We are all used to perceiving NFTs as something used for fun, considering that people are selling and buying digital artworks, brand logos, viral gifs, and pictures of cute cats. But we have observed recently that blockchain technology and NFTs are used for more generous purposes and help save lives. In the wake of the Russia-initiated aggression against Ukraine, people started to solicit donations, in the form of cryptocurrencies as well, to support the victims and soldiers during the war. As a result, it turned out that blockchain technology is an outstanding tool for fundraising charity campaigns.
What Makes NFTs So Popular
Well, there are many factors influencing the hype. First of all, it’s related to blockchain and crypto. As cryptocurrencies are still something unpredictable and interesting, everything that is in any way related to this new type of money deserves its place in the news field. Secondly, it is about games. Yes, many predict NFTs are the future of the gaming industry. Finally, it is a convenient and efficient way for digital artists to be paid for their works available online. And we’re not talking only about the paintings. One can buy or sell collages, gifs, tweets - whatever you might think is worth paying for. For many artists, it is a surprising way to become successful. Mike Winkelmann, the digital artist known as Beeple, sold an NFT for a record-breaking $69 million. Don’t forget that non-fungible tokens are fun.
Still, let's take a look at another way to use blockchain/NFTs boom in our days – to raise money and help people. Yeap, for those of you who want to join this NFT-hype and feel like a superhero, here’s the list of Ukrainian fundraising projects you can support.
#ActLikeZelensky collection
ActLikeZelensky is a 100-piece exclusive edition NFT art collection inspired by the courageous President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky. Each token is a one-of-a-kind work of 3D art illustrating the President of Ukraine, who is highly popular among and admired by people around the world. Earnings from the sales will be donated to the
"People all over the world celebrate the courage and patriotism of our president. We want to take advantage of this and encourage his fans to do what he values most – actions that can stop the enemy. There are many ways to help Ukraine, so everyone can choose their own and become a hero of Ukraine just like Zelensky,” says the project's founder.
The main goal of the #ActLikeZelensky project is to buy 1,000 thermal imagers, 500 radios, 500 flashlights and 500 protective kits (body armour and helmet). These are the things that Ukrainian defenders currently need the most.
“Usually, NFT art collectors are attracted by the uniqueness of tokens and the exclusive ownership of them. But many people still do not understand why someone spends money on digital art that is publicly available. With #ActLikeZelensky, this issue is eliminated - it is a unique NFT-collection that combines a sense of exclusivity with a sense of pride in the help that this token has given to Ukrainian defenders,” says the #ActLikeZelensky team.
#UkrainianArtforLife
Months before the war, different Ukrainian artists from all over the country decorated rockets as a symbol of space exploration and Ukrainian heritage in the space industry. As the war started, the non-profit organisation combined art objects with technologies. They managed to save these art rockets and created NFTs.
The volunteers had 23 art sculptures and created 100 tokens for each. They did it so that everyone who wants to help Ukraine has a chance to do so using blockchain technology. It’s impressive how things such as cryptocurrencies and digital art can be helpful for people suffering from Russian aggression. The team could have never thought they would have to do something like this. But every NFT one purchases today might save a life or even dozens and hundreds of lives tomorrow.
According to the team working on the project, they plan to raise around $500,000 (depending on the exchange rate). All funds raised will be sent to army accounts managed by the Ministry of Digital Transformation. Tokens are available for purchase on the
Teens save Ukraine
The people behind the NFT collection called “Teens save Ukraine” decided to gather the paintings of Ukrainian teenagers aged 11-17 to show what war looks like from teenagers’ perspectives. The initiative is available on
"Unfortunately, Ukrainian children already know what war is - not from songs and movies, but from their own experience. They live for weeks in bomb shelters hiding from shelling, distinguishing the sounds of cruise missiles and fighters. Officially, more than 130 children died at the hands of Russian terrorists for the month of the war. The Teens save Ukraine collection consists of works by teenagers who see the war every day and interpret it in their work," says the project's organisers.
All earnings from the sale of artwork will be transferred to the "Come back alive" foundation in cryptocurrency.
Metahistory: Museum of War
NFTs can share the truth and fight Russian fake news and propaganda, except for sharing emotions via artwork. The “Metahistory: War Museum’ collection was launched to pursue this goal. This is a series of digital images, including the silhouettes of soldiers, screenshots of news headlines and tweets, and the reality of Ukrainians. Each collective represents a separate day of the war.
The project's website mentions that this NFT series is designed "to share truthful information to the world's digital community and collect donations to support Ukraine." All of the money will be used to cover the country's humanitarian needs.
Instead of Conclusion
Well, some may argue whether NFTs are about crypto, games, or art. But what we see now is that they can be used for good causes, to help Ukraine in particular.
Of course, there are many more initiatives and fundraising campaigns appearing daily, aiming to collect donations for the victims of the war in Ukraine, Ukrainian brave soldiers, and numerous other needs. You can choose the way to donate and feel proud of yourself and your contribution.