Oleg Krot: “8 Steps to Fight COVID-19. What to Do if You Want to Help Overcome the Epidemic”

In just a week WePlay! Esports has organized Dota 2 international charity tournament and raised $180,000 for a coronavirus vaccine. And at the same time, the company purchased ventilators for three hospitals in Ukrainian cities. Oleg Krot, the managing partner of TECHIIA holding, shares experience and provides 8 tips for organizing effective corporate social responsibility.

Women in my family are doctors for the most part. Since childhood, I have watched them struggle for the lives of others. I didn’t become a medic, I became a businessman. As a physician, I could help to heal people. As a businessman, I can influence the healthcare system, help hospitals to save more lives. Together with my business partner, Yuriy Lazebnikov, we have long been involved in charity in the field of child’s cancer control.

Oleg Krot and Yuriy Lazebnikov, the managing partners of TECHIIA holding

These activities were non-public until a certain point when we realized that our example could inspire other entrepreneurs. Meanwhile, we had more than 10 joint ventures with Yuriy, that we’ve merged into TECHIIA holding, and the holding itself became international — we opened offices in Cyprus and in the USA. The issue of sustainable business development has become crucial as never before. After several strategic sessions, we established the main areas of sustainable development, following the UN Global Compact.

Even at those strategic sessions, we were not driven by the need to make our charity public. We have been motivated by the need to systematize existing activities, expand their list and embody those projects that are most important to modern society. Health care has become one of our main focuses, among others we have chosen the development of STEM education, the development of territories of presence, the care of the environment and the loyalty to business ethics. In order to involve our partners and volunteers in the implementation of projects, we have created the Public Association called “Techiia Foundation”.

When the coronavirus hit Ukraine, we had no doubt that we should do a charity marathon. WePlay! Esports Company is the best playground for this. During quarantine, interest in computer games grew, and we gathered over 160,000 players and spectators who could donate to the WeSave! Charity Play online tournament on our platform. Preparing a tournament within a week, it was quite uneasy to gather famous teams and commentators.

WeSave! Charity Play

We’ve done almost all the work online since the quarantine was announced. But we were supported by 24 well-known teams, including NAVI, OG, Nigma, Team Secret, Virtus.Pro and others. The prize pool was $120,000, with viewers contributing another $66,000. As a result, $186,000, which was split into two and sent to two foundations — CEPI (The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations), which develops the coronavirus vaccine and Global Giving to help vulnerable groups around the world.

Another WePlay! Esports project was the purchase of artificial lung ventilators for Ukrainian hospitals. Almost $ 3million worth three units that are versatile, suitable for both adults and children. We have chosen the hospitals that are most in need, and the Ukraine IT Association was the one to help us make a choice with their #AntiVirus project.

CraphNet TS artificial lung ventilator

One of the devices will go to the Kyiv City Clinical Hospital №9, the other to the Children’s City Hospital in Khmelnytskyi, and the third to the Regional Children’s Hospital of Kropyvnytskyi. We decided to buy the devices, and not the protection supplies because the devices will serve people even after the coronavirus pandemic.

By the way, the project for the transfer of equipment to the Kyiv City Clinical Hospital №9 was implemented jointly with the anti-crisis volunteer staff of the coronavirus counteraction in Kyiv.

We have already gained some experience in choosing and implementing projects as a socially responsible company, and we are ready to share them:

1. The project should aim to improve social life in a particular region. For example, if it is a small town, it will be appropriate to contact the heads of the local communities and find out about their needs. That is how I personally met the surgeon of the Regional Children’s Hospital of Kropyvnytskyi, learned about the need for equipment and TECHIIA began to interact with this institution. Of course, when it comes to creating a vaccine to fight the virus, it is best to contact the international organizations that deal with it and offer them proper help.
2. Choose projects that can attract volunteers and encourage their contributions. A positive example of the WeSave! Charity Play Tournament has shown the readiness of even such an extraordinary community as gamers to donate in fighting the virus.
3. Long-term duration. Hospital supplies and protection supplies are very important and we will be involved in financing such projects. But with limited resources, it is better to spend them on equipment that will benefit for a long time and help a huge number of people.
4. Project viability. Realism is above all. If you are purchasing equipment that the hospital will not be able to maintain on its own, make sure to provide supplies and technical services for a certain period of time. Otherwise, there is a risk of using the equipment only for a short period of time at the very beginning, by using all the consumables that come with the kit.
5. Beneficiality. Investigate what measurable benefit can your project provide to the beneficiary. Remember that beneficiaries are not doctors or the Ministry of Healthcare, they are people who reside in the territory where the medical facility operates. There is no point in equipping a rural hospital where there is a lack of qualified staff. It is better to equip a small-town hospital to bring people from nearby areas.
6. Uniqueness. This one is very close to the first point. Identify and cover unique needs, not only using your finances but also by engaging your partners, employees, and customers. It is unique to buy ventilators for Ukrainian hospitals. Even if there are only several thousand purchased and installed across the country, they can be of use not only during the coronavirus pandemic but also during everyday life.
7. Follow what you believe in. We believe that people can operate in cities such as Kropyvnytskyi and therefore have surgery departments there. We believe that e-sportsmen will support our idea of raising funds for vaccine development, and we have succeeded. You can share your faith in the project with everyone.
8. Talk about your projects as a socially responsible business. And not just for PR, but for motivating other entrepreneurs to do the same. Being socially responsible and taking care of people’s lives is normal for business.