Standing With People Everywhere During the Ukraine War

Today marks a dark moment for the world with the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Testlio wholeheartedly condemns the actions of the Russian government. We urge Russian leaders to immediately stop their unprovoked campaign of violence in Ukraine. We ask businesses and people everywhere to raise their voices and take action to help those affected. 

Testlio is a global entity. We have people working for us in more than 100 countries. Dozens of our freelancers, contractors, and employees are from Ukraine. The actions of the Russian government are directly harming the people we care deeply about. At the same time, we have empathy for Russian citizens and people around the world of Russian heritage. We are taking steps to help. 

It is notable that today is Estonian Independence Day. Our founders and many of our leaders are based in Estonia. Each year, Estonians gather to commemorate their 1918 independence, which was lost during World War II and not regained until 1991. Today we are once again reminded just how fragile freedom can be.

“For Estonians, today is not a normal Independence Day,” said Testlio founder and board director Kristel Kruustük. “We are shocked, and while we celebrate our freedom, we are heartbroken. Not long ago, the citizens of Estonia, including my grandparents, lost much to the Soviet Union. Today is a stark reminder of that history and adds gravity to the freedoms we have today as an independent nation.”

“As an American, I support countries around the world that empower their citizens to act as participants in liberal democracies,” said Testlio CEO Steve Semelsberger. “I speak out against the military action of the Russian government. I demand that Russian leaders stop their campaign of violence and oppression. I support the people of Testlio and pledge to continue to help humans around the world.”

Testlio as a company is taking action. We share what we are doing to hopefully rally others, in solidarity with people more so than nations. We believe that if we act together, as humans, communities, teams, and companies, we can and will make a difference — for the people of any nation who are impacted by leaders who believe that they can use violence to oppress others. 

What we are doing includes:

  • Relocation Assistance. For full-time Testlio contractors, we have quietly helped people and families leave Ukraine over the last several weeks using a combination of money and resources. 
  • Crisis Aid. For active Testlio freelancers who wish to leave high-crisis cities around the world, including places in Ukraine, we are offering a cash grant, payable generally within 24 hours via a short questionnaire. We urge any impacted Testlio freelancers to reach out to our team if you haven’t already. 
  • Colleague Support. We are active in our company’s internal communication channels, in small groups, and full company settings. We are connecting with one another to share, comfort, process, and rally each other. We are leaning on each other in this most critical of moments.
  • Humanitarian Aid. We contribute to organizations such as Doctors Without Borders that provide help on the frontlines of crisis zones. 
  • Urgent Communications. The people of Testlio have already mobilized campaigns of urgent communication. Following the UN Security Council, Estonian governmental leaders, the United States White House, and others, we are lending our voice and energy to urge citizens, businesses, and governments to act against Russian leaders.     

While our hearts are heavy today, our spirit is strong. The people of Testlio, while not large in number, are connected via a set of values that include Foster Inclusion, Team is Everything, and Be Kind. We do not tolerate violence. We are lending our voices and our hands to this situation.

And while we are acting and working, we are learning. If you have any ideas on what more we might do, please contact us directly: steve@testlio.com and kristel@testlio.com are the best ways to reach us.