Originally TReND’s volunteering program allows volunteers to travel to different African universities to share their skills with local researchers. Although on-site visits are a great option, as meeting locally and seeing issues first hand can help devise the best solution for the problem, arranging travels might not always be easy, so why not start with an online collaboration? Additionally the current worldwide situation due to the COVID-19 pandemic has paralyzed in-person meetings, seminars and travels, forcing all of us to find new  ways to keep working around the world. 

We have created a network of experts that can help African scientists to develop their desired projects through online collaboration, bypassing the mobility restrictions caused by the current pandemic. Groups in need of guidance and help can get almost immediate assistance. From small short-duration projects or doubts to large experiments that expand over months or even years, we want to create the opportunity for long-lasting collaborations that will outlast the current global situation and might eventually lead to on-site visits and in-person exchanges. Experts will be able to share their knowledge with African partners to find the best resources to either acquire the needed skills, knowledge, materials and tools or develop the techniques needed for the experiments.

For more information see here.