30.09.2020 - Half a year wLw

On 1 April 2020, Tobias launched the "Wir lernen weiter" project. You do the maths... Exactly! That was 6 months ago today! It's hard to believe how fast time has passed and what we have achieved so far. In this blog I, Dalia, will tell you about my experiences and impressions of wLw's first months. I was not a member of the association from the beginning, but as a friend of Tobias, I was able to follow the events from the very beginning.

"No joke: we're going to the start today!"

The first post on the social networks, as well as the first blog, bore the headline: "No joke: We are launching today! Anyone who remembers this post was there from the start - even if the date was chosen rather strangely for a project launch.

However, not all of you have been with us since the start, but we have been able to get to know you and many new people over the course of the last few months. We are also happy about any further acquaintance in the future.

We start this journey down memory lane through the last half year with 27 March 2020, the night Tobias came up with the idea for "Wir lernen weiter". A large part of the website was created that same night. He worked on it until about 4:00 a.m. and got down to business. A first important step had been taken. 

On 1 April, the website went live with the service desk. Tobias, but also I and other people diligently shared the site with friends, family and acquaintances. The goal was to make as many people aware of the project as quickly as possible. The response was great and many were absolutely enthusiastic. This encouraged Tobias to continue with full vigour and to plan his next steps 📈

On 2 April, I did my first volunteer work for wLw, which was to gather all our laptops (old as well as new) at home and try to create some appealing photos. Tobias didn't ask me to do this and was all the more surprised when I conjured up these photos from my bag. 😊

Media appearances as a springboard

The image that was most used by the media (photo: Dalia Bohn)

Less than a week after Tobias started, he was allowed to present his project on the programme "Corona Talk" on Radio 1 with Roger Schawinski on 6 April. You can't imagine how excited he was the night before. But as they say, "practice makes perfect". With each subsequent interview, Tobias became less and less nervous and answered more and more confidently. 🎤

The first newspaper report appeared in the Freiämter in the Freiamt district (Canton Aargau). The joy was enormous and in one fell swoop many people were made aware of the project. Many other media appearances followed, which you can view here 📰

However, Tobias is not interested in putting himself in the centre and therefore I will not make a list of where wLw and Tobias have appeared everywhere. The much more important point is what the many beautiful contributions have contributed to the project's development. On the one hand, we suddenly received more donations and requests for help. On the other hand, Tobias got into conversation with people who would like to support the project, participate in wLw or simply offer their know-how. Not a day went by without Tobias having an exciting phone call. Without the support of the media and also the many active supporters on social media, Tobias would almost certainly not have been able to arrange so many laptops so quickly. 👨💻❤️👩💻

Successes at a glance 

Benjamin, Tobias and Dalia at a distribution campaign

To date, we have been able to pass on almost 600 laptops to those in need. What a number! So, on average, we have distributed 100 laptops every month. But that was only possible because we were actively supported by private individuals and companies with laptop donations. 🙌🏼

The actual project area has also grown considerably compared to the beginning. With Tobias' move at the beginning of August, the project has taken a big step towards professionalisation. In the process, the project was given its own premises. In addition, I wrote my first blog for wLw in August.

In August, however, not only the project area became larger, but also the team. Since then, Tobias has received support in various areas. The team currently consists of six people and will continue to grow in the future. Since then, I am officially a part of the association and it is a lot of fun to be involved in such a great cause. The team complements each other and plays wonderfully together. Here you can view the current team 👨👩👧👧

A few days ago, we were also able to agree the first partnership with a municipality, which is a huge milestone for us. Not only does this show that municipalities are also becoming more aware of the importance of IT equipment, but it is also a sign of confidence for us. We hope that in the coming months we can convince many more agencies to join us in making a difference for those seeking help 💓

Tobias packing a laptop (Photo: Dalia Bohn)

A look into the future 

The future, yes, remains exciting. I myself (and the whole team) am looking forward to many future challenges and am convinced that there will be many more of them - but at the same time I know what we can move and change for individuals. For me, the association is a ray of hope. A ray of hope for more equal opportunities in education, for more sustainability in the electrical sector and for all the perspectives that we are allowed to create in this way. 

Thank you so much for letting us count on your help! 💓

- Dalia Bohn

Tobias Schär