EW

Blockchain to Fight Poverty

Jul 6, 2018

AS
Stage· 123 messages
Jul 6, 2018
EW

Efraim Wyeth · 1:06 AM

Hi everyone!
EW

Efraim Wyeth · 1:08 AM

Welcome to this first Blockchain for Impact Tawk on the potential of blockchain to alleviate poverty globally.
AS

Arnold V. Strong · 1:11 AM

Delighted to be a part of this crucial discussion, Ladies and Gents. Our company, Unify Earth Network, is values-first and values-forward with a keen eye toward implementation of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs of the United Nations... beginning with No Poverty!
AS

Arnold V. Strong · 1:13 AM

Yes, Faris! Delighted to be here with you and NOT on the deck of a boat this time!
EW

Efraim Wyeth · 1:14 AM

Before we introduce our special panelists, I would first like to thank the 5th Element Group teamfor their contribution to this effort. For more information about them and their brilliant vision please visit them at: www.5thelement.group
5G

5thElement Group · 1:15 AM

We are so glad to be a part of this great work! It's world changing 🚀
EW

Efraim Wyeth · 1:15 AM

I would also like to thank Blake and the team at Tawkers for providing this incredible platform.
AS

Arnold V. Strong · 1:15 AM

Kudos, Blake Ian!
EW

Efraim Wyeth · 1:16 AM

Faris Oweis will be leading this Tawk for the next few weeks.
EW

Efraim Wyeth · 1:17 AM

Before I hand over the mic, could I ask you all to provide a few bullet points about yoursrlves and your organizations, and the work you are currently doing - in no particular order!
EW

Efraim Wyeth · 1:19 AM

My name is Efraim Wyeth. I am the Executive Director of Blockchain for Impact.
AT

Aarti Tandon · 1:19 AM

Absolutely! My name is Aarti Tandon and I am the Executive Director of Smart Cities New York.
AS

Arnold V. Strong · 1:20 AM

I am a former career U.S. Army officer and veteran of combat service in both Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as peacekeeping duty in Egypt, Bangladesh and Ghana. Now the Comms Director for Unify Earth Network.
FO

Faris Oweis · 1:20 AM

I'm Faris Oweis, I'm DigitalTown's Chief Instigator, and I help leverage blockchain to keep more money in local economies around the globe.
EW

Efraim Wyeth · 1:21 AM

Blockchain for Impact is a collaborative convening and advocacy platform for conscious leadership from all sectors to explore, co-create and promote the application of blockchain technology to initiatives with profound and positive social impact.
FO

Faris Oweis · 1:22 AM

I been looking forward to this! I actually have a question since we got so many smart people in one place.
EW

Efraim Wyeth · 1:22 AM

Thank you Arnold for your service! Then and now!
FO

Faris Oweis · 1:23 AM

I'm seeing more and more people try to combine solutions for homelessness and solutions for refugees into one package as if they are the same exact thing. Does anyone else disagree or even slightly annoyed by that?
EW

Efraim Wyeth · 1:24 AM

One of our panelists, Jane Lippencourt, will not be able to join us until tomorrow, but her contributions are always inspiring and enlightening so we’ll enjoy her participation starting tomorrow.
EW

Efraim Wyeth · 1:26 AM

Faris, I struggle also with the Reconciliation of the concepts of refugee crisis and immigration crisis which are also lumped together
AS

Arnold V. Strong · 1:26 AM

Unify Earth Network and our affiliate, Unify Core, is a complete rebuild of the Blockchain core from the ground up, using advanced mathematical algorithms. The enhanced blockchain of Unify Earth is extended on the core of Bitcoin, arguably the most audited
AS

Arnold V. Strong · 1:26 AM

...and practiced reference implementation of the blockchain concept in the past decade.
FO

Faris Oweis · 1:28 AM

Arnold sounds super intense- How does your team go about communicating it's benefits for institutions combatting homelessness?
AS

Arnold V. Strong · 1:28 AM

The tech aside, our company is what we call "values-first, values forward" with the SDGs as our benchmark of success.
AT

Aarti Tandon · 1:28 AM

Faris and Efraim, I too struggle with the oversimplification of people who are displaced.
AS

Arnold V. Strong · 1:29 AM

We believe that there is truth is not only "out there" but, self-evident based on the data that is available. The real challenge is getting the right data with incontrovertible accuracy before decision makers at the right time to implement change....
FO

Faris Oweis · 1:30 AM

I also think that poverty automatically assumes homelessness which I disagree with
EW

Efraim Wyeth · 1:30 AM

So Faris, why don’t I hand the mic over to you. Sounda like you should start by inviting the group to define these terms.
AS

