In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, graduates are stepping up to serve society

Since the first four confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported in Uruguay in mid-March, the spread of the virus and the resulting lockdown have forced many businesses to close and place their employees on unemployment benefits. Against this backdrop of economic crisis and public health emergency, several ORT graduates have launched various initiatives to help those most in need.

• An industry ready to collaborate
  

  Javier Lempert holds a degree in Systems Engineering from Universidad ORT Uruguay is a co-founder of Light-it—a technology company focused on development—along with his classmates Alan Brande and Martín Oppenheimer.

  When the first confirmed cases of coronavirus were reported in the country, the three partners immediately sprang into action. Not only did they send all company employees home, but they also decided to hold a brainstorming session that very weekend to anticipate the imminent demand for solutions for businesses affected by the pandemic.

  That’s how #CuandoTodoTermine came about—an online store where you can buy discount coupons for various businesses that had to close their doors to the public due to COVID-19. So far, more than 40 businesses across a wide range of industries have joined the initiative, which the founders say is a positive response, but they hope to provide a solution for even more stores. “The idea is for businesses to generate revenue while they’re closed, but it’s not right for those that are actually going to close to offer their products and then be unable to fulfill orders for customers. That’s a problem for smaller businesses,” explains Lempert, who adds that they receive inquiries every day from companies wanting to join the platform.

  #CuandoTodoTermine was launched just a few days after the virus appeared in Uruguay and was even designed to work in Argentina, Paraguay, Peru, and Spain as well. However, similar or nearly identical initiatives soon emerged, a trend that also took hold in Uruguay. “It’s great to see the tech industry stepping up. There are open-source packages and a lot of collaboration between companies; everything was in place for this industry to step up and help at this time and to develop solutions without expecting much in return,” says the partner at Light-it.
  
  

• Creativity for Creatives

  In addition to holding a bachelor’s degree in Management and Administration from ORT and being involved in the entrepreneurial ecosystem, Valentina Techera has been studying theater and musical comedy for years.

  Just as in other sectors, the arts have been severely impacted by the COVID-19 crisis; therefore, together with four colleagues with expertise in technology, marketing, and theater, the graduate launched the project *La Función Debe Continuar*. It is a platform that not only seeks to raise awareness about the consequences of the coronavirus on the arts, but also aims to mitigate the damage.

  How? The website has section where artists can sign up and describe the challenges they’re facing. The Techera team then assesses whether they can help directly or whether to refer the case to volunteers who have submitted ideas with specific solutions. Meanwhile, on social media, La Función Debe Continuar reports on the various public-private initiatives emerging to support the sector.

  According to the graduate in Business Management, this crisis presents a great opportunity for people to tap into their creativity in order to serve the community. “The concept of collaboration is what matters most. Everyone concerned about the situation of those most affected is working together to build a better future,” she concludes.

• Designs that aim to save lives

  “It’s not yet a necessity in Uruguay, but let’s not wait until it becomes one to start developing them.” With this Instagram post, Daniela Waldeck, who holds a degree in Industrial Design from ORT, called on engineers, doctors, and other designers to create ventilators using open-source files developed by other countries.

  About 700 people applied to volunteer for this project, in addition to staff from the LabA at the Technological University of Uruguay (UTEC). Given the wide variety of backgrounds, the volunteers were divided into four work teams, led by UTEC faculty members and Waldeck: Input Data, Design and Prototyping, Production and Validation, and Testing and Protocols.

  Although the initial call for proposals focused on building ventilators, given the overwhelming response, the project was expanded to provide even more solutions. “Right now, we’re working on designing protective gear for medical staff, such as masks and face shields; hacks for everyday items to reduce the risk of infection; ventilators; and IoT (Internet of Things) devices with medium- and long-term goals focused on helping medical centers, but also with an eye toward the ‘return to normalcy,’” says the Industrial Design graduate.

  For Waldeck, the crisis caused by COVID-19 must be viewed as an opportunity for growth and improvement. In this regard, he asserts that Uruguayan society, through initiatives like his own and others that have emerged in the country, is demonstrating that it can show solidarity and work collaboratively despite their differences.

  “Personally, I see this as a great opportunity to serve society by applying everything I learned during my training at ORT, and, of course, to continue learning. As a designer, the responsibility to care for society and save lives is what inspired me to launch this initiative, and fortunately, people with the same goal came forward to help make it a reality,” she concludes.

Below is a list of the various charitable initiatives launched or led by ORT graduates:

• Coronavirus UY App: Laura Aguiar, a graduate of the Bachelor’s program in Computer Science, played a key role in the development of the Coronavirus UY app. DVelop, a company co-founded by ORT computer science graduates Joaquín Álvarez, Ignacio Fonseca, Paula Gallotti, and Agustín Napoleone, also contributed to the app.
• ATGen: Staff members, faculty, advanced students, and graduates associated with the Biotechnology program at ORT and the Biotechnology Research and Innovation Center are volunteering their time to assist the ATGen laboratory in meeting the growing demand for virus testing.
  
