UNICEF has launched a new type of fundraising pilot project on the ethereum blockchain and is asking for gamers help to mine cryptocurrency for Syrian children.
After seven years of war in Syria around nine million children risk losing emergency help due to a lack of financial support, according to the UN agency. In a bid to solve this issue, UNICEF launched Game Chaingers to recruit gamers from all over the world in a united effort to mine cryptocurrency with the maximum amount of computing power.
In a first of its kind, UNICEF’s innovative project is turning graphics cards into a humanitarian tool to mine ethereum for the agency. Since its launch earlier this month, the project is still in its early days having only raised €1,361 so far; however, it will run for another 53 days. To date, it has 507 contributors with a combined hashrate of 1,861 MH/s.
According to the Game Chaingers website, the use of cryptocurrencies are an ‘opportunity to raise funds differently,’ rather than targeting the same people with the same collection methods.
To take part, gamers need to install the Claymore Mining Software where they can start and stop mining whenever they want. Ethereum that has been generated will go directly into UNICEF’s wallet.
Even though second-placed ethereum has a market value worth $71 billion compared to bitcoin’s $122 billion its potential use is evident: enabling smart contracts for the transaction of goods thereby cutting out the middleman.
This latest venture follows high-profile efforts by the UN to use the technology for various projects.
In May, the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) deployed the ethereum blockchain to 10,000 Syrian refugees in Jordan enabling them to pay for food by simply scanning their eye, eradicating the risk of fraud. The success of this pilot now means that the agency is planning on extending it to four camps.
The WFP’s project in Jordan followed on from its pilot scheme in Pakistan, which send food and aid to 100 people in the Sindh province. The UN is also working with the ixo Foundation, an open source software development foundation, to help the UN reach its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Game Chaingers project lasts until the 31st March, 2018.