In the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan, Amar Al-Eid heads toward the checkout of the food distribution store carrying supplies for his two children. The shopkeeper raises a black box to his face and scans the Syrian refugees iris. The transaction goes through and a days rations are secured.
The data technology that underpins virtual currencies like bitcoin is now also used to deliver aid more efficiently by dramatically lowering the risk of bribes and fraud by local officials — a huge, longstanding problem in the industry. The so-called blockchain keeps a record of all transactions and buyers, making sure recipients like Al-Eid get their goods without the added costs of graft or bank transfer fees. And donors can track the use of their aid money, all the way to the refugee family it helps survive.
“It’s a very easy process and it doesn’t have any complications,” says Al-Eid, before taking the food off to his family.
The UN’s World Food Programme has been testing the use of blockchain technology since 2017 to manage aid for over 100,000 refugees in camps in Jordan, which hosts over 740,000 people from neighboring countries like war-torn Syria. It aims to extend it to 500,000 refugees by the end of March. Other international organizations, including the World Bank, UNICEF and the Red Cross, are looking at ways to implement blockchain into their own projects.
Blockchain is an online ledger of transactions spread across a global network of computers that use their processing power to verify any changes. It is most famous for being used to support virtual currencies like bitcoin, but can in practice be used to track any system of payments or data transfers. In the refugee aid system it is testing, the UN does not use virtual currencies but dollars. The blockchain technology helps it know where every cent is, from the moment it is donated to when it is spent on a physical good.
And that can mean huge savings.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
AUSTRALIAN STATES BACK NATIONAL PLAN TO BAN CHILDREN YOUNGER THAN 16 FROM SOCIAL MEDIA
Australia’s states and territories unanimously backed a national plan to require most forms of social media to bar children younger than 16.
FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM USERS IN EUROPE CAN OPT FOR LESS PERSONALIZED ADS
Facebook and Instagram users in Europe will get the option to see less personalized ads if they don’t want to pay for an ad-free subscription, social media company Meta said Tuesday, bowing to pressure from Brussels over privacy and digital competition concerns.
IN THIS FLORIDA SCHOOL DISTRICT, SOME PARENTS ARE PUSHING BACK AGAINST A CELLPHONE BAN
It’s no surprise that students are pushing back on cellphone bans in classrooms. But school administrators in one South Florida county working to pull students’ eyes away from their screens are facing some resistance from another group as well – parents.
'SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE' TO TRUMP: 'WE'VE BEEN WITH YOU ALL ALONG'
The first “Saturday Night Live” since Donald Trump’s election victory began with the most somber of tones as a group of plainly dressed cast members, primarily women and minorities, described their new reality.
DIAMOND SPORTS GROUP WILL OFFER SINGLE-GAME PRICING TO STREAM NBA AND NHL GAMES STARTING NEXT MONTH
The nation’s largest owner of regional sports networks will offer single-game pricing for NBA and NHL games beginning next month.
ON THE EVE OF OSCARS HONOR, JAMES BOND PRODUCERS REFLECT ON LEGACY AND FUTURE OF 007
For the late James Bond producer Albert “Cuddy” Broccoli, receiving the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award was a true high point in his career.
WAYMO'S ROBOTAXIS NOW OPEN TO ANYONE WHO WANTS A DRIVERLESS RIDE IN LOS ANGELES
Waymo this week opened its robotaxi service to anyone who wants a ride around Los Angeles, marking another milestone in the evolution of self-driving car technology since the company began as a secret project at Google 15 years ago.
US AGENCY SAYS TESLA'S PUBLIC STATEMENTS IMPLY THAT ITS VEHICLES CAN DRIVE THEMSELVES. THEY CAN'T
The U.S. government’s highway safety agency says Tesla is telling drivers in public statements that its vehicles can drive themselves, conflicting with owners manuals and briefings with the agency saying the electric vehicles need human supervision.
STELLANTIS RECALLS JEEP AND DODGE SUVS TO FIX COMPUTER PROBLEM THAT CAN DISABLE BRAKE SAFETY DEVICES
Stellantis is recalling about 207,000 Jeep and Dodge SUVs in the U.S. to fix a computer problem that can disable the anti-lock brakes and electronic stability control safety features.
VATICAN, MICROSOFT CREATE AI-GENERATED ST. PETER'S BASILICA TO ALLOW VIRTUAL VISITS, LOG DAMAGE
The Vatican and Microsoft this week unveiled a digital twin of St. Peter’s Basilica that uses artificial intelligence to explore one of the world’s most important monument’s while helping the Holy See manage visitor flows and identify conservation problems.
