We want to thank you so much for your support, guidance, and partnership as we work together with communities on the front lines of Covid-19 to meet immediate needs, lift up their voices, and spread the solutions of hundreds of thousands of AtmaGo users in response to the Covid-19 crisis. It’s been an incredible journey so far, and we want to share with you the impacts we’ve had to date, inspiring stories, and what we’ve learned.
- People used AtmaGo to organize community efforts including making and distributing masks, creating new handwashing stations, training people in medical readiness, and educating people on how to communicate to elders about slowing the spread of Covid-19.
- There were over 2,000 posts related to Covid-19, and these were viewed 292,312 times and further amplified via AtmaGo social media.
- And, these posts are changing behavior. In a survey, 85% of respondents said that they will change their behavior (handwashing, social distancing) as a result of information on AtmaGo.
- To respond immediately to the need for psychosocial support, AtmaGo rapidly launched a free telecounseling service on covid19.atmago.com. There has been significant interest from women in the community to speak with female counselors. Cases of domestic violence have been increasing as a result of lockdowns globally.
- So far, telecounseling clients have reported an average 55% decrease in negative emotions (as measured by the Subjective Unit of Disturbance test, which was administered pre and post counselling).
- We also conducted a needs assessment on Covid-19 impacts. Within a few days we received 711 responses. Over 90% of respondents reported that they were concerned about increasing unemployment and the economic downturn, over 40% identified the need for better targeted government assistance, over 35% noted concerns about hoax information on Covid online and increases in crime.
- People in Puerto Rico are using AtmaGo to build and amplify mutual support and resilience by recognizing unsung Heroes with Masks, and spreading awareness on gardening to improve food security.
Hamzah Ancha from Sulawesi says: “AtmaGo makes it easy for civil society or anyone who wants to share important news or information about events around us. AtmaGo is also a trusted source of information for the public, especially in the current pandemic conditions where hoax information is now scattered, especially from Facebook and other social media.”
We are humbled by the dedication of AtmaGo users in building mutual support communities to help one another and take collective action during this critical time. We look forward to sharing with you more about the incredible impacts your investment and belief in the power of people helping people will have in the months ahead.
With gratitude,
Meena Palaniappan
CEO and Founder
Atma Connect