in need. They address certain concerns that the government is unable to answer. In Mindanao, civic organizations are able fill the void most especially in the hinterland and far-flung coastal communities. They are able to provide basic necessities, health services, and address needs specific to their target beneficiaries. Unfortunately, because of the pandemic affecting us and the restrictions placed because of it, civic organizations and other like minded groups are now limited in their interactions with their beneficiaries and thus are unable to determine who needs the most help; establish what needs necessitate immediate action; establish an appropriate course of action in addressing the need; and, plan the allocation of resources to ensure that help is really reaching those that need it the most.

Identified Challenge Area:

The main challenge area for civic organizations to be able to perform their mission as servants to humanity is the lack of platform that would bridge the gap between them and the people that require their help without having to go through bureaucratic red tape that is prevalent when trying to address said needs through government agencies.

Inspiration:

Hackbang Team 111 is comprising of individuals that are all members of a civic organization, the Junior Chamber International or the Jaycees. They are members of JCI Kagayhaan Gold, a local chapter of JCI in Cagayan de Oro City. They themselves experienced how difficult it is to conduct community projects at these trying times and how challenging the process is when offering assistance through government agencies. As members of a civic organization, they know the frustrating feeling of wanting to help but is unable to because of the limitations due to the pandemic.

Target Users/Audience:

1. Civic Organizations
2. Beneficiaries specifically groups, other organizations, institutions, and communities in distress
3. Business Sector

What is the Proposed Solution?

In one of their online meetings, the members of JCI Kagayhaan Gold, specifically those who are part of Hackbang Team 111, ponder upon the idea of creating a platform similar to dating apps that would match prospective benefactors with targeted beneficiaries. Thus CoLoveboration: Compassionate Communities (or CoLove) was born.

Stage 1: Addressing Immediate Needs

JCI believes in following a particular process in the conduct of projects. This involves carrying out a survey to establish needs, analyzing the data gathered from that survey to determine the course of action and the allocation of resources, and the conduct of an evaluation after the implementation of the project to establish if the need was addressed properly and what further actions are required. Other civic organizations follow a similar process when conducting community projects.

• Survey

The pandemic has made it quite difficult for civic organizations to do all of the things listed above. With CoLoveboration, beneficiaries such as orphanages, home for the elderly, mental and penal institutions, schools, and communities can enroll themselves (or be enrolled by a partner civic organization) and provide the necessary information needed in order to help civic organizations determine what they can do to help.

• Analysis

The platform aims to match a beneficiary with a civic organization that has the resources to address their needs the best. Partners will be able to go through the database, determine which beneficiary they are able to assists with the resources they are able to provide, review previously conducted projects by other organizations for the targeted beneficiary, and determine how best to conduct the project.

• Evaluation

Once needs are addressed, the benefactor and the beneficiary updates the app to help others evaluate if needs have been addressed already, if there is a necessity to revisit the beneficiary, or whether there are other needs that require solutions. By ensuring that there is some form of evaluation, we are able to ensure that resources are managed properly and we are able to allocate said resources to others that may need them as well.

Stage 2: Helping Local Businesses

In the long run, CoLoveboration also aims to link not only civic organizations to the beneficiaries but also to like-minded individuals and groups in the business sector (most especially the local businesses). If they so choose, benefactors can link with a partner business who can supply the needs for them. In this manner, we are also able to help businesses and at the same time, they are also able to contribute to their communities.

Stage 3: Providing Developmental Opportunities

Lastly, JCI believes in providing developmental opportunities. In order for communities to have ownership of their own growth, CoLoveboration will also feature an option for the communities to sell their products and for civic organizations to act as patrons for these products. Also, if so desired, civic organizations may also offer skills training to these communities. Therefore, the community is able to actively contribute to their development and thus eliminate the idea of this as a ‘hand out’.

Why is it relevant?

CoLoveboration is relevant because it will help civic organizations determine the following:

1. Who needs help (a. Who needs it the most; b. Who needs it posthaste)
2. What kind of help they need (a. Essential needs such as food, clothing, new roof; b. Secondary needs such as electric fan, microphone)
3. How to allocate resources in such a way that it is maximized

Ultimately, in the spirit of sustainability, CoLove also aims to help:

1. The business sector most especially local and small businesses by providing a platform for them to generate income by partnering with benefactors as their suppliers.
2. The communities and beneficiaries by providing them with developmental opportunities to empowering them and give them ownership of their own growth.