Project Title:

Empowering the Marginalised with Blockchain Technology: Case Studies on Financial Inclusion and Crisis Response

Role: Data Analyst

Project Description: This project assessed the impact and potential of blockchain technology in enhancing financial inclusion and providing critical support during crises. By evaluating blockchain's role in various scenarios, such as aiding refugees in East Africa through the Leaf and Kotani Pay projects and supporting displaced people during the Russia-Ukraine war, the study explored both the benefits and challenges of blockchain applications in real-world settings.

Key Responsibilities:

  1. Data Collection and Analysis:

    • Conducted case studies on blockchain applications in financial inclusion, focusing on the Leaf and Kotani Pay projects which provide financial services to unbanked populations in Rwanda and Kenya.

    • Analysed the use of cryptocurrencies by displaced people during the Russia-Ukraine war to understand blockchain's role in identity verification and asset preservation.

  2. Methodological Approach:

    • Utilised a case study methodology to explore blockchain technology's impact in specific socio-economic contexts.

    • Relied on secondary data analysis from published reports, academic literature, and media coverage related to blockchain applications in financial inclusion and humanitarian contexts​​.

  3. Findings and Insights:

    • Demonstrated blockchain's effectiveness in reducing transaction costs and barriers, enhancing accessibility, and ensuring secure financial interactions for marginalised groups.

    • Highlighted the role of blockchain in preserving assets and reconstructing identities during conflicts, providing a lifeline for displaced individuals​​.

Project Outcomes:

  • Provided critical support for displaced people, enabling them to preserve assets and verify identities through the use of cryptocurrencies during the Russia-Ukraine war.

  • Contributed to the broader discourse on digital democracy and economic empowerment, offering actionable insights for policymakers, humanitarian organisations, and technology practitioners on implementing blockchain-based solutions​​.

Skills and Tools:

  • Data Collection and Analysis: Secondary Data Analysis

  • Research Methods: Case Study Analysis, Qualitative Analysis