The World Needs More Good Deeds – App from Finland makes asking for help and giving help easier in Portugal

Commu is a Finnish app developed by three friends that allows users to offer and request help with just a few taps. In Finland, Commu already has over 100,000 users, and more than 30,000 good deeds have been carried out through the platform. These acts of kindness have included spending time with the elderly, providing moving assistance, offering peer support, babysitting, language lessons, and food aid. Commu is partnering with Lisbon's city council through the Social Impact Challenge to promote community support and social innovation. The platform connects people offering help with those in need, aiming to strengthen local communities and improve urban living in Lisbon.

One of Commu’s founders, 30-year-old Sami Ekmark, is a psychiatric nurse by training. He moved to Lisbon to address challenges related to loneliness and social integration in collaboration with the City of Lisbon and Unicorn Factory Lisboa.

“Asking for help is difficult and often carries stigma. With Commu, we want to make it as easy as possible to seek support. Just like you can order food to your home with the tap of a button, you should also be able to do a good deed or make your need for help visible,” Ekmark explains. “We want to offer all Portuguese people the opportunity for meaningful encounters through acts of kindness and community service.”

According to Ekmark, loneliness and social isolation are growing and costly societal issues worldwide, requiring low-threshold solutions.

Commu provides residents with a platform where users in Portugal can easily connect with one another to offer and request help. The app can be used, for example, to organize neighborhood assistance. Studies show that loneliness costs European employers over €154 billion per year. “It is unsustainable that people need to visit a doctor because of loneliness when the help they need might be right next door,” Ekmark points out.

Community Spirit as Core Reason for Finland’s Happiness

Volunteer-based “talkoot” -culture has been an integral part of Finnish tradition for centuries, fostering strong community bonds. In challenging times, this spirit of collective effort has helped maintain society and build hope for a better future.

“A strong sense of community and belonging is often cited as one of the reasons why Finland consistently ranks as the happiest country in the world. Research shows that acts of kindness towards others contribute to feelings of happiness and satisfaction,” says Titta Maja-Luoto, Finland’s Ambassador to Portugal.

“Finland is known globally for its strong social trust, volunteer culture, and welfare society. With Commu, anyone can easily do a good deed or find help, fostering a sense of community and security within neighborhoods,” Ekmark adds.

Experience from Finland has proven that the concept works, demonstrating how technology can enhance humanity and social well-being, one good deed at a time.