Binance Charity Signs MOU with Uganda NGO Safe Future to Aid 100,000 Children

KAMPALA - May 30, 2019 - Binance Charity Foundation (BCF), the blockchain-enabled charity platform and official philanthropic arm of the global cryptocurrency exchange Binance, today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Safe Future, a non-governmental organization (NGO) initiated by Uganda’s Minister for the Presidency, with the aim of complementing the Government of Uganda efforts towards the improvement of the quality of education in the country.

The signing ceremony was witnessed by Hon. Ali Kirunda Kivenjinja, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Uganda and Minister of East African Community Affairs, who appreciated BCF for its generous contribution towards the improvement of the quality of education in Uganda. He said that Binance Charity Foundation showcases transparency powered by blockchain and encourages Uganda to embrace the new technology. H.E. Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi, the Vice President of Uganda, expressed his gratitude to Binance Charity Foundation for supporting the children in the country, and welcomed the BCF grant and committed the support of the Uganda national government towards the project named Binance for Children Special Impact Education Project Uganda. He urged all the project’s beneficiary schools to strive at producing good grades in the 2019 National Examinations.

Hon. Ali Kirunda Kivenjinja, Deputy Prime Minister of Uganda

Hon. Gume Fredrick Ngobi, Minister of State for Cooperatives, said that Binance for Children was timely and necessary. He narrated that the project would contribute to the government’s efforts towards the achievement of the MDG (Millenium Development Goal) 2 indicator on quality education, having achieved the national MDG 2 indicator on access to education after introducing universal education at both primary and secondary levels.

BCF Executive Director Ms. Athena Yu and the Safe Future CEO Mr. Mula Anthony said that the Binance for Children project would provide a brighter future for 100,000 children Safe Future will be responsible for project implementation and will ensure the delivery of  meals (breakfast and lunch), solar panels, sanitary pads, school supplies, LED screens, and other much-needed items to 160 schools in Uganda. For instance, the project aims to install solar panels and grant school supplies for 50 schools, with more specific plans for the other schools to follow as BCF and Safe Future work further under the MOU.

Furthermore, the signing ceremony marks the exponential growth of the Binance for Children initiative to save African children’s future by blockchain. The first pilot project, Binance Lunch for Children, kicked off at Jolly Mercy Learning Center at Kampala, Uganda, in February 2019, The pilot project, sponsored by Zcoin, fed 257 students and brought 53 students back to school. The project then quickly rolled out to 10 schools in Kampala and Jinja, Uganda, providing lunch for students in these schools for a whole year, with donations from Tron, IOST, and Binance.

As of the end of May 2019, Binance for Children had reached 3,990 children, and that number is constantly increasing, given the increase in children going back to school thanks to this simple act of providing food.

Among the numerous dignitaries who attended the signing ceremony are the following:

- Hon. Deputy Prime Minister & Minister of East African Affairs Ali Kirunda Kevejinja

- Hon. Ngobi Gume Fredrick Minister of Trade

- Hon. Esther M. Mbayo, Minister for the Presidency

- Hon Isaac Musumba Minister of State Lands, Housing & Urban Development

- Dr. Ibembe Patrick, Senior Presidential Advisor

- Member of Parliament

- 24 District Chairpersons and Chief Administration Officers

- District Education Officers from 24 districts

- Mr. Mula Anthony, CEO of Safe Future

- Ms. Athena Yu, Executive Director of BCF

BCF is honored to work with the government of Uganda in using blockchain and cryptocurrency to provide better transparency and efficiency throughout the traditional charity processes. The organization is grateful for the government’s acceptance and enthusiasm for blockchain-powered philanthropy.

Athena Yu, Executive Director of BCF

“The adoption of blockchain and crypto in charity is not as easy as many people might think,” said Athena Yu, Executive Director of BCF, during the signing ceremony, “We are inspired by the Ugandan government, which is willing to work closely with us to explore various possibilities in blockchain-enabled solutions for children's education and health. Together, we will enhance this new way of charitable giving with more transparency and sustainability.”

About Binance Charity Foundation

Binance Charity Foundation is a nonprofit organization, dedicated to achieving global sustainable development by unlocking the power of blockchain. BCF develops and tests viable solutions that address the root cause of social problems to guide people out of the poverty trap. The foundation is initiated by Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, headed by Helen Hai, UNIDO Goodwill Ambassador, in collaboration with Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, President of Malta, as the Chair of the Advisory Board.

About Safe Future

Safe Future is a non-profit organization in Uganda that aims to contribute to the improvement of the education standards in Uganda as one of its major objectives, Alongside education, Safe Future aims to promote and support modern agricultural practices as a means to addressing household poverty in Uganda, promote and support the improvement of health for women and children, work to complement government efforts towards improving access to clean and safe water across the country, and contribute to the full achievement on the Millenium Development Goal on the realization of environmental sustainability, among others. The organization, an initiative of the Minister for the Presidency Hon Esther M. Mbayo, was founded in 2017, with headquarters in Luuka District and with operations across Uganda.    

APPENDIX: Message from the Vice President of Uganda