Arnold V. Strong · 1:30 AM

beyond that, it is essential that the doers of the world, seeing the truth get access to the resources to make the impact needed to mitigate, if not end the displaced. It is a massive problem, but one we believe CAN and WILL be resolved in advance of the SDG goals of 2030.
FO

Faris Oweis · 1:31 AM

Sure thing
FO

Faris Oweis · 1:32 AM

Aarti how would you define poverty vs. homelessness? Then Arnold why don't you take a crack at it?
AT

Aarti Tandon · 1:32 AM

Ahhhh. Great question.
AS

Arnold V. Strong · 1:33 AM

Roger that... Though, "No pressure" ... Following Aarti's lead may be a challenge for this former infantryman.
AT

Aarti Tandon · 1:33 AM

As I referenced earlier, homelessness means displacement to me.
AT

Aarti Tandon · 1:34 AM

Poverty is not necessarily lack of shelter - it comes in many forms.
AS

Arnold V. Strong · 1:34 AM

I think that the definition of poverty includes homelessness, or as Aarti mentions above, displacement.
AT

Aarti Tandon · 1:35 AM

Haha, Arnold. I think you'll have a lot to add here.
FO

Faris Oweis · 1:35 AM

ok that's a fair baseline
AT

Aarti Tandon · 1:35 AM

Exactly.
FO

Faris Oweis · 1:36 AM

I think people look at blockchain as some savior that will help just be it's very existence. I disagree.
AS

Arnold V. Strong · 1:37 AM

BUt the it also includes lack of access to the things that so many of us take for granted... clean water, regular nourishment, sanitation, education... etc.
FO

Faris Oweis · 1:37 AM

Exactly, so how does blockchain address the core issue...access.
FO

Faris Oweis · 1:37 AM

Go for it Arnold...and then Ef drop some knowledge on us!
EW

Efraim Wyeth · 1:38 AM

Here’s a bit of context from our friends at UNDP:
AS

Arnold V. Strong · 1:38 AM

In my experience, they are all variables of this massive condition. If nothing, my 30 year military career has taught me that much of the world lives in what we define as 'poverty' yet does so with a humble acceptance of a lessening of what we'd call 'fundamental needs'
EW

Efraim Wyeth · 1:38 AM

Eradicating poverty in all its forms remains one of the greatest challenges facing humanity. While the number of people living in extreme poverty dropped by more than half between 1990 and 2015 – from 1.9 billion to 836 million – too many are still struggling for the most basic h
AT

Aarti Tandon · 1:39 AM

I hardly think blockchain is a savior but it provides transparency and democratization to utilities that have underserved communities for so long.
EW

Efraim Wyeth · 1:39 AM

... human needs
AS

Arnold V. Strong · 1:39 AM

Yes, Aarti!!!
EW

Efraim Wyeth · 1:40 AM

Globally, more than 800 million people are still living on less than US$1.25 a day, many lacking access to adequate food, clean drinking water and sanitation. Rapid economic growth in countries like China and India has lifted millions out of poverty
FO

Faris Oweis · 1:40 AM

Amen Aarti!
EW

Efraim Wyeth · 1:41 AM

but progress has been uneven. Women are more likely to live in poverty than men due to unequal access to paid work, education and property.
AS

Arnold V. Strong · 1:41 AM

We at Unify Earth believe that the blockchain
AT

Aarti Tandon · 1:42 AM

I also think the lack of rule of law contributes to poverty and blockchain helps to create continuity and a sense of rights, ie property rights.
AS

Arnold V. Strong · 1:42 AM

and specifically, our Unify Core, provides audit trail flexibility, anonymity when desired, all with global compliance. Different members of the partner token ecosystem can see more or less of the specifics in the steps of a transaction
EW

Efraim Wyeth · 1:42 AM

Progress has also been limited in other regions, such as South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, which account for 80 percent of those living in extreme poverty. New threats brought on by climate change, conflict and food insecurity, mean even more work is needed.
AS

Arnold V. Strong · 1:43 AM

This translates to an improved access to audit trail oversight for compliance issues and regulatory oversight.
FO

Faris Oweis · 1:43 AM

I think China is on to something with models like WeChat and AliPay....millions and millions of people are hyper connected in basically 2 ecosystems
FO

Faris Oweis · 1:43 AM

the issue is that it's centralized
5G

5thElement Group · 1:44 AM

★ Spotlighted from Tracy Chapman

“Good point, Faris. They are different issues. Some of the services or solutions may overlap or be the same, but the causes are different and they do require being looked at as individual issues as well. n”

