The coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic is the greatest challenge that we are currently facing, globally. The world is currently on hold, and it has become more than just a health crisis. We have been witnessing devastating social, economic and political impacts that will need time to recover. The International Labour Organization estimates that 25 million jobs could be lost. (source: UNDP)
The Kingdom of Bahrain’s efforts to curb COVID-19 outbreak was praised by the World Health Organization, and many others. Bahrain’s aggressive approach to ensure safety has received international plaudits, and the kingdom has been referred to as a leader in handling the pandemic.
We have witnessed numerous humanity and solidarity campaigns in the Kingdom of Bahrain. We wanted to highlight some of our favorites from the community, governmental entities and startups.
•“Feena Khair” (There Is Good in Us) - Led by the Royal Humanitarian Foundation (RHF), the initiative - which accepts contributions from individuals and entities -is a national effort led by His Majesty, the King’s Representative for Humanitarian Work and Youth Affairs, National Security Advisor and Board of Trustees Chairman of the Royal Humanitarian Foundation (RHF), HH Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa.
• The launch of the BeAware application that was launched by Bahrain’s information & eGovernment Authority to deploy modern technology in combating Covid-19. The application has witnessed a total of 294,516 downloads. The app’s contact tracing feature sends push notifications and SMS messages to individuals who may have come into contact with active cases, requesting them to be tested for their own health and safety.
• Bahraini startups are stepping up during COVID-19 to lead and give back to their communities. Initiatives included free services, awareness and safety campaigns, guidelines and tips from founders and more. 6 startups have been leading the frontlines including Skiplino; virtual intelligent queueing app, Ge Baqala; grocery store delivery app, Weyak; a digital pharmacy app, HayaTech; wellness technology platform, Springing; education cloud based services for teachers and students, and AlRawi; an Arabic audio platform increasing awareness and knowledge through reading.
• Zain Bahrain’s ‘Stay at Home’ campaign in partnership with Flat6Labs Bahrain, a regional start-up accelerator program will aid and support innovative local start-ups in Bahrain. Zain Bahrain customers will have the opportunity to enjoy exclusive promotions with selective start-ups such as Akalati, TELP, Tamaraan, Doctori, and more. The initiative will create a series of various community activities to stay connected, be active, and healthy at home.