Binance Charity Unveils Blockchain Donation Project for Uganda Landslide Disaster

Binance Charity Foundation, the charity arm of Binance, is introducing a blockchain-powered philanthropy solution for the benefit of the victims of the  Bukalasi Sub-county Landslide Disaster in Uganda.

UGANDA (January 14, 2019) -- Binance Charity Foundation (BCF), the philanthropic arm of cryptocurrency exchange Binance, has launched its pilot charitable project, which will provide post-disaster support for thousands of victims of a landslide disaster that hit Uganda last October 2018.

The fundraising channel is currently open and accepting donations on Binance Charity, a fully transparent platform that ensures all donations are tracked on the blockchain and that proceeds are distributed directly to individual victims via cryptocurrency. The channel is launching in partnership with the Ugandan government and local NGO Cryptosavannah Foundation.

This new project will feature a way to create crypto wallets for the victims, to ensure that crypto donations directly reach the end beneficiaries vetted by central and district governments in Uganda. “Lack of transparency used to be a big impediment in traditional charitable giving activities from raising funds from the public. Now with the new blockchain enabled tool, everyone can check the usage and distribution of goods to the victims,” said Helen Hai, Head of BCF.

In addition, Binance has pledged Binance Coins worth an estimated US$54,000 to the donation channel for the Uganda landslide, now listed at https://www.binance.charity/projectLists.

Overview of the Landslide Disaster and BCF’s Response

The Bukalasi Sub-County Landslide Disaster in Bududa District, Uganda, occurred on October 11, 2018, claiming 51 lives. About 400 people were reported missing, including 200 students from a primary school in Maludu, because of the landslide. Meanwhile, around 1,000 people were displaced, and 12,000 more were affected in varying degrees. As a response to the disaster, the Ugandan government has directed the relocation of 100,000 people over the next 10 years, starting in January 2019 with 600 people who need relocation the most.

Binance Charity responded to a donation request seeking support for victims of the disaster through various food and non-food items, in order to facilitate the relocation of the affected population out of Bududa to a new location identified by the Ugandan disaster preparedness team at the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM).

"I am happy working with BCF and CryptoSavannah because their assistance supports both humanitarian relief and livelihood. This intervention using technology is the first of its kind, and the partners are very efficient and effective. The costs involved in their operations and activities are minimal, and every cent donated gets down to the people on the ground, I am happy to work with these organizations and the future is very bright." said Samson Matsambwe, the Deputy CAO and Chairman of Disaster Management Committee of Bududa, Uganda.

The donation basket for the first three months will be comprised of cooking oil, salt, rice, and sugar, as well as non-food items including soap, bedsheets, jerry cans, blankets, and more. For the fourth to sixth month of intervention, donations will include seedlings, chicken rearing devices, hand hoes, and more, to encourage the victims to generate income in their resettled homes.

During a meeting in Bududa last January 11, 2019, the Bududa district government officially submitted the vetted list of the victims. BCF is undertaking training sessions that teach disaster victims and other parties about using their own crypto wallets. The registration and verification processes are also progressing, while fund distribution to the victims will be deployed accordingly in the succeeding weeks.

Uganda: An Integral Part of the Binance Blockchain Ecosystem

Binance launched its first fiat-crypto exchange in Uganda in October 2018, enabling the trade of the Uganda shilling with Bitcoin, Ethereum, Binance Coin, and Paxos Standard Token. Today, Binance Uganda is critical for developing blockchain-powered charity projects in the country.

“We would like to showcase a bright future, leveraging cryptocurrency and blockchain for social good in the most vulnerable areas where the majority stay unbanked but remain desperate to get access to formal financial and social services. I believe BCF’s campaign in restoring Bududa is a good starting point,” BCF Executive Director Athena said during the meeting in Bududa.

This project is being implemented in partnership with the Ugandan division of Crypto Savannah Foundation, a non-profit organization that seeks to impact lives in Africa through the capabilities of blockchain technology. “Partnering with BCF, we are hopeful to see broader adoption of blockchain in Uganda, especially from the grassroots, ” said Alfred Mutanda, project manager of Crypto Savannah Foundation Uganda.

About Binance Charity

The Binance Charity Foundation (BCF) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of blockchain-enabled philanthropy towards achieving global sustainable development. Binance Charity aims to transform philanthropy by developing the world’s first decentralized charity foundation to build a future where blockchain technology can be used to end all forms of poverty and inequality, advance sustainable development and ensure that no one is left behind. For more information, visit: https://www.binance.charity/