Bitcoin has been at the receiving end of all the negative publicity until now, thanks to its extensive use by cybercriminals and darknet marketplaces. But one recent transaction allows both Bitcoin and Bitcoin community to break away from the stereotype.
The Water Project, an international non-profit organization working to provide clean drinking water and sanitation to the underprivileged across the world has received a single largest donation in the form of Bitcoin. The organization recently posted a “Thank You” note on Reddit to the anonymous donor who contributed 38.23 BTC, worth over $22,900 towards the cause.
The message from The Water Project on Reddit reads,
“We don’t know who you are, but we’re grateful. So just in case you hang out here, we want to say thanks!
Today you gave enough BTC – totally anonymously – to provide clean, safe water and sanitation facilities to an entire school AND for the monitoring and repair funds to keep it working for years to come.
We’ll be identifying the exact site (likely in Sierra Leone or Kenya) and will post details on our Bitcoin Donation Page soon. So you can watch it all happen… wherever you are.”
The Water Project, as part of its Water Promise, has been accepting Bitcoin donations for a while now. According to the organization, the Water Promise makes use of high-tech remote monitoring equipment to not only provide safe water to those in need but also monitor it over time. The project ensures transparency by allowing public access to real-time smartphone and sensor data.
The Water Project has so far received over 96 BTCs worth over $57,000 from 797 different transactions. The total Bitcoin donations received so far is enough to fund more than 5 projects.
The use of Bitcoin and other digital currencies in the non-profit and charity sector is one of the widely discussed topics. Bitcoin offers a cheaper, efficient and transparent option for non-profits to receive funds from across the world. It also allows people to donate small amounts (microtransactions), without having to worry about transaction fees. Even the smallest of contributions go a long way in helping those in need.
Ref: Reddit | Charity Digital News |The Water Project | Image: The Water Project
