Techfugees Kenya – Blockchain & Refugee Emergency Response: Can Blockchain technology help save the lives of refugees?

Date: 22nd of February 2017 
Time:  4:30pm – 7:00pm, East Africa Time.
Location: iLab Nairobi, Strath­more University, 4th Floor Stu­dent Centre Build­ing, Keri Road, Madaraka Estate, Nairobi, Kenya 
Capacity is limited. Registration will be confirmed shortly and via email.


Join us for the launch of Techfugees chapter in Kenya!

Blockchain has the potential transform humanitarian responses for refugees and empower refugees themselves to create recognised identities and access essential services that may otherwise be off-limits. This event brings together startups, innovators and humanitarians to explore multiple Blockchain initiatives that have the potential to improve the lives of refugees in East Africa and beyond. Join us for the first Techfugees event in East Africa and help us unlock the power of Blockchain!

The problem

Many refugees, and people in refugee-like situations, across Africa are unable to prove their identity or access essential services. In Sub-Saharan Africa alone, 80% of the total adult population are unbanked and do not have the necessary documentation to open a bank account, and without necessary documentation, many refugees are unable to access healthcare, seek legal protection, or enrol their children in schools. In response, private enterprises and humanitarian organisations have begun to look into Blockchain technology as a way to independently authenticate and validate exchanges of information, from personal identification to money transfers.
How can Blockchain help?

Blockchain is a cloud-based public ledger that automatically records all transactions and stores them securely for everyone to see. This enables independent entities to rely on the same, secured and auditable source of information without the need of third-party oversight.
Mapping solutions

Blockchain is increasingly being used in refugee emergency response. This event gathers leading researchers in the Blockchain space, Blockchain-based startups, and humanitarian players that have begun implementing Blockchain-based initiatives to share insights from the projects they’re currently working on.
The event will discuss questions like:

  • How can Blockchain technology alleviate challenges faced by refugees by providing identification and financial mobility?
  • Can Blockchain unlock essential services to refugees without government support?
  • Which humanitarian organizations have started to use Blockchain technology in Africa and how?
  • When it comes to refugee response and Blockchain: What are the lessons learned from Africa – and outside of Africa?

Speakers

At this event, you will be hearing from:

Joséphine Goube, CEO of Techfugees (via Skype)
Benjamin Hounsell and Ida Jeng, Co-chairs of Techfugees Kenya
Komminist Weldemariam, Research Scientist & Manager at IBM Research Africa
Diana Klein, Head of IT, The World Food Programme in Kenya
Joseph Thompson, CEO, Aid:Tech (via Skype)
David Yen, Regional Business Development Manager, BitPesa, East Africa
More speakers to be announced

Sponsored by REFUNITE & Samuel Hall

Register by sending an email to Giulia Balestra: gb@refunite.org. Please include your full name and organization.