- Ripple’s RLUSD pilot in Kenya uses blockchain and smart contracts to provide proactive drought relief to pastoral communities.
- By leveraging satellite data and stablecoin technology, the program ensures fast, transparent, and targeted financial aid.
In a bold step toward revolutionizing humanitarian aid, Ripple has launched a groundbreaking pilot program using its new USD-backed stablecoin, RLUSD, to support drought-stricken pastoral communities in Kenya. In collaboration with Mercy Corps Ventures and DIVA Donate, the initiative leverages blockchain technology to deliver fast, transparent, and proactive financial assistance.
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The pilot is focused on Laikipia County in northern Kenya, a region where recurring droughts threaten the livelihoods of nomadic pastoralists. Using Ethereum-based smart contracts, RLUSD contributions are held in escrow and released automatically when satellite data—specifically the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI)—indicates poor vegetation levels, signaling potential drought.
If drought conditions are detected by May 31, 2025, each of the 533 participating pastoralists will receive around $75 in RLUSD. That amount is enough to cover essential feed and water for one livestock animal over a six-month period—potentially making the difference between survival and loss for families dependent on their herds.
Anyone can support the effort by contributing RLUSD to the campaign. Should conditions remain favorable and no payout is triggered, contributors can withdraw their funds or choose to roll them over into future relief efforts. This dynamic approach marks a shift from reactive disaster aid to anticipatory, data-driven support.
The use of stablecoins like RLUSD in humanitarian aid is gaining traction as organizations seek faster, more accountable methods to reach unbanked and underserved communities. Blockchain’s transparency and RLUSD’s price stability make the technology well-suited for aid distribution, remittances, and insurance-like systems that activate only when needed.
Ripple’s broader vision, through its Ripple Impact program, includes similar collaborations with CARE and the International Rescue Committee to advance blockchain’s role in financial inclusion. RLUSD, fully backed 1:1 by US dollars, is issued on both the XRP Ledger and Ethereum, combining the trust of traditional currency with the efficiency of decentralized technology.
As the pilot progresses, it offers a glimpse into how digital currencies and smart contracts could redefine global aid—replacing uncertainty with precision and empowering communities before crisis strikes. Results from the initiative are expected later this summer.
