SPECIAL CORONAVIRUS | 1.6.2020

To ensure that no one feels alone and to alleviate the suffering of the most vulnerable has been the goal of the solidarity actions that have been launched at the University of Navarra to deal with the consequences of the Covid crisis19. To accompany with a conversation, with a song, with the telling of a story, with the reading of a letter in moments of anguish. And also to collaborate in the manufacture or production of health material for centers or residences, to help with school homework or in the purchase and distribution of food. These are some of the initiatives promoted by Tantaka, the solidarity time bank, since the beginning of the confinement and that the pandemic has not been able to stop.

Traditional volunteer work has been reinvented against the coronavirus and solidarity has traveled through network to help those most in need.

Ana Sánchez Alcázar, a native of Murcia and student of Biology and Environmental Sciences; and Gresly Dayana Quintero Castillo, Colombian and student of Primary Education, are two of the volunteers who two or three times a week help children with limited resources to do their homework. Although both had previously participated in some work at volunteer activities , this was the first time they had collaborated in an online initiative. "It was a new experience. You don't know how an online volunteer activities is going to turn out, but I have seen how through a video call I can help this girl, I get to know her and trust and affection arise", explains Ana.

Gresly Dayana had also participated in the volunteer activities of school support that Tantaka develops in the high school Ermitagaña of Pamplona. "Now I help a Cuban girl who lives in Asturias. She doesn't even have a computer at home, but I admire her desire to learn and the support of her family so that this girl can get ahead and have a chance".

The making and production of medical equipment has been the subject of several actions at volunteer activities. At high school mayor Goroabe, several residents got down to work and started making gowns for healthcare centers, at partnership with business Vinkova from Navarra. One of them was Carmen García Baiges, an architecture student from Jérez de la Frontera. "Giving a little time to others helped me a lot. We were going into exams and I was spending almost the whole day studying and doing projects but we should not forget about more important aspects. This small gesture brought me a little closer to the reality that is happening in the world today," he says.

And at Cima, the employees of laboratory 208 started to manufacture alkogel, which was then sent to nursing homes and other care facilities, at partnership with business Berry Superfos. "Due to the shortage of disinfectant gel supplies, we started making small-scale doses to distribute within the facility. Gradually, we began to consider the possibility of helping more people, as we had the necessary products and the qualified staff to make larger volumes, following the World Health Organization's guidelines. This is how the disinfectant gel "San Fermín 208" was born, in honor of our patron saint and the name of our laboratory", explains Dr. Antonio Pineda-Lucena, director of the Molecular Therapies Program of the Cima University of Navarra.

Rocío Martín, from Pamplona and a student of Business Administration and Law, was one of the 31 people who signed up to go three times a week to Mercairuña and collaborate in the selection of perishable food, which once packaged has been distributed by the Food Bank among more than 4,000 people. "The classes left me free time, they told me if I wanted to participate and I felt it was an option in which I could help, getting this food to other people." And Sheila Barrera, a student of Master's Degree in Personnel Management Service in Organizations, participated in the volunteer activities food distribution among families with scarce resources from Madrid. "It is gratifying to see how a relatively small action generates a great impact on the quality of life of families, who open the doors of their homes with joy despite the adversities they face as a result of the pandemic".

Ana Sánchez Alcázar

Gresly Dayana Quintero Castillo

Antonio Pineda-Lucena

Sheila Barrera

Raquel Suescun

Iñaki Yarza

Mikel Ostiz

Carmen García Baiges

Elena Saez

Students and teachers have seen how the use of technologies favors new forms of volunteer activities that they have put on internship during the last weeks. Raquel Suescun, 4th year student of the double Degree of Mechanical Engineering and design Industrial of Tecnun, gave a concert through Meet to different residences for the elderly and people with functional diversity. "It is a way of thanking them, for the integrity with which they are facing this crisis status . It is also a way of thanking the professionals of the residences for the wonderful work they do every day". This initiative started at campus in San Sebastian in mid-April together with Matia Fundazioa, Paliativos Sin Fronteras and Adinkide, and every week different centers are connected to enjoy activities such as music concerts, magic shows, drawing or theater workshops.

Iñaki Yarza is researcher of Ceit and promoter of a project that allows the elderly and their families to talk by video call without the need for an intermediary to manage it. This "remote video calling" project was launched by Ceit together with Matia Fundazioa and MásMóvil, and currently students from Tantaka-Tecnun are also collaborating. Currently, thanks to the application designed there are 9 families from the Lamorous center that connect three times a week. "The digital divide and the limited time available at staff were two major barriers to achieving quality communication between the elderly and their families".

Transforming the way we look at others and perceiving them as valuable in a world where they can develop is the basis of inclusion and the main goal of subject Society and Inclusion, which has been taught for the first time this year at high school Core Curriculum of the University of Navarra. 38 students from the School of Communication, the School of Law and the School of Architecture have completed it. "The experience has been very positive. It seemed to me a challenge to manage to build a solid subject in its contents and, at the same time, to be able to transform at least a little the look and the attitude: to perceive the other as valuable and as deserving of a world where he can develop", explains Professor Mikel Ostiz, researcher of the ICS, engineer-philosopher and doctor in Education.

Among other issues, the subject aims to reflect concretely on disability and inclusion; promote attitudes of sensitivity towards these people; acquire a commitment to building a more inclusive world, equipped with practical tools to promote the employment rate of them.

During the course, the students heard the testimony of a person with bipolar disorder, a father with a child with multiple disabilities and an astrophysicist with visual impairment. And they have completed the course with a final project : organizing an event to spread the word about inclusion. It was a concert based on Disney characters that was held in February at partnership with the association Música sin Barreras.