UNICEF Uses Cryptomining to Raise Donations

Now donors can offer their computer processing power to raise funds for UNICEF Australia

Tue, 1/05/2018 - 3:40

UNICEF Uses Cryptomining to Raise Donations

Cover image via U.Today

The United Nations Children's Fund launched a new website Monday that uses donors’ computing power to mine cryptocurrencies and raise money for impoverished children.

The Hope Page website enables people to donate by keeping the webpage open and uses their computer's CPU to mine the Monero digital currency by using the application Coinhive.

The mined cryptocurrency will be turned into fiat currency and donated to UNICEF Australia. The funds will be used to supply underserved children around the world with safe drinking water, food and vaccines, UNICEF says.

Jennifer Tierney, UNICEF Australia’s, director of Fundraising and Communications says:

"We wanted to leverage new emerging technologies to raise awareness about current humanitarian crises and raise funds to support children caught up in them. The Hope Page allows Australians to provide help and hope to vulnerable children by simply opening the page while they are online."

More than 2,000 people have used the program as a means of donating so far, according to data published on the site.

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About the author

Urvashi Verma

Urvashi Verma is a Chicago-based reporter who writes about the convergence of technology and business. She is interested in fintech, digital currencies, blockchain and currency markets. Urvashi formerly worked with the Times of Israel covering Israel's booming tech industry including Start-Up Nation, venture capital investment, and crowd-funding platforms.