LONDON/GENEVA, 10 August 2022 – An NFT collection of 14,850 unique digital artworks from Ukrainian cities and landmarks will be sold at 10 a.m. ET on August 10 to raise funds for Save the Children and Women for Women International’s work helping children and families affected by war.
The #WeAreUkraine collection of NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) is the initiative of the newly created non-profit DIG Foundation, set up by the Dubai blockchain investment company Decentralized Investment Group (DIG).
The NFTs – collectibles of immutable digital art – will be available for purchase via the online NFT marketplace OpenSea and will feature artist renderings of the most famous monuments and landmarks from a number of Ukrainian cities, with written explanations for each piece. Since the conflict escalated on February 24, several Ukrainian landmarks have been damaged, including Kyiv TV Tower, Karazin Kharkiv National University and Antonov International Airport.
35 percent of the proceeds from the sale of the #WeAreUkraine NFT collection will help Save the Children continue to work with local partners to distribute food, hygiene items and blankets to prepare families for what is likely to be a difficult winter. The income will also increase child protection and support services in Ukraine, Poland and Romania as well as other European countries. A further thirty-five percent will be allocated to Women for Women International, and the remaining thirty percent will go towards operating costs.
Ettore Rossetti, head of Web3 at Save the Children, said the organization has been supporting children and families in Ukraine since 2014 – almost as long as the organization has been accepting cryptocurrency donations. Save the Children was the world’s first international NGO to accept a bitcoin donation in 2013, in response to Typhoon Haiyan which devastated the Philippines.
“Crypto donations have enabled truly borderless giving and are not only decentralizing finance, but also decentralizing philanthropy. Crypto has become an alternative funding stream for global emergencies like Ukraine, and we also accept crypto income from NFT projects.” he said.
Sara Bowcutt, CEO of Women for Women International – UK, welcomed the initiative to help support vulnerable communities affected by the war in Ukraine.
“Women often bear the brunt of war and conflict and your donation will help us meet their urgent needs. Through our Conflict Response Fund, we provide critical psychological support, legal advice and training so that women can better support themselves and their families – whether they are displaced in Ukraine or seeking refuge in Poland. By supporting our response, DIG Foundation is helping female survivors who have faced unimaginable loss and trauma to rebuild their lives and find a way to move beyond this war.”
Haydn Snape, DIG’s managing global partner and CEO, said the DIG Foundation aimed to become involved in charitable products that could have a lasting impact. DIG has become the first UAE-based company to create a bridge between blockchain technology and the world of filmmaking and entertainment.
“Blockchain technology will become ubiquitous, until it permeates every aspect of everyday life, so why not use it to make a difference and help those in need,” Snape said. “DIG invests in products and projects that deliver the values of decentralization, economic independence and individual freedom, and our foundation will use these ideals to empower women and children by educating them in STEM programs so that they can one day become the next generation of innovative Web3 leaders with the tools needed to thrive in a digital economy.”
More than 6.6 million people are estimated to be internally displaced in Ukraine, according to UN data, with another 6 million fleeing the country in the past five months, the majority of whom are women and children.
Crypto fundraising can be a quick way to raise money for social causes because it is easier to navigate than traditional financial systems and is free from central financial authorities such as governments and central banks.
But their relative anonymity can also offer a safe haven for illegal activity, and blockchain technology has been criticized for the huge amount of energy it requires to operate.
NFTs are part of the explosion of blockchain technology and are essentially unique digital assets that can be bought and sold using various cryptocurrencies.
Disclosures
None of the information contained herein constitutes investment, financial or trading advice to buy or sell currencies, products or financial instruments.
About Save the Children: Save the Children is the world’s largest independent organization for children. For over 100 years, Save the Children has helped children stay safe, healthy, and continue learning in more than 120 countries around the world. Save the Children runs innovative programs and provides support in emergency situations, leads bold campaigns and forms high-impact partnerships to help children thrive. Save the Children creates real change and impact for children, so they can grow up to explore a world full of possibilities. Save the Children was the world’s first international NGO to accept a bitcoin donation in 2013. To learn more, visit www.savethechildren.net or @SavetheChildren on social media
About Women for Women International: Women for Women International invests where inequality is greatest by helping women who are forgotten – the women who survive war and conflict. In Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq, Kosovo, Nigeria, Rwanda and South Sudan, women are learning skills to rebuild their families and communities through Women for Women International’s Stronger Women, Stronger Nations programme. They form support networks, are equipped with skills to earn and save, and gain knowledge and resources about health and their rights. Since 1993, the organization has invested in the power of over 530,000 women to use their voices and create a ripple effect that makes the world more equal, peaceful and prosperous. To learn more about the power of women, for women, visit womenforwomen.org.uk or follow@WomenforWomenUK on social media.
(UK Charity Registration Number: 1115109)
About Decentralized Investment Group (“DIG”): Decentralized investment group (“DIG”) is a Dubai-based, award-winning multinational blockchain technology conglomerate holding company committed to being the Goldman Sachs* of the decentralized investment banking realm [*referenced for the purpose of illustration strictly]. DIG seeks out exclusive investment opportunities in the blockchain and metaverse space and turns them into industry-leading products aimed at disrupting the landscape. With offices in Dubai, Miami, Warsaw, Mumbai, Hanoi, Manila and Nassau, DIG uses blockchain solutions to revolutionize the decentralized investment ecosystem. DIG’s subsidiaries include, but are not limited to:
- XYZZY, a Miami-based metaverse GameFi company that bridges the gap between the virtual world and the physical, enabling real digital economies to exist and thrive through the work of a team of 250+ programmers and tech-savvy employees in key emerging markets, giving iconic brands an entry point into the future;
- DIG Foundationa charitable non-profit organization committed to making strategic investments in educational initiatives and STEM programs that empower and equip women and children in underprivileged communities with the tools and thinking to powerfully cause and create great economic futures and thrive in a digital economy.
ENDS
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