The UN recently released its 2020 Global overview of humanitarian aid, and we are going to talk about a few of the interesting points that came out of that study and how technology can provide a much needed alternative business model.
The increase in natural disasters and highly violent conflicts has caused the UN to face the most significant financial burden they have ever met with the amount of aid needed to increase by 24% over the next two years. This means more assistance must be delivered with fewer dollars to combat disasters that have REAL consequences, for REAL people, such as death, acute hunger, sexual violence, and significant displacement.
The consequences mentioned above have long-term negative impacts when relief funding is delayed, and the current complex aid network and information dissemination channels need to be reevaluated for the 21st century.
Innovative technologies such as Blockchain, Smart Contracts, Digital tokens, and Artificial Intelligence provide an exciting opportunity to reduce overhead and increase operational efficiency for the disaster relief sector. Blockchain and Smart Contracts can allow for information amongst different aid players to be shared “on the table” compared to the isolated “silo” approach that occurs today, reducing costly duplicated efforts. Also, Smart Contracts can be programmed to automatically release disaster relief dollars when a specific parameter is met, enhancing the speed of delivery.
At Artis, we are proposing a proactive solution that uses the Blockchain and Smart Contract infrastructure to distribute Euro backed digital tokens, which are easier to maintain on an individual level during times of disaster. The digital token can be spent at qualified businesses to allow money to flow through the impacted community during the recovery stage. The token provides valuable insights while also acting as a safer cash alternative because it only has value to the individual that’s holding it.
To understand the power of the digital token and how it can be used, let’s take a visual field trip to Syria, Yemen, or Iraq, where conflict is daily life. A woman who is at a higher risk for violence can use her digital token to purchase a room for the night at a women’s shelter or to buy food at the grocery store. In this example, the token has immense value for her but has 0 value to someone like a warlord who would be unable to redeem it.
So through innovative technology, we can use a more precise method to serve the most vulnerable people that do not require pallets of cash and human intervention. Our proposal suggests working hand in hand with the UN, Governments, and NGOs, to be a tool that provides accuracy and speed for mission success.
To learn more about what we are working on at Artis and to share learnings, please reach out to us directly!