Blockchain gaming community raises $1.4M to help typhoon victims

Gamers united to help with the relief and rebuilding efforts for victims of typhoon Rai, also known as typhoon Odette, in the Philippines.

The Philippines, a country that’s already been struggling to get back on its feet because of COVID-19, has been hit by a catastrophic super typhoon. Back on Dec. 16, 2021, the typhoon hit landfall and went on a rampage for four days, leaving 334 cities and municipalities in a state of calamity. 

As of Jan. 1, more than 4 million individuals were either displaced or injured, with 407 dead and 88 still missing, according to the Philippines’ National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

A day after the typhoon hit the country, play-to-earn gaming group Yield Guild Games (YGG) organized a donation drive to help the victims get relief and rebuild. 

Today, with the help of our YGG communities, managers, and friends, we are organizing relief efforts for Typhoon Odette (Rai) victims. #YGGTyphoonOdette

Check out the full details to support https://t.co/TPt3pKfzXJ pic.twitter.com/fy4HnORpUh

— Yield Guild Games (@YieldGuild) December 17, 2021

The response was overwhelmingly positive. Gamers paused and saved to take a moment to contribute. Leading the relief efforts, YGG Philippines country manager Luis Buenaventura told Cointelegraph that with the help of the community, donations reached $1.4 million. 

“Within the first hour we had exceeded $100k, and within the first day, we were at $300k. It’s now been three weeks and donations continue to come in. As of yesterday, we’ve raised over $1.4M purely from community crypto donations,” said Buenaventura. 

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According to Buenaventura, their team will devote the funds to relief efforts, with groups on the ground going into affected areas to distribute food, drinking water, medicine, solar lights and power generators, as well as rebuilding.

The rebuilding initiative consists of a direct cash assistance program where the team sends fiat directly to affected households. 

Buenaventura said that they were able to reach 1,600 households and have enough resources to cover at least another 3,000. “Although that may sound like a lot, initial estimates indicate that over 55,000 homes were destroyed by the typhoon so we still have a long way to go,” he added.