In recent weeks, news about COVID-19 has spread as fast as the virus is spreading across continents. The pandemic is the reason several countries have had to shutdown their economies and enforce stay-at-home orders.
Not everyone has the luxury to survive without any wages or aids for as long as it continues. Although many wealthy governments have unveiled rescue packages for citizens and businesses, the case is much different in Nigeria. Most of the palliatives the federal government has launched in the past few days are conditional cash transfer and food donations targeted mostly at specific regions and bottom of the pyramid populace. Not a lot is being done to cater to the urban poor and youths who have to deal with scarcity and inflation.
A few Nigerians have risen to the occasion to help solve this huge gap of needs, calling themselves “Better Angels”, the group is made up of innovators from Paystack, Hygeia HMO, Zedvance, Accounteer, Future Africa, Hotels.ng, Zrosk, and Bento.
Using the technology we developed for our companies, we are leveraging the power of networks to crowdsource a fiscal stimulus for Nigeria. We are not building a company, charity or NGO and plan to stop this by Dec 2020.
We Are Together is a crowdfunding platform providing COVID-19 relief fund for the country. The website was set up to help curb the financial issues many Nigerian are currently facing as a result of the pandemic.
We are leveraging the power of networks to crowdsource a fiscal stimulus for Nigeria.
How It Works.
The platform accepts donations from donors and redistributes them directly to people in need of financial support. Nigerians in financial distress can apply to receive ₦10,000 and can reapply every three weeks.
Through applicants’ Bank Verification Numbers (BVN) and bank account numbers, the platform is able to determine who is eligible for the fund within seconds and disburse funds. Funds are disbursed between Mondays and Fridays and it is announced on social media.
They will be distributing funds until December 2020.
According to TechCabal, Within a few days of its launch, Better Angels has raised ₦9.6 million from 100 donations. It has so far disbursed ₦8.5 million to over 840 applicants. An audit log also shows who the donors are and how much they donated.
We are not angels, we are like you – men and women looking at the world, aghast, shell shocked, and wondering how an unseen enemy has been able to turn the entire world upside down. [w]hat we are experiencing is a massive exogenous shock to several of our systems – our healthcare system, our economic system, and of course, to our psyches. Those who have some will give to those who do not have a lot in order to stem mass civil unrest and keep the economic engine churning.
Better Angels said in a finely worded note on its website.