FO

Faris Oweis · 1:44 AM

imagine that same model decentralized where each participant has an equitable share of their contributions
AS

Arnold V. Strong · 1:44 AM

This, in turn, makes for greater fidelity in the record, with lessened likelihood for the graft and corruption that have been almost the norm for decades, if not millennia
FO

Faris Oweis · 1:45 AM

agreed...but the point is they are driving at the core issues...access and interoperability
AS

Arnold V. Strong · 1:46 AM

Yes, Faris, and THAT is the key...
FO

Faris Oweis · 1:46 AM

in the US...our third most used app is Starbucks
FO

Faris Oweis · 1:46 AM

which floats around $500m
FO

Faris Oweis · 1:46 AM

Aarti...do you know any cities looking address these core issues as it relates to poverty?
AS

Arnold V. Strong · 1:47 AM

for us, it is imperative that we decentralize access by making code as simple to access as it is complex to crack....
AT

Aarti Tandon · 1:47 AM

As it relates to blockchain and homelessness, I know the City of Austin is highly focused on its deployment.
AS

Arnold V. Strong · 1:48 AM

Austin is a key city for us, Aarti, because of their focus by the city's leadership on technological legitimacy and accessibility for all of its citizens.
FO

Faris Oweis · 1:49 AM

yea my issue with that...they've procured 2 separate vendors for the same issue.
AS

Arnold V. Strong · 1:49 AM

Interesting...
FO

Faris Oweis · 1:49 AM

I think people look at homelessness and try to address a specific element vs. holistically approaching it
AT

Aarti Tandon · 1:49 AM

I know that Mastercard, Microsoft, and Accenture have come together to use blockchain to address refugee issues in camps.
FO

Faris Oweis · 1:49 AM

like homelessness, but for medical records...or homelessness, for fraud detection on how funds are distributed
AT

Aarti Tandon · 1:49 AM

Agreed, Faris.
AT

Aarti Tandon · 1:50 AM

There needs to be a holistic approach.
FO

Faris Oweis · 1:50 AM

Ef- What works is being done by the UN to help promote standards?
AT

Aarti Tandon · 1:50 AM

I think the only city taking a holistic approach to deploying blockchain is Dubai.
AS

Arnold V. Strong · 1:51 AM

Whoa, fascinating, Faris... I see a major resource in migrating much of the VA and its healthcare system onto the blockchain for just the reasons your reference above.
FO

Faris Oweis · 1:51 AM

Ef- is the UN getting more involved with standards so more companies trying to do good can play nice in the same sandbox?
AT

Aarti Tandon · 1:51 AM

YES, Arnold!
AS

Arnold V. Strong · 1:52 AM

Though it may seem obvious to many of us working within this space... I think that the challenge we must all strive toward is one of migrating the conversation about Blockchain away from mere discussion of cryptocurrency and opening up the dialogue to a MUCH broader discussion...
FO

Faris Oweis · 1:53 AM

I also think people on this chat are doing a fantastic job migrating the conversation out of the popular areas like NYC, SFO, Singapore, London, etc.
AS

Arnold V. Strong · 1:54 AM

By not focusing on purely monetary transactions, Unify Core provides an end-to-end exchange for anything that people sell, barter, know, give, or trade whether or not currency is involved – fiat, crypto or otherwise.
AT

Aarti Tandon · 1:54 AM

Imagine if we could put all VA records on blockchain so when you enlist, when you become a veteran and any of your health records are all connected? Think of how much less stress and bureacracy there would be!
FO

Faris Oweis · 1:55 AM

not knowing the pains of the process current, it just seems like DMV multiplied by 1000
FO

Faris Oweis · 1:56 AM

Arnold I agree with your point on not focusing primarily on the monetary side...but people in poverty need better access to people willing to give it
AS

Arnold V. Strong · 1:56 AM

OMG, Aarti, Yes! Having just spent the morning yesterday visiting hospitalized veterans in the VA of Long Beach and spreading some Fourth of July Independence Day cheer, I completely relate... so many stories of lost records and bureaucratic fights... just to get earned care
AS

Arnold V. Strong · 1:57 AM

We like to simply the discussion about blockchain by stating a basic African example...
AS

Arnold V. Strong · 1:58 AM

Increasingly one of the fastest implementers of Blockchain for transaction we are seeing is in continental Africa... A model we offer is that we are about enabling the Liberian Goat farmer to get a full 50 cents per gallon of goat milk instead of the 12 she normally gets...
AS

Arnold V. Strong · 1:59 AM

because by doing so on the blockchain though a legitimate exchange... enables her NOT to have to pay off the market leaders, the police "security" chief, the village elders, and all the other layers of graft in every transaction..
AT

