Sadly, some people fall through the cracks. The state can’t step in or they don’t qualify for state support, but they can’t make it on their own either. There’s a single mother whose roof is leaking and a child with special needs whose family can’t afford proper care. An elderly couple without heating in the winter. Someone facing a critical medical procedure the state won’t cover.
These are the people Naerata Ometi exists to help.
What They Do
Founded in 2009, Naerata Ometi is an Estonian NGO that provides direct and practical assistance to people in crisis. They’re not a large organisation with layers of bureaucracy. Instead, they identify specific problems – a broken heating system, an unpaid debt pushing a family to the edge, a wheelchair that needs motorising, a home that’s become unliveable – and they fix them. In short, they get things done.
Their work covers a lot of ground: supporting families with children who have special needs, helping households in financial distress, funding medical treatments and rehabilitation that fall outside state coverage, and providing legal and financial counselling to people who don’t know where else to turn. Also, they advocate for broader social awareness around poverty and disability. These are issues that often go unnoticed, especially in rural areas.
Since 2020, they’ve also been active in Latvia, extending support to communities on both sides of the border.
Looking Back: What Got Done in 2025
Last year, Naerata Ometi completed work on several critical cases. We’re extremely proud to say that Wallester has been supporting Naerata Ometi’s mission, and we’ve seen firsthand how efficiently they operate. The funds go directly to materials, labour, and debt relief – not administrative overhead.
A single mother in Pärnu received construction materials and painting work to make her home liveable again. A large family in Uusna – with members living with disabilities – had their debts cleared and their bathroom renovated. A mother of seven children in Kahala received 15 cubic metres of firewood to get through the winter.
Beyond construction, Naerata Ometi also provided legal counselling to around ten individuals and financial advising to roughly twenty more.
These are not abstract statistics but real people who were stuck, and who aren’t stuck anymore.
Looking Ahead: 2026 Projects
This year, Naerata Ometi is taking on several larger projects alongside their ongoing casework.
In Ilmandu, a family lost everything in a fire. The plan is to build them a small home, starting in February. In Ida-Virumaa, four apartments are being renovated to serve as social housing for young single mothers and elderly residents. A rehabilitation centre for at-risk youth needs an outdoor pavilion for summer classes.
Beyond these, there’s a long list of urgent interventions: roof repairs, sanitary renovations, electrical wiring, heating systems. And there’s Kristo, a young man in Pärnumaa who needs a motorised wheelchair to gain independence and find work.
You can see the full list of active projects on their website: naerataometi.ee/en/projects
Why It Matters
Estonia has a social safety net, but it doesn’t catch everyone. Some people are just above the threshold for state assistance but far below what they need to live with dignity. Others face problems that simply don’t fit into existing support categories – like a child’s rare condition or a debt spiral with no clear way out.
Naerata Ometi fills that gap, and they work case by case, solution by solution. No one is too small or too rural to reach.
As Wallester reaches new milestones – from opening our new international headquarters in Tallinn to being recognised as one of Europe’s fastest-growing fintechs—we believe our responsibility grows in tandem. For our CEO, Sergei Astafjev, this mission is personal, rooted in a decade-long commitment to the NGO. Today, Wallester provides structured monthly support that allows Naerata Ometi to plan larger, multi-month projects with confidence. We don’t just view this as a partnership; we view it as an essential part of our business DNA. Because at the end of the day, the best use of financial technology is to ensure that no one in our community is left behind.”
How to Help
To support their work, you can donate directly through their website atnaerataometi.ee. Every contribution goes toward specific, tangible projects, the kind where you can see exactly what your money built or fixed.
It’s straightforward help for people who need it. And right now, they need more of it.
