Eyja was created by a carer while on her work breaks and financed solely from her own income working as a full-time carer. 

My name is Giedre and here is my story.

On a gloomy day in December 2016 I was standing on a station platform waiting for my train to take me home, and to what looked to be an uncertain and insecure future. I had just been forced to quit my promising new job. Badly twisting my wrist while lifting a client, I was unable to continue training. I had no other job and the usual means that I had used to find new work opportunities looked inefficient and weren’t helping me in my situation.

I stood there thinking, “surely there must be so many people right now throughout the country looking for new personal care assistants and at the same time so many carers looking for a job. Isn’t there a better way that they could learn about one another’s existence? In the age of accessible knowledge, networking and technology, shouldn’t everything be faster, more simple and more affordable?” As this thought hit me, immediately it all felt very scary: “Is this going to be my task? Am I going to be the one to find a better way to connect carers to those in need of one?”

Born from such thoughts and inspirations, Eyja was launched publicly in April 2018 and soon first members started joining the platform. It is the people joining who inspire me to work tirelessly and to offer the best possible service while also being an affordable and socially-oriented one. And because I continue to work as a carer, I am reminded every day of what Eyja is and should be all about.

Eyja is foremost dedicated to those of us who want to take the initiative and to be in control of our own lives. Knowing our own needs and preferences best, the Eyja platform is designed to give each of us direct access to what we are in search of. It’s that simple!

Taking on this journey took a lot of courage and effort and it took me far beyond any limitations I could have imagined. The good thing is that I didn’t have to walk this road alone. I was fortunate to meet some amazingly supportive people on my way and I hope that Eyja will continue to grow with the support of members and friends.  

Giedre

P.S. If you are wondering what the platform name means, Eyja is the Icelandic word for “island”. For me, the name Eyja symbolises an uninhabited island were migrating birds land to find food and to rest. Once they have found what they need they can continue going in their own directions.