We are living in a different world than we did just a few months ago. In the midst of the economic and social upheaval wrought by the coronavirus pandemic, civil society, grassroots initiatives and networks that formed seemingly overnight are responding to the new needs in their communities created by the crisis. Be it an independent media organisation launching a new platform to combat misinformation about the virus, a human rights NGO putting their crowdfunding skills to use to make sure the most vulnerable have food and other necessities, or a group launching their first online course so that learning doesn’t have to stop just because schools are closed—people are meeting the new challenges posed by the pandemic in exciting ways.

Art Bazaar (Central Asia)

ByCovid19 (Belarus)

Office of Civil Freedoms (Tajikistan)

Restart (Armenia)

Armenia’s Restart Foundation wrote a song about the hardships of the coronavirus crisis that struck a chord not only with the Armenian people, but resonated up to the country’s leaders. They tapped their network of youth activists to hang posters with essential public health information, help sanitise streets and start a Facebook media page to share updates on the pandemic and recommendations for online courses and other resources.

Pandemic Civic Response Country Bulletins

Czech Republic

Georgia

Ukraine

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Armenia

Kyrgyzstan

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