5 Ways to Support Ukrainians Using Blockchain These funds have created a quick and transparent way to support the Ukrainian people.
By Kurt Ivy Edited by Jessica Thomas
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Russian forces, under the instructions of President Vladimir Putin, have been at war with Ukraine for the past several weeks. Innocent Ukrainian citizens are awoken every morning by gunfire and the sound of airstrikes, with hundreds dead and injured and nearly three million citizens fleeing the country thus far. Nevertheless, the Ukrainian army and ordinary citizens have shown great spirit and have bravely stood their ground.
The unprovoked invasion produced two kinds of soldiers in Ukraine: those who fight on the frontlines, and those who use their creative skills to bring in financial aid and support for the Ukrainian people. Both groups of soldiers have demonstrated an unexpected unshakable spirit that has served as an inspiration around the world.
In the wake of the ongoing invasion, there is an increasing need for funds for the Ukrainian government and its people. Many donations have been made to the country through cryptocurrencies, mainly USDT, Ethereum and Bitcoin.
The sale of NFTs has also gained popularity as a means of getting funds into the country. Below are some of the most popular blockchain projects that are dedicated to helping Ukrainians.
Read More: What You Can Do to Help Ukraine: A List of Top-Rated Relief Organizations and Additional Resources
#WithUkraine
#WithUkraine is a grass-roots social community with members from around the world that is creating new ways to raise funds for evacuation, provide essentials and aid reconstruction efforts in Ukraine. The team has boots on the ground and is doing its best to provide proof and an up-close look at the events unfolding.
The #WithUkraine community is also involved in building a project that provides a means for the creation and sale of NFTs. The establishment of the Meta-museum of Ukrainian Glory has given people from different countries a way to converge in a safe digital space and witness what the Russian forces are doing to Ukraine. The team even compiled a list of resources that concerned bystanders can pull info from if they want to explore other options.
The message of peace and love is a key principle that #WithUkraine wishes to spread. Artists in Ukraine have used the platform provided by Altar metaverse to raise funds to support the at-risk population by selling NFTs. "We know that many people in Russia are scared to go outside and speak up against the atrocities taking place," Altar CEO Illia Pashkov says. "Now we've created a digital space where Russians against the Ukrainian invasion and other people around the world can meet virtually, in a safe place where their identity is encrypted, to spread the message of peace and help it gain momentum."
Ukraine MKMRE
The Ukraine MKMRE team in Ukraine and Poland is raising funds to distribute medical kits and meal rations directly where they are needed most. Its goal is to supply 100,000 medical kits and meals to Ukrainian citizens.
The project was founded by the AI Foundation and stands for "Medical Kits and Meals Ready-to-Eat." Back during the Afghan refugee crisis, Ukraine was there to help. Now, the former military members who already had experience with this sort of crisis are ready to help the Ukrainians who were so generous before. Sadly, some of the Afghan refugees living in Ukraine who had been displaced then are now on the move again.
The team includes former state department officials, tech entrepreneurs like Tim Draper, and former astronaut Terry Verts, who is helping to raise funds and bring awareness. Among the Afghan refugees is Sophia Mahfooz, who was displaced as a child and is now doing her part to help.
Read More: Meet the IT Army of Ukraine, the army of volunteers working to hack Russian sites
Ukraine DAO
This is a decentralized autonomous organization that seeks to succeed where traditional crowdfunding platforms have failed the Ukrainian people. Crowdfunding platforms do not support raising funds for the purchase of weapons to boost military activity.
Ukraine DAO was established from a collaboration between Nadya Tolokonnikova, Trippy Labs and PleasrDAO on the Ethereum blockchain. The platform accepts donations for the "come back alive" foundation to help the Ukrainian people. Ukraine DAO also auctions an NFT of the Ukrainian flag to get these funds, and the platform has already raised millions of dollars.
Waone Interesni Kazki
The abstract artworks illustrated by Waone Intersni Kazki are very unique, and the artist has released a collection of NFTs to support the Ukrainian military and to provide medical aid to citizens who have been injured in Russian attacks. Fifty percent of the revenue generated from this collection is donated to those causes.
Holy Water
Holy Water is a collection of NFT artworks owned mainly by Ukrainians. The collection was created in order to fund the reconstruction of infrastructure that has been destroyed by Russian invaders and help Ukrainians survive the war by getting vulnerable citizens to safety and providing living essentials and medical care. All of the proceeds from the sale are sent directly to the official crypto wallet of the Ukrainian government. The team behind Holy Water has a goal of raising $1 million. So far, it's raised more than $39,000 that has been duly remitted to the Ukrainian government. The NFT artworks are listed on OpenSea.
In the face of a powerful invader, the Ukrainian government and its citizens have shown a strong spirit and the conviction that they have a fighting chance.
These NFT projects have created a very quick and transparent way to support Ukraine with funds for humanitarian aid with the perk of anonymity. They also show the importance and usefulness of blockchain technology, and this might just be a factor that accelerates the world towards a future where crypto mass adoption is a reality.
Read More: UPDATE: How Elon Musk is Getting Involved With the Ukraine Crisis