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• CirculAndo: Paula Hipogrosso, a graduate of ORT’s Bachelor’s Degree in Management and Administration, co-founded this social project whose mission is to provide food to the most vulnerable segments of the population. In response to the pandemic, donations are being collected to assemble food baskets for families in critical need in the Casavalle area. The project is supported by the National Agency for Research and Innovation (ANII).
• Compu at Home: ORT graduates Soledad Frechou (Bachelor’s in Animation and Video Games), Carolina Dovat (Architect), and Germán Ruiz (Bachelor’s in Management and Administration) are the driving forces behind this initiative, which aims to facilitate access to digital education in Uruguay. To do so, they collect donations of desktop computers, laptops, monitors, mice, keyboards, webcams, and speakers, which they then deliver to the homes of those who need them, including both students and teachers.
• #WhenIt'sAllOver: a discount coupon store that aims to help businesses hardest hit by the COVID-19 crisis. It is run by Javier Lempert, a systems engineer from Universidad ORT Uruguay, along with his classmates Alan Brande and Martín Oppenheimer.
• Responsible Education: The Botín Foundation program, founded by Ilan Bajarlia, who holds a bachelor’s degree in International Studies from ORT, seeks to provide answers that go beyond the classroom. To this end, it proposes carrying out one family activity per day based on a general educational plan for Responsible Education.
• FeriasUY: ORT graduates Ximena Camaño (Bachelor’s in Management and Administration), Martín Introini (Systems Engineer), Fernando Castagno (Systems Engineer), and Ignacio Ferrero (Systems Engineer) spearheaded the creation of a platform that allows people to connect with market vendors offering delivery services so they don’t have to leave home, thereby avoiding crowds at neighborhood markets. The platform was developed by the team at Hey! Mozo, a startup founded by Ferrero, Castagno, and Diego Praderi (Bachelor of Communication from ORT) and incubated by the university’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE).
• HaceloporTI: Mathías Lehrer, a graduate in Computer Science, and Federico Stein, a Certified Public Accountant, both ORT alumni, are the founders of this venture. Its goal is to help people, whether employed or unemployed, gain training in information technology so they can secure quality jobs.
• The Show Must Go On: a platform supporting the arts, launched by Valentina Techera, a graduate of ORT’s Bachelor’s Degree in Management and Administration.
• What do you have to offer?: This is a platform co-founded by systems engineer Álvaro Fariña and systems specialist Martín Manzo, both graduates of ORT. The goal is for people to donate items that can be given a second life to those who might need them. In light of the crisis caused by the coronavirus, the platform is prioritizing centers that are providing meals to those most affected. To this end, a new type of center has been added: the community kitchen.
• Redalco (Shared Food Network): Marcel Birnfeld holds a bachelor’s degree in International Studies from ORT and is the co-founder and director of Redalco. In addition to the work the NGO has been doing since its founding, it launched the “Feeding Solidarity” campaign. Through this initiative, for every $500 donation, 18 kg of fruits and vegetables are collected, providing 50 healthy and nutritious meals for families most in need of assistance during this emergency. Typically, Redalco delivers 5,000 kg of fruits and vegetables to various centers each week. The goal in light of this situation is to reach 15,000 kg per week.
• Rotunda: Graduates Sofía Domínguez and Kevin Jakter, from the Bachelor’s Degree in Fashion Design and the Bachelor’s Degree in Management and Administration, respectively, are the entrepreneurs behind Rotunda. The clothing brand, which is part of the #NosCuidamosEntreTodos initiative, set out to design, prototype, and test fabrics in order to create a product suitable for protecting healthcare workers. More than 1,600 garments have already been delivered. Additionally, due to the shortage of elastic on the international market, the brand is asking for the help of volunteers who are willing to cut wide elastic into strips for the production of face masks.
• Socialab: Alejandra Rossi, who holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from ORT, is the executive director of Socialab, an organization that recently launched a challenge to find entrepreneurs with ideas that address the major challenges facing the workforce.
• Work Challenge was designed to address issues related to disability or gender inequality, but in light of the crisis caused by COVID-19, solutions are also being sought for that problem.
• TrackTogether: Diego Barcia, a systems engineer from ORT, is currently living in the United Kingdom, one of the countries with the highest number of infections. Together with some colleagues, he launched the TrackTogether project, a platform aimed at collecting data related to the virus in order to assist governments around the world and also to improve understanding of how COVID-19 is spreading. has support of Columbia University; Stanford University; the University of California, Berkeley; the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA); and is also working directly with the National Health Service (NHS), the UK’s national health service.
• Unidos Educational Center: Virginia Bermúdez holds a degree in Management and Administration from ORT and serves as the Director of Development at Unidos. This educational center, located in Villa Española, is organizing a food drive to provide food baskets to the families with whom Unidos works. Additionally, on Thursday, April 30, 2020, there will be a magic show performed by Daniel K, with all proceeds going to the center.
• Together We Are Stronger: Systems Engineering graduates Federico Cáceres and Victoria Lax created a platform that accepts donations to design and produce full-face protective shields using 3D digital technology and laser cutting machines.

If you’re also in charge of an initiative that isn’t on this list, please contact your school’s alumni coordinator so we can add it and continue spreading the spirit of solidarity.