Who are we? The SIMBYO Heart initiative is behind this fundraising campaign. SIMBYO is an AI companion developed in Hungary: you can chat to it, and it will even ring you up to offer a kind word, in your own language. (Important: SIMBYO is a companion, not a form of therapy, and it is no substitute for human connection.)

The situation is this: there are many people living alone amongst us — elderly people who are unable to leave their homes; lonely people who lack the technical equipment or knowledge to engage with society. For them, even a single meaningful phone call can mean a great deal.

Why is this important to us? We believe that no one should have to remain alone simply because they cannot afford anything else. A caring voice, a daily “How are you?” – it may seem like a small thing, but for someone who is alone, it can be the best moment of their day. That is why we want to make this available to those who need it most.

Where does the money go? We use the funds raised to cover the monthly SIMBYO access (app + phone calls) for those in need, at cost price. We select those in need in collaboration with elderly care organisations, based on their recommendations — to ensure it truly reaches those who need it most. We keep a record of how many people receive the support and for how many months. The project will soon be available in several Central European languages (Czech, Slovak, Polish, Romanian, Serbian, and later in Western European languages: German, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese and Dutch).

How can you help? You can help with a one-off donation or a regular monthly contribution—this enables us to provide ongoing companionship via the app or telephone calls to those whom no one else would otherwise be able to reach in person. We will award social recognition and honours to our supporters (if you are a client, we’d like to offer you discounts and bonus minutes), as well as those created in collaboration with pensioner communities each year.

Thank you for helping to ensure that no one is left alone or feeling lonely. ❤️