Aarti Tandon · 1:59 AM

By the way, I read that the UN World Food Programme is using a blockchain program called Building Block which is authenticating and recording payments to food vendors especially in remote disaster relief areas where banks are not functioning normally.
AS

Arnold V. Strong · 2:00 AM

this in turn enables her to provide a better quality of life for her children, better education for the village and better prosperity for all off them.
AS

Arnold V. Strong · 2:00 AM

I am very interested in that, Aarti, and know our team is already looking at gathering the tools to further explore that with an eye toward solutions...
AT

Aarti Tandon · 2:00 AM

Yes, Arnold. Addressing the corruption is one of the main factors in addressing poverty. Your example says everything!
FO

Faris Oweis · 2:00 AM

I saw a picture two days ago of a homeless person in Shanghai putting up a QR code...got money on the spot.
AS

Arnold V. Strong · 2:01 AM

Efraim's partner in PVBLIC, Sergio, may be a good source of discussion there.
FO

Faris Oweis · 2:01 AM

For sure Sergio can help there
AT

Aarti Tandon · 2:01 AM

Sergio is actually on the board of Smart Cities New York!
AS

Arnold V. Strong · 2:01 AM

of course he is... what is that man NOT doing is my question.
AT

Aarti Tandon · 2:01 AM

By the way, so nice to hang with you guys this evening...
FO

Faris Oweis · 2:02 AM

For sure...why don't we call it a night? Pick this back up...I actually have news for both of you!
AS

Arnold V. Strong · 2:02 AM

Indeed... Truly a visionary lot and I am missing New York already
AS

Arnold V. Strong · 2:02 AM

Most excellent... Thanks for this, Faris
AS

Arnold V. Strong · 2:03 AM

Aarti, Efraim and 5th Element.. This was a GREAT stat to the dialogue.
AT

Aarti Tandon · 2:03 AM

Arnold, THANK YOU for all that you do!
FO

Faris Oweis · 2:03 AM

props to 5th Element...like where this is going!
AT

Aarti Tandon · 2:03 AM

Faris, you rock.
AT

Aarti Tandon · 2:04 AM

And yes, thank you Efraim and 5th Element!!!
AS

Arnold V. Strong · 2:04 AM

Many thanks... and clearly, Faris, you and I need to change our profile pics... I don't think either of us look like we did when these pics were taken... LOL.
5G

5thElement Group · 2:05 AM

So inspiring, great job everyone! Follow these amazing leaders on twitter: @faris_says @aartitandon @arnoldvstrong
AS

Arnold V. Strong · 2:05 AM

Aloha from the West Coast... Aarti, thank you for your grace and wisdom, depth and class. So many things to appreciate about this core team. Let's continue the discussion.. Special Thanks to the many behind the curtain Blake Ian, for making this happen with Tawkers.
AS

Arnold V. Strong · 2:05 AM

Mahalo! Grazi, Gracias, Arigato, Danke y Merci.
EW

Efraim Wyeth · 2:20 AM

Thank you all for your participation so far.
EW

Efraim Wyeth · 2:21 AM

Please remember that the beauty of Tawkers is that you can jump in and participate any time, day or night and share a few thoughts - just like in any chat - we don't ned to all be here at the same time.n
EW

Efraim Wyeth · 2:23 AM

The get-ta-know-ya part is always fun. I expect we'll cover a lot of ground fairly quickly. And, as this Tawk progresses, we'll narrow our focus to specific challenges and opportunities for action with real impact! n
EW

Efraim Wyeth · 2:25 AM

I suggest the following "homework" for the panelists and for all participants: Assuming that hundreds, perhaps thousands of motivated people will be participating in this conversation over the next few weeks, what would you like to see as the result of this Tawk?
FO

Faris Oweis · 2:53 PM

ok I'm putting my thinking cap on
FO

Faris Oweis · 3:27 PM

★ Spotlighted from Jake Gallen

“I want to hear about the implementation of Blockchain ”

FO

Faris Oweis · 3:28 PM

Jake- Any particular interest area? United Nations Blockchain For Impact's main mandate is to leverage solutions that are past proof of concept. We then take these solutions in the field across developing countries globally.
FO

Faris Oweis · 3:28 PM

★ Spotlighted from David Singleton

“So I've read this entire chat, and what I'm getting is there is a lot more to this blockchain thing than just anonymous money! 💰”

FO

Faris Oweis · 3:33 PM

Hi David- Yes the craze of crypto is now slowly being treated as its own topic while the transformative nature of blockchain as a technology layer is now being given its own forum of discussion outside of decentralizing just the monetary system.