Now with COVID-19 ramping up again with a second wave, we the global community need to come together even more through local community initiatives, solidarity and cohesion.
One such project that is getting traction is around how to support local farmers. The premise is simple, offer your hands to help them bring in the harvest before it spoils.
Throughout Europe, the seasonal migration of vegetable and fruit pickers has been quashed this year as a result of the lockdown in travel. Farmers are watching their crops rot, this is the farming industries busiest time of the year and the farmers are in dire straits on how to get all hands on deck.
This peer-led initiative came about from a spontaneous idea between four friends who simply asked the question:“How can we make our contribution to such a crisis situation and help other people in an emergency situation instead of watching idly?
A simple website was built out, matching local farmers with local citizenship who were free to help them carry their load.
Since the beginning of April 2020, over 4,000 helpers have been placed with farmers across Germany. Not only is this project helping with the harvest, but it is offering jobs to the 1,000s of people who have been laid off, furloughed or had their contract hours reduced.
This is a great example of how communities can work together for the better good.
Visit https://bauersuchthilfe.de/ to enroll as a volunteer or as a farmer.