Odisha Fights COVID-19: Bhubaneswar Youngsters Create App For Sharing Resources, Services

Bhubaneswar: A group of youngsters from Bhubaneswar have created an app to share free resources, support services and also information on Covid-19.

Corona Courage Odisha, the web-based app, provides a curated list of educational, health and mental well-being resources.

The app, which has already been soft-launched with 100 users, will be officially launched on Sunday, May 3.

The group, Global Shapers Community Bhubaneswar, has identified organisations working locally in the fight against the novel coronavirus outbreak, and laid out how one can support them and also receive support.

Global Shapers Community Bhubaneswar comprises a bunch of young leaders driving dialogue, action and change. Global Shapers is an initiative of the World Economic Forum, Geneva.

“It’s a reminder that we are together in this fight against Corona,” said Apurv Mishra, curator of Global Shapers, Bhubaneswar hub, and an entrepreneur dealing with AI.

“We are currently launching it as a web app to make access easy for everyone. We will be open sourcing the code and the information verification system so that other cities and states can launch their own version,” he added.

The main objective behind the initiative is to launch an independent, verified knowledge portal for Odisha-focused COVID-19 information. One of the features of the app is that it has a list of coronavirus warriors from Odisha.

Sailesh Patnaik, a Programme Coordinator, Education, Community Programs for WikiMedia Foundation, is leading the Data Verification for Corona Courage.

They have another project called Inspirathon, that inspires young school kids to choose alternative and ambitious careers by web conferencing with experts around the world.

One of their members is International Master and Woman Grandmaster Padmini Rout, who conducted an inclusive chess event.