Ripple has donated $300,000 to World Central Kitchen and Mercy Corps following destructive flooding in Nepal and Tibet. The funding will support emergency meal distribution, clean-water access, and sanitation efforts in affected communities, the blockchain payments company announced on August 28.
Flooding Impact and Response
An ice-rock avalanche from a Himalayan glacier is believed to have blocked a river before releasing a destructive surge downstream. The flooding swept through Nepal's Rasuwa, Nuwakot, and Dhaking districts and struck the Gyirong border port in Tibet, destroying homes, roads, bridges, power systems, and communications infrastructure.
At least 17,000 children were affected in Nepal. UNICEF reported on August 27 that 18 schools were destroyed and 20 sustained damage. The agency sought $17.2 million for health, nutrition, water, sanitation, education, child protection, and early-recovery programs.
Ripple's Humanitarian Partnerships
The contribution builds on Ripple's existing relationships with both relief organizations. World Central Kitchen and Mercy Corps were among several nonprofits piloting Ripple's payment infrastructure and stablecoin Ripple USD (RLUSD) to examine faster and more transparent methods of distributing emergency funds.
Ripple previously worked with Mercy Corps Ventures on a drought-response project in Kenya using RLUSD and smart contracts to trigger payments when vegetation conditions fell below a predetermined threshold. That initiative provided eligible participants with approximately $75 when drought conditions activated the payment mechanism.
