‘Doing good’ can make a difference - it changed the course of the pandemic
While Europe as a whole has failed to respond effectively in the wake of the pandemic - leaving each member on its own, another more spontaneous power-force has tackled the global challenge more effectively. We are referring to the ‘doing good’ initiatives of so many individuals, charities and corporations around the world.
One can’t fail but notice the large scale of donations that occured in this global crisis. In the UK, one story that truly stood out was that of 99 year old Army veteran Captain Tom Moore who managed to raise £29,157,190 (whereas the initial target was £500,000) for the NHS by walking around his garden before his 100th birthday. Furthermore, more than a million have volunteered to help the NHS in one way or another, an unprecedented number in the history of volunteering, in times of peace.
Last, up until mid-April, the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund had raised $152,362,767 from over 247,000 donors for the World Health Organization. All of the above examples highlight the good side of humanity; they prove that - in the face of a global crisis- the human desire to help others is unquenchable.
Similarly, in Greece many benefactors, foundations and corporations enabled the ESY (National Health System) to get the required PPE for health workers. Their immediate response played a significant role in the flattening of the curve; If it wasn’t for them, the country wouldn’t have been in a position to manage the pandemic as successfully as it did.
It would be interesting if a researcher were to check and report the aggregate numbers of the donations and other ‘doing good’ initiatives that have taken place globally, on the occasion of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In any case, here is our key take-away: In times of crises, ‘doing good’ does make a huge difference, often even changing the course of the crisis. It is not only the state infrastructure, the governments or the wealth of the economy that have the power to change things. It is also the force of the people and of each individual, their inherent nature for solidarity, their willingness to help. Humanity’s key difference with other species is the ability to cooperate, share knowledge and devote time and energy to people in need. That is exactly what we experienced with the COVID-19 pandemic, a collective spirit to do good - from a single war veteran who managed to exceed expectations by raising more than 5500% of his initial goal, to tech billionaires like Twitter chief, Jack Dorsey who donated ⅓ of his wealth to fight the pandemic. This urge for ‘doing good’ has changed the impact of the pandemic so far.
We should remind ourselves of this positive message more often.
*All stats provided above are till the date of publishing of this article.