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Blockchain-Powered Donation Tracking Platform Shanzong Seeks to Propel Transparency Amid Coronavirus Scare

With coronavirus having claimed more than 1,800 lives, capturing vital statistics is fundamental in having it curbed. Shanzong, a blockchain-enabled donation tracking platform, has been established in China to boost efficiency and transparency of giving. Notably, some traditional charities have been marred with a lack of proper accountability when it comes to distributing resources to needy people.

Tracking of donations

The lack of transparency can jeopardize the act of giving if the donated resources do not wholly or partly reach the intended users. Notably, China has been a culprit of public distribution and donations scandals that have tarnished people’s confidence in some governmental charity organizations.

For instance, some hospitals have decried a shortage of masks needed by front-line medical personnel to protect themselves from the deadly coronavirus. This shortcoming instigated a social media outcry. Moreover, the Red Cross Society of Hubei recently asserted that they were extremely distressed and had themselves to blame for the difficulties witnessed in the distribution of donations.

Blockchain startups China Xiong’an Group and Hyperchain have noted this concern, and they intend to solve it with Shanzong. By launching Shanzong, they intend to track the type of donations given, such as medical materials, masks, and money, and how they will be allocated and delivered to areas of need.

This platform is touted to be beneficial because 500 donations have so far been recorded from entities, such as Yuegou Living Supermarket and New Sunshine Charity Foundation. On the other hand, donation recipients include Xiantao No 1 People’s Hospital, Jiayu People’s Hospital, and Tongshan People’s Hospital. These hospitals have been playing a vital role in treating coronavirus patients.

Blockchain to authenticate donations

Shanzong seeks to validate donation information by recording it on the blockchain network as it is immutable or tamperproof. As a result, transparency will be guaranteed to all stakeholders, such as donors, and this will eliminate the challenges witnessed by traditional charitable donations.

Private blockchain networks are, therefore, expected to come in handy in dealing with the coronavirus crisis as they enable the recording and tracking of anything donated, from N95 masks to donation dollars.

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Binance Launches 'Crypto Against COVID' Charity Project To Fight Global Pandemic

On March 25, Binance in its blog post announced the launch of its new fundraising project titled ‘Crypto Against COVID’ which aims to raise $5 million in cryptocurrencies. The funds will be used to buy medical equipment for the countries worst affected by Coronavirus.

“Binance will be leading this effort with an initial donation of $1 million USD, and commits to donating up to $2 million USD through the #CryptoAgainstCOVID social media campaign,” according to the Binance blog.

At the time of the campaign launch the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases had exceeded 300,000 worldwide. The demographics of the virus have expanded across 175 countries and territories with more than 14,750 deaths reported so far. These numbers were reported on March 23, 2020, by WHO.

Some of the worst-hit countries by this deadly Coronavirus are Italy, Spain, China, Germany, the Republic of Korea, Iran, Turkey, the UK, and the USA. And these are the countries where Binance will be spending most of the charity funds to supply medical equipment. The platform has confirmed that they will be posting all the donation transaction details to ensure full transparency.

And this is not the first time when Binance has shown its philanthropic trait. In January 2020, Binance had launched another campaign with the title ‘Binance for Wuhan’ and donated $1.4 million worth of medical supplies to China.

“The crypto community is a growing force and we have an opportunity to strengthen this through philanthropy. We encourage the community to take part in this initiative as we unite against COVID-19, and together, we’ll drive impact,” said Changpeng Zhao, CEO of Binance.

According to the blog post, Binance Charity has delivered 56,800 masks, 366,000 pairs of gloves, 9 sterilizers, 5,280 bottles of hand sanitizers, 7,850 protective suits, 20,000 testing kits, 20,000 pairs of Goggles, 173 barrels of disinfectants and 388 oxygen concentrators.

These medical supplies have been delivered to more than 300 hospitals in China including Hubei, Guangxi, Shanghai, Sichuan, and other Chinese cities.

Image via Shutterstock

Bitcoin Community Helps in Setting Up Italian Red Cross Medical Center to Fight Coronavirus

The Bitcoin community has funded a noble cause of establishing the second level Advanced Medical Post (AMP) belonging to the Italian Red Cross as it will be instrumental in saving lives in Italy amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The epidemic has hit Italy hard as it has recorded more than 132,000 cases and at least 16,000 deaths.

Bitcoin donations come to the rescue

Bitcoin donations channeled towards purchasing and setting up the AMP were raised through a blockchain-based disaster management platform dubbed Helperbit. The media highlighted the call for help by the Italian Red Cross or the Colli Albani Committee, and this attracted the attention of the global bitcoin community. It was able to raise the first target of €10,000, approximately $10,900 in bitcoin in only three days.

