Lots had been written about Singapore’s response to the pandemic, but what I’m more heartened to see are the ground-up, community-driven initiatives sprouting up to cover the gaps that the government and public institutions don’t have bandwidth to cover, especially in areas of psychological and social resilience.
Devs and indie makers who are now staying home due to #COVID19 and feeling restless, here’s some ideas from Singapore that you can build to help your community, city, and/or country:
? Hyperlocal dashboard. There’s already loads of global dashboards showing numbers across the globe, but very few showing city-level data which is actually more relevant/useful for us citizens:
? Community bulletin board to offer help or request for help or supplies, like masks:
https://better.sg/maskgoshare/
? Platform consolidating ground-up, not-for-profit volunteering, crowdfunding and donation opportunities:
https://www.giving.sg/sgunited
⚙️ Hardware folks can build a temperature screening tool that screens people fast (when entering buildings, airports, etc) without creating long queues/crowds that increases risk of exposure:
https://govinsider.asia/innovation/covid-coronavirus-singapore-ihis-kronikare-temperature-ai/
? Daily Whatsapp updates on case numbers, advice and tips, with AI translation, easy sign up and fast daily updates to millions of citizens. This Whatsapp channel was made by our Government Technology Agency in days to respond quickly to the escalating situation, to provide open and transparent information:
? Data visualisation, for example, of how cases were connected. This reads like a investigation documentary, and goes to show the meticulous contact tracing efforts that the Singapore Government undertakes:
https://kontinentalist.com/stories/singapore-coronavirus-cases-spread-connections
? Bring together angel investors or philanthropists to fund ideas from individuals and organisations to battle COVID19:
?? Something for kids! Comics for good, colouring templates for kids to educate on handwashing, hygiene, and masks. A great fun activity if you’re at home with the kids 24/7. Illustrators and designers can contribute this:
https://www.comicsforgood.com/weimankow/free-comic-printouts
? Something more analog: Start a local movement to pen notes of appreciation and gratitude for frontline healthcare professionals working hard to keep the healthcare system afloat: