Philanthropy & Activism
September 25, 2025
Updated

Growing Good Episode 3 - From Crypto to Community: Telaga Charity’s Mission to Transform Impact in Indonesia

By:
Drew Simon
For Episode 3 of Growing Good on Solana, we welcome Ashen of Telaga Charity, a crypto-powered nonprofit on a mission to meet the basic needs of those living in poverty in Indonesia. We discuss how crypto & Web3 tools are unlocking a new wave of creator-driven philanthropy, and why blockchain transparency is changing the future of giving, making every donation traceable and accountable.
Growing Good on Solana Episode 3 - From Crypto to Community: Telaga Charity’s Mission to Transform Impact in Indonesia, featuring Ashen of Telaga Charity

Welcome to Episode 3 of Growing Good on Solana, our three-part mini-series where we dive into the Solana impact ecosystem and highlight visionary builders using Web3 to reimagine what’s possible for people and the planet.

In our first episode, we explored how Somos Axolotl is blending art and blockchain to protect endangered species. In the second, we looked at ecoBridge’s work building trusted ecological credit markets. And now, for the final episode in this series, we’re turning to Indonesia, where Ashen and the team at Telaga Charity are pioneering a new model for Web3-powered giving.

Telaga Charity is on a mission to meet basic needs like food, water, shelter, education, and healthcare for millions of Indonesians living in poverty, with donations as tangible as $3 to feed a family or $5 to provide school supplies. But what makes their work truly special is how they use blockchain transparency and Web3 community to build trust, track every donation, and rally global support in ways that traditional charities simply can’t. They’re also leveraging a growing model for philanthropy driven by content creators and influencers online.

You’ll learn:

  • 🌐 How Web3 and online communities are unlocking a new wave of creator-driven philanthropy, turning giving into something participatory, inspiring, and global.
  • 🔍 Why blockchain-powered transparency is changing the future of giving, making every donation traceable and every dollar accountable.
  • 🍚 How Telaga Charity is transforming lives in Indonesia by funding education and food security initiatives with cryptocurrency donations.

This series is made possible thanks to support from Superteam Canada and their partners. Superteam is a global network empowering builders to launch projects, earn globally, and connect with high-signal communities across the Solana ecosystem. Through grants, bounties, and workshops, they’re helping onboard the next generation of changemakers, and we’re thrilled to be part of that mission by spotlighting impact-driven founders who are building for good.

Key Takeaways

🔍 Transparency Builds Trust: Traditional charitable giving is losing credibility, especially with younger generations. Telaga Charity shows how blockchain can rebuild trust by making every donation traceable, sharing their impact with the community, and positioning donors as true partners in impact.

📢 The Future of Giving Is Creator-Driven: Just as creators like MrBeast have redefined how younger audiences engage online, the creator economy is reshaping philanthropy. By blending influencer-style engagement with blockchain transparency, charities can reach and inspire a new generation of givers.

🌐 Why Solana? Community + Demographics: Telaga chose Solana for its strong support network, vibrant impact community, and younger demographic, many of whom have both the means and the motivation to give back through transparent, Web3-native platforms.

Follow Ashen and Telaga Charity

Ashen - Twitter/X

Ashen - YouTube

Telaga Charity - Twitter/X

Website

Donate to Telaga

Thank you to Superteam Canada and their sponsors for their support in bringing this series to life!

🎙️ This podcast was recorded on Zencastr! Create your podcast today! #madeonzencastr

Please note: we make use of affiliate marketing to provide readers with referrals to high quality and relevant products and services.

Episode Time Stamps:

03:30 - Let’s start with your journey. What led you to the world of Web3, and how did your path ultimately lead to launching Telaga Charity?

06:25 - For listeners who are just hearing about Telaga for the first time, can you give us a high-level overview of the mission, the communities you serve, and the kind of impact you're working toward in Indonesia?

10:30 - You’ve structured Telaga around very tangible donation tiers: $3 feeds a family, $5 provides school supplies, $10 provides medicine, etc. Why was it important for you to make the impact this concrete, and what kind of results have you seen?

13:50 - Your website makes clear that transparency is a core value of Telaga. How are you using blockchain and the transparency it offers to build trust and show donors exactly where their contributions are going?

16:20 - Walk me through the process for how donors engage with the platform and donate crypto.

19:55 - Community is just as important (or more) than technology when it comes to building a Web3 community. What strategies have you used to successfully build your community?

23:15 - How do you keep the community engaged in your mission so they continue to participate and can see the impact of their contributions?

26:40 - Why did you decide to build on Solana? What makes the Solana ecosystem a good fit for a nonprofit like yours?

29:25 - As I’ve begun participating more in the Solana ecosystem, it has become clear that there is a dedicated and growing impact community. How has being part of this ecosystem helped you grow, connect, or scale your mission?

31:15 - What advice do you have for impact builders interested in launching a project onchain?

35:00 - Telaga has already raised over $100K in crypto donations, and the model seems to be working. What’s next for Telaga? Are there any new projects, tech integrations, or communities you’re hoping to reach?

37:30 - What’s your call to action for listeners who want to get involved? Whether they’re crypto-native or not, how can they support Telaga’s mission?

39:45 - And to close things out, what gives you the most hope when you look at the intersection of Web3 and humanitarian development? What’s one message you’d leave with anyone building for impact in this space?

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DISCLAIMER

While we may discuss specific web3 projects or cryptocurrencies on this podcast, please do not take any of this as investment advice, and please make sure to do your own research on potential investment opportunities, or any opportunity. We host a variety of guests on this podcast with the sole purpose of highlighting the social impact use cases of this technology. That being said, Crypto Altruism does not endorse any of these projects, and we recognize that, since this is an emerging sector, some may be operating in regulatory grey areas, and as such, we cannot confirm their legality in the jurisdictions in which they operate, especially as it pertains to decentralized finance protocols. So, before getting involved with any project, it’s important that you do your own research and confirm the legality of the project. More available HERE.