This amount was easily liquidated to Euros, and it was pivotal in buying the building materials for the AMP that serves as a mobile medical center during disasters. As a result, patients will be able to attain instant medical assistance needed in tackling COVID-19.

After the first target was achieved, the second one was set at €25,000 and €29,350, nearly $31,900 has been raised as the donation campaign ended on April 7. This, therefore, shows the philanthropic nature of the Bitcoin community as the target was surpassed.

Bitcoin donors praised

Guido Baroncini Turricchia, the Helperbit CEO, honored all Bitcoin donors who channeled their funds towards establishing the AMP as it will be instrumental in saving lives. He said, “The efforts of Helperbit, jointly with Bitcoin donors, are now saving lives and helping to protect first responders on the front line. […] Bitcoin confirmed to be a powerful tool, a technology that allows the delivery of direct and fast international aid during calamities, as well as increasing the transparency level.”

The president of the Colli Albani Committee, Bruno Pietrosanti, added, “With great pleasure, we reached the first main milestone of our fundraising. We are happy to have turned the received donations into a tangible aid, and we are excited to have received so much help from the Bitcoin community.”

The crypto space has been joining hands with other stakeholders to combat the coronavirus pandemic, as evidenced by the notable Bitcoin donations. Recently, nations around the world were asked to borrow a leaf from China in fighting COVID-19 using blockchain technology.

Image via Shutterstock

How Bitcoin Donations Supported the Noble Cause of Taming Australian Bushfires

Before the world started grappling with the coronavirus pandemic, Australian bushfires made waves as they were wreaking havoc and spreading at an alarming rate. The 2019-2020 season of these wildfires referred to as the Black Summer started in June 2019, and their destructive nature was aired across the globe.

These Australian bushfires were so dire that they didn’t cease until early this year, having been fuelled by months of terrible drought and record-breaking temperatures. As of March 2020, the Australian bushfires had destroyed nearly 46 million acres of land, burnt down at least 5,900 buildings, and killed more than 34 people.

The harm caused by the wildfires necessitated immediate response, and the Crypto Fire Alliance, a group of Australian and international blockchain and cryptocurrency businesses, stepped in to curb the situation through philanthropy.

Crypto global outreach

As the official fire season in New South Wales, a southeastern Australian state, came to an end on 31 March, the Crypto Fire Alliance had donated AUD $27,481, approximately $17,130 in cryptocurrency and was allocated to various worthwhile causes.

The decision to channel the donations through cryptocurrency was arrived at because cryptos make it possible for funds to be raised across the globe during major disasters based on the low transaction fees accrued. Recently, the Bitcoin community donated approximately $41,900 in bitcoin to help set up an Italian Red Cross medical center needed to combat the coronavirus pandemic.

The low transaction fees associated with cryptocurrencies ensures that most of the donated funds are channeled to the intended cause irrespective of one’s location.

The Crypto Fire Alliance set the ball rolling by evenly distributing the donated funds to three organizations, namely the Australian Red Cross Disaster Relief and Recovery Fund, Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Services (WIRES), and the New South Wales Rural Fire Service Association (RFSA).

These organizations played an instrumental role in taming the Australian wildfires. For instance, as the largest volunteer fire service in the world, the RFSA was fielding, on average, 2,500 firefighters on each shift and, during extreme times, nearly 4,000 of them to tame the bushfires. In addition, WIRES was rehabilitating and sheltering displaced and injured animals.

These incredible efforts were made possible through donations made by groups like the Crypto Fire Alliance.

Notable players who have donated in crypto

Animoca Brands, a reputable tech firm, and F1 Delta Time joined the Crypto Fire Alliance campaign through a unique non-fungible token auction that was able to raise 51 ETH valued at $6731 at that time.

Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are proving to be game-changers based on their uniqueness. For instance, the NFT auctioned by Animoca brands and F1 Delta Time was attached to the Australia Edition 2020 Apex digital race car, and the Ethereum blockchain independently verified its ownership, scarcity, and authenticity.

Australian-based crypto exchange Mine Digital was another notable donor as it offered 0.405 BTC valued at approximately $3,100 at that period. Many other players in the crypto and blockchain sector were pivotal in aiding the Crypto Fire Alliance donations needed to curb the escalating Australian bushfires.

Cryptocurrencies are, therefore, making notable milestones in their use cases as they are being favored when it comes to charitable causes, especially when a disaster strikes.

