Published on April 4, 2024
By: Indigo White
Emigrating presents a formidable challenge. Leaving behind family, friends, and the streets where you grew up places you in an incredibly draining position, where sense of loss embeds itself deep within your soul and never truly dissipates. Adjusting to a new language and culture can trigger unexpected levels of anxiety, not to mention navigating through complex bureaucratic procedures like obtaining visas, work permits, and residency… There’s no shame in deciding not to depart your country or, indeed, in returning.
For those of us who choose to venture into foreign lands, supporting the loved ones we’ve left behind becomes more than just a choice. When we strive for success, we want our families—residing in places with limited opportunities—to feel, at the very least, secure. This is when another challenge surfaces: discovering effective means to provide them with assistance.
People who have been forced to leave their countries, as we discussed in our article about individuals whose lives were transformed by cryptocurrencies, frequently encounter challenges when sending money to their families. When it comes to international transfers, it’s important to consider that financial institutions often charge fees that aren’t very friendly to people with limited incomes; furthermore, some lack easy access to bank accounts in their new countries.
To tackle this issue, the crypto world consistently embraces services that aim to assist those who seek progress while still supporting their loved ones—instead of unnecessarily complicating matters. Our conclave of wizards holds deep admiration for these initiatives and the individuals behind them. Hence, today we’re excited to introduce you to “UnAlivio“, a platform enabling migrants to remotely pay for healthcare services in Venezuela.
Founded by Ernesto Contreras, a Venezuelan engineer, UnAlivio emerged in response to the severe humanitarian crisis that Venezuela experienced between 2016 and 2018, which led more than 6 million people to leave the country in search of a better future. It’s important to note that Venezuela still faces serious challenges, but the peak of its complicated situation occurred during those years. The team behind “UnAlivio” took note of these events, as well as the fact that more than 30 million Latin Americans send financial assistance to their families. This insight motivated them to develop a project aimed at ensuring that multiple patients do not have to wait longer than necessary to receive the support they need.
Through UnAlivio, migrants can pay for services such as electrocardiograms, dental cleanings, laboratory tests, and ultrasounds, among others, using traditional methods like bank transfers from Chile, debit cards, and, since March 2024, Bitcoin and the USDC stablecoin on Stellar. This assists millions of individuals who are reluctant to pay hefty fees of up to 20% for transferring money to their loved ones or sending funds through informal intermediaries. As a result, many Venezuelans can promptly access their treatments, particularly those who are not tech-savvy.
“We developed UnAlivio with common people in mind, aiming to offer an accessible solution for those needing to pay for medical services of their loved ones”.
-Ernesto Contreras.
The platform, currently exclusive to Caracas, Venezuela’s capital, boasts over 100 registered specialists spanning a dozen medical centers, including the Centro de Diagnóstico Salud Petare, located in a popular Caracas neighborhood of the same name. According to this team, they are currently managing a waiting list of over 400 professionals eager to join the system. UnAlivio intends to extend its coverage to all of Venezuela once its ongoing financing round ends.
Amid this process, the beneficiaries include not only Venezuelan migrants and their families but also healthcare professionals practicing in the country. We’re referring to specialists who, upon joining UnAlivio, could see their potential client base grow exponentially. Furthermore, this team ensures that they do not store sensitive information from either the doctors or the migrants who pay for the studies.
The upcoming weeks are crucial for the company, as they anticipate the addition of cash payments from Colombia, El Salvador, Spain, and Mexico, along with the introduction of new cryptocurrencies to offer more Web3 incentives and enhanced security. UnAlivio actively participates in the Stellar Community Fund, maintaining connections with various organizations in this ecosystem, all dedicated to addressing real-world issues through Blockchain technology.
“Cryptocurrencies are more than mere prices; they are modern finance… Finance with enormous potential to transform the region”.
-UnAlivio.
UnAlivio’s story serves as a compelling example of how technology, particularly Blockchain, is reshaping lives. In a world marked by mass migration and nations struggling with limited healthcare access, this platform illustrates how innovation, empathy, and practicality can converge to offer effective solutions, fostering financial inclusion and peace of mind for all involved. We encourage you to follow UnAlivio on Instagram and X to stay updated on their latest developments. They already have plans in motion to expand into Argentina and El Salvador.
Don’t forget to follow us on our social media channels. We’ll soon be sharing updates about Hamza.biz, the pioneering Web3 e-commerce platform powered by the Loadpipe protocol and the LOAD token.