In episode 192, we’re excited to welcome Sandra Uwantege Hart, Humanitarian Lab Lead at Mercy Corps Ventures, to explore how blockchain, AI, and innovative funding models are helping to get aid to the right people—before disaster strikes.
In this episode, you'll learn
Traditional humanitarian aid is reactive and inefficient – Most aid is deployed after disasters strike, leading to delays, high costs, and logistical challenges. A system designed around rapid response often fails to prevent suffering before it happens.
Anticipatory Action + Web3 = Gamechanger – By using predictive analytics, data oracles, smart contracts, and decentralized funding, anticipatory action enables aid to be pre-positioned and deployed before disasters occur. Blockchain enhances efficiency, transparency, and trust in these life-saving interventions.
The biggest barrier is mindset, not technology – Despite the clear benefits, anticipatory action struggles with adoption due to its complexity and the global tendency to prioritize reaction over prevention. Web3 can shift this dynamic by creating automated, transparent funding models that incentivize proactive aid.
LinkedIn - Mercy Corps Ventures
Twitter/X - Mercy Corps Ventures
Application - Anticipatory Action Accelerator
Anticipate, automate, accelerate: A framework for blockchain in anticipatory action
01:50 - Tell me more about your background and how you became passionate about the intersection of humanitarian aid, emerging tech, and climate resilience?
05:15 - Before we dive into the focus of today’s episode – Anticipatory Action – can you please give a brief intro to Mercy Corps Ventures and its impact?
07:25 - To lay the groundwork for the conversation, can you break down the concept of anticipatory action and why it represents such a fundamental shift in humanitarian aid delivery?
10:35 - Only 1% of humanitarian aid is spent proactively before disaster strikes, despite evidence showing anticipatory action is 7x more cost-effective than traditional aid. Why do you think humanitarian aid has remained reactive for so long, and what needs to change?
14:45 - You’ve written extensively about the role of blockchain in anticipatory action. What makes blockchain particularly well-suited for this use case compared to traditional humanitarian aid systems?
19:50 - What are some of the indicators that can be used in anticipatory action to trigger the disbursement of aid?
23:25 - Tell me more about the role of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in optimizing the predictive analytics in anticipatory action.
28:15 - The Anticipatory Action Accelerator is set to fund cutting-edge projects in this space. Can you share some details on what types of projects and solutions you’re looking for, and what applicants should know before applying?
32:10 - Can you tell me more about the application process and timelines for the accelerator?
34:50 - Can you share a case study of an Anticipatory Action project that illustrates how these technologies can work together to drive impact?
39:55 - What advice would you give to founders, policymakers, and humanitarian organizations who want to explore blockchain and anticipatory action? Where should they start?
42:30 - For listeners who are interested in applying to the Accelerator – can you walk them through the process for applying, and what they should expect to gain from participating?
45:45 - If you could fast-forward five years, what’s one major success story you hope to see emerge from the Anticipatory Action Accelerator and the broader adoption of blockchain in humanitarian aid?
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