Stories Of Philanthropists Who Used Bitcoin, Ethereum, And Dogecoin To Fight Hunger In Yemen

Fight hunger with Bitcoin, Ethereum and Dogecoin cryptocurrencies (VergeCampus)

JAKARTA – Some Yemenis have difficulty accessing food supplies due to the civil war in their country. A Reddit user who claims to live in the Yemeni capital, Sana'a, revealed that he uses cryptocurrencies to buy food items to donate to families who can't find food.

Reporting from Cointelegraph, based on reports posted on Reddit social media Yemenvoice, Yemenis have reportedly received thousands of dollars in crypto donations used to fight hunger in the Middle East region. They claimed to have distributed flour, rice, oil, and beans to 20 families. They plan to target 30 more families in the near future.

“I try very hard to help my people in any way possible,” says Yemenvoice. “I have tried to create an online donation campaign, but unfortunately, all online donation platforms do not support Yemen. So, I thought of using cryptocurrency as an alternative method, and indeed it is much easier and more effective.”

For information, the Yemeni civil war has been going on since 2014 after a coalition of forces led by Saudi Arabia helped President Abd-Rabbuh Mansur Hadi who was ousted from power. Yemen's air, land, and sea routes have been blockaded since 2015. This action has made it difficult for millions of Yemenis to obtain basic necessities such as food.

According to a report by David Beasly, executive director of the UN's World Food Programme, about 16 million Yemenis are "marching towards hunger", including 400,000 children under five. Currently, the food supply in Yemen is reportedly in a critical stage.

Yemenvoice said it had managed to "break the blockade" and gain access to Yemen and buy food using cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin (BTC), Etherum (ETH), Bitcoin Cash (BCH), Dogecoin (DOGE), and Nano (NANO).

“[I] received a donation, then it was transferred from my wallet (digital wallet) to a trading wallet or exchange company (we only have one company that accepts Bitcoin), then I bought this meal plan, as you can see, and shared it with parents, single mothers and orphans, although there is no difference between old or young, everyone is starving.”

Based on blockchain records, Yemenvoice has received around 600 US dollars (equivalent to Rp8.5 million) in Bitcoin, 1 dollar in Bitcoin Cash, and 64 dollars in Nano crypto. However, Yemenvoice admitted to Cointelegraph that it had received 12,000 US dollars (Rp171 million) in cryptocurrency. About $3,000 has been used to "pay medical bills, buy medicine, pay rent and buy food."

Redditor Yemenvoice said it identified people in need and made donations "wherever I find them." Thanks to Yemenvoice's generosity, many other Reddit users have expressed their support for Yemenvoice's contribution. However, there are also those who question how to use crypto effectively in a conflict country like Yemen.

“If I send some Bitcoins, they give me the equivalent of dollars, but in local currency, and so I buy and distribute these things,” said Yemenvoice. “Soon you will see shopkeepers in Yemen trading Bitcoin and not converting it into dollars or even into local currency. Especially with the deteriorating living conditions here and the fall of the Yemeni riyal.”

These crypto users have taken advantage of cryptocurrencies as a source of power to do good in fighting poverty and hunger in conflict countries. On the other hand, a number of other countries that are experiencing hyperinflation such as Venezuela are also reported to be secretly supporting the use of cryptocurrencies.