In April 2022, I found an intriguing post on LinkedIn where an NGO in Denmark was seeking to leverage a technology platform (Smartsheet) which I use heavily managing operations and workflows at a software company here in the United States. This was an uncanny discovery that matched up many of my interests and passions.
I have been an admirer of Nordic culture, social democracy, humanism, history, and languages for the past few years. The chance to help Ukrainians in their time of need, make friends in Denmark, and share a bit of my own expertise for a wonderful cause was all too good not to embrace!
The Aid Ukraine Denmark IT Team was extremely welcoming to me, when I reached out across the Atlantic Ocean and two continents to offer some help. We have created many useful workflows and centralized and simplified many sources of data that are needed to improve operations of Aid Ukraine Denmark in a very short time. We have collaborated to design many vehicles for delivering more aid and community in the coming months and beyond. I am honored and consider it a great privilege to contribute to helping a group of people who have banded together to offer support in so many ways to the embattled migrants from Ukraine. The humanitarian crisis presented to the whole world is a moment in history for solidarity and kindness even as war must be waged on so many fronts.
The experience so far has been very rewarding and is teaching me about myself – providing global perspective to my everyday life and energizing me to give what I can. My hope is to enable others to do the same and, in the process, make life some tiny bit easier for those who are oppressed.