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More Than $40,000 in Bitcoin Donations Towards Tonga, after Catastrophic Volcanic Eruption

The Bitcoin (BTC) community is taking part in a noble cause of helping Tonga recover from a disastrous volcanic eruption that hit the nation on January 15.

Within just three days of going live, the BTC wallet set up by Lord Fusitu’a, a crypto advocate and Tongan politician, had received 250 donations worth at least $40,000, according to UK Independent.

Reports indicate that the extent of the underwater eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haapai volcano has not been seen in more than 30 years.

A humanitarian crisis is being witnessed in the nation, with already three casualties confirmed. Tonga is also experiencing a blanket of the ash cloud that is hindering flights, with an undersea cable required for global communication already destroyed.

Therefore, the Bitcoin donations are helping in relief efforts as additional aid is being offered by UN agencies like the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Being a crypto enthusiast, Lord Fusitu’a previously revealed plans to set up Bitcoin mining facilities powered by geothermal energy from volcanoes in the nation.

Through a proposal already in parliament, the politician seeks to make Tonga follow El Salvador’s footsteps by adopting BTC as legal tender. A vote for this legislation is scheduled for May.

The Bitcoin community has shown its generosity by lending a hand whenever disaster strikes. For instance, BTC donations helped establish an Advanced Medical Post (AMP) belonging to the Italian Red Cross, needed in saving lives in Italy during the onset of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Ukrainian Government Accepts Polkadot DOT Donations, Expanding Crypto Donations Over $30M

Ukraine Expands over $30M worth crypto donation program by accepting Polkadot’s DOTs after the Russian Army Invasion.

The Ukrainian government accepts DOT for the 11th-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, Polkadot, according to a statement posted on the Ukrainian government’s Twitter account on Tuesday. Previous cryptocurrency donations include Bitcoin, Ethereum, and the stablecoin Tether.

The official Twitter account of the government of Ukraine published an Ethereum (ETH) and a Bitcoin (BTC) address to which the donations are meant to be sent.

According to Blockchain.com, The entire public, particularly the crypto-savvy population, has shown solidarity with Ukraine and raised about $8.2 million in bitcoin and $7.1 million in the ether since the call.

These have almost been diverted for humanitarian relief.

The Ukrainian government has also indicated that more tokens will soon be in the way of accepting donations, for example.

Ukraine tweeted about a possible crypto airdrop — a promotion giving away free tokens, but nothing has been confirmed yet.

Ukraine Receives Military Supplies via Crypto Donation

Cryptocurrencies undoubtedly came to the rescue when Ukraine called for donations through it as its territories were invaded by Russia almost late last month.

With more than $100 million donated so far, Ukraine’s deputy minister of Digital Transformation, Alex Bornyakov, has detailed how much has been spent out of the donated funds thus far.

Speaking to Bloomberg recently, Bornyakov said as much as $15 million he has used in buying bulletproof vests, 500 helmets and as many as 410,000 lunch packs for the Ukrainian army. Most of these supplies were delivered just past Friday.

The total donations to the Ukrainian war effort came in the form of Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Polkadot (DOT), Solana (SOL), and Dogecoin (DOGE). Besides these mainstream cryptocurrencies, a number of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) have also been donated to the Ukrainian government, including a Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC).

The report has it that some of the military supplies received by the Ukrainian government were paid for in digital currencies, another proof of how well cryptocurrencies can be utilized. However, the government has no plans to sell off the Bored Ape NFT in its wallet. The CryptoPunk #5364 NFT was last sold for 16.2 Ethers, worth over $43,000 in current prices. However, the Bored Ape collection now has a floor price of 97 ETH worth approximately $250,000 in current prices.

“Yes, someone donated us a CryptoPunk, but it’s so hard to sell, we haven’t used it at this point,” Bornyakov said. “We are going to keep it for now. We appreciate every support that people are trying to give. What’s important is people’s awareness. They see what’s going on, and they are trying to help. We will work with NFTs a little bit later. We are focused on things we can deal with right now. There’s no time to figure out how to convert them. Maybe once things settle down, we’ll figure this out.”

With more crypto funds flowing into the Ukrainian government wallet, digital currencies’ decentralized and censorship-free nature was well pronounced throughout this war period.

10,000 Ukrainian Flags Minted as NFTs to be Sold on The Sandbox

As the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine enters its second month, a lot of people have stood with Ukraine, as its people and economy continue to suffer from the pangs of the destruction the war ushered in.

