The year of living generously: The lessons of social engagement against COVID as seen by Karolina Barišauskienė

EESC Info has asked Karolina Barišauskienė, the Lithuanian winner of the EESC Civil Solidarity Prize, to tell our readers how the project was born, how people have responded to it and how the prize money will help their organisation grow. In this interview, Karolina Barišauskienė, the author of the project, answers our questions.

What prompted you to start your project or initiative?

I had a strong desire to show the authentic everyday life of healthcare workers during lockdown. At the time, the Lithuanian media was full of chaos, accusations and news about the virus, but there were very few healthcare workers talking. I wanted to take a closer look behind the scenes of the coronavirus pandemic and to hear first-hand from those fighting on the frontline about how their lives had changed while we were watching TV in the safety of our homes.

How has your project been received? Have you obtained any feedback from the people you helped? (Can you give us an example, if you have any?)

A large number of healthcare workers supported and thanked us for the opportunity to become the narrators of the lockdown chronicles and to speak more openly about their difficulties, emotions and the reality of their work. The following video introduces the medics who collaborated on the project: https://www.facebook.com/ugdantikomunikacija/videos/366721207619991/

How will you use this specific funding to provide further help in the community? Are you already planning any new projects?

Part of the prize will go to the Young Doctors Association, which has set up a fund to care for the mental health of medical workers. Another part will be shared out as bonuses among the volunteers who contributed most, while the remainder will be used to fund a new project to be launched in May.

What advice would you give to other organisations in terms of achieving results with such activities and programmes?

Don't be afraid to dream and to share these dreams and your vision with others. You will be surprised by how many people are ready to help you and believe in ideas that are similar to yours. :)