In a recent move, as many as 10,000 Ukrainian flags, modelled as Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) are up for sale on the Mauer website.

The project, which is targeted at raising funds to support the people of Ukraine most affected by the ongoing war, is dubbed, ‘Wave With Ukraine’. It is in collaboration with The Sandbox, the renowned blockchain gaming protocol.

Each Ukrainian NFT flag will cost $100 and will be for sale from March 30 to April 15. Per the cost price per unit NFT, and the associated total, the Wave with Ukraine NFT is poised to generate at most $1,000,000, all of which will be donated to charities vetted by MAUER’s Ukrainian employees in a bid to ensure that the raised funds make maximum impact.

As a way to allow massive participation, the NFT flags can be acquired through cryptocurrencies or by payment cards, both of which are supported by the Mauer platform. As a way to show solidarity, The Sandbox said it would match the raised funds dollar for dollar, meaning the project is expected to donate a total of $2 million if it receives the proper participation.

Ukraine has received more than $100 million in funding from the digital currency ecosystem alone. While mainstream governments have continued to support Ukraine with humanitarian funds, the solidarity that the digital currency ecosystem has shown has revealed how the nascent asset class can be used as a force for good.

With prominent cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Tron (TRX), and Solana (SOL) amongst those donated, NFTs have also shown it is equally viable as an asset in the donation scene.

AI-Generated NFT Collection to Preserve Ukrainian Art and Offer Humanitarian Support

Through a global coalition of advocates, digital innovators, artists, and educators, an AI-generated NFT collection has been established to conserve Ukrainian art and raise funds for humanitarian aid.

Dubbed MINT FOR UKRAINE, the non-fungible token (NFT) collection of one million artworks is seen as a stepping stone toward keeping Ukrainian culture in the history books.

Tymofiy Mylovanov, the President of the Kyiv School of Economics, noted:

“There is no nation without its culture. Now with the help of AI and the blockchain, we have a chance to make pieces of Ukraine stay forever in the world’s history. While we are fighting for the freedom of our country, join us in the fight for our culture and help Ukraine.”

Minting the NFT art pieces will be done for free after creating a wallet and donations channelled through crypto or currency of choice. Per the announcement:

“Up to 10% of donations are directed to support the Ukrainian culture (artists and cultural institutions), while the remaining 90% are devoted to humanitarian support of Ukraine, through the vetted network of charities.”

Phil Bosua, the creator of the collection, pointed out:

“I think the human/AI collaboration is the next great art movement. We now have a direct line from thought to expression and we can create as much art as we can imagine. When we pair these ideas with a global cultural crisis, art has the ability to cause change on a scale we’ve not yet imagined.”

The MINT FOR UKRAINE is also being made a reality through a joint effort by OpenSea, the Kyiv School of Economics Foundation, four Ukrainian Ministries, Polygon, Artificial Intelligent Mind Collective, Ukraine.ua, Polygon Studios, and Reface.

Last month, Ukraine’s Ministry of Digital Transformation launched a MetaHistory NFT Museum, a blockchain-based collection of digital images, to tell the story of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Philcoin Rolls Out Staking Program for Donating Charity

To change the way of charity, Philcoin has established a staking mechanism that will enable users to donate part of their earnings to a charity of their choice within PHILApp.

The philanthropic blockchain movement intends to create wealth for all through the staking feature by contributing to society.

Per the announcement:

“Staking has never been more rewarding – until now. Philcoin’s mission to change the way giving happens starts with you. You have the power to take back your financial sovereignty while empowering others to do the same.”

The staking mechanism is expected to help Philcoin create a global philanthropic movement by changing how giving happens.

Since staking enables users to earn a fixed interest upon storing some tokens for a certain period, the new feature on PHILApp will offer an annual percentage rate (APR) of 15%.

The report noted:

“Here’s where it gets interesting – and what makes Philcoin’s staking the first of its kind in the world! You keep 50% of this APR and get to donate the remaining 50% to a charity of your choice within PHILApp. It’s a staking mechanism that rewards Philcoin’s entire global community.”

The APR is founded on the number of tokens and not the USD value of the tokens. Therefore, Philcoin plans to take staking a notch higher by incorporating the giving aspect.

Meanwhile, the connection between crypto and charity continues to grow strong as cryptocurrencies are deemed ideal donation tools.

For instance, Al Jalila Foundation became the first healthcare charity in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to accept crypto donations to bridge the gap between physical and digital currency pertaining to giving.

Therefore, staking seeks to be the new avenue of bringing wealth to greater communities, not just individuals, through giving.