For more than a decade, Save the Children has been exploring how emerging technology can strengthen its mission to support families in crisis. What began as an early move to accept bitcoin donations in 2013 has grown into a broader effort to understand how blockchain can improve the speed, transparency, and impact of humanitarian aid. At the center of this work is Antonia Roupell, who brings years of experience in global emergencies and a deep belief that peer-to-peer technology can expand financial access for communities facing the greatest barriers.

In this conversation, Antonia shares how Save the Children is building on its legacy of innovation through initiatives like the new Bitcoin Fund and its participation in the Bitcoin Humanitarian Alliance. Most importantly, she explains how these advancements can help deliver critical support to kids faster and more efficiently, even in the hardest to reach places.

OpenSea: Let’s start with your story. How did your background lead you to Save the Children and what drew you to exploring blockchain and crypto in the humanitarian space?

Antonia Roupell: I’ve been working in the humanitarian sector for almost two decades. Prior to that, I worked in global newsrooms, usually focused on conflict and emergencies. I went down the proverbial rabbithole on peer-to-peer technologies in my free time and in 2020, the penny dropped for me on how transformative this evolution of money could be for financial inclusion. 

Witnessing first hand the extreme challenges families face living in the harshest environments around the world has been the driving force for the blockchain innovation work we’re leading at Save the Children.  

OpenSea: Save the Children was one of the first global NGOs to accept Bitcoin donations back in 2013. What motivated that early move, and how has your crypto journey evolved since then?

Antonia Roupell: Back in 2013, one of our donors saw our emergency relief efforts during Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines and wanted to give Bitcoin to support. Prompted by this demand, Save the Children became the first global humanitarian organization to accept Bitcoin donations, opening the door to new funding sources. Today, most major charities accept crypto donations but hardly any will hold them in Bitcoin and fewer still are looking at how peer-to-peer technology supports humanitarian efforts in getting funds to families more quickly and transparently. We’ve got a long way to go but we’re proud to have pioneered this trailblazing journey. 

OpenSea: You recently launched the Save the Children Bitcoin Fund. What inspired this initiative, and how does it build on Save the Children’s broader commitment to innovation and transparency in giving?

Antonia Roupell: Save the Children’s Bitcoin Fund was launched last month, inspired by the desire to hold and use Bitcoin donations to increase financial flexibility and the speed of humanitarian aid distribution. The fund was also motivated by Bitcoin donors who have shared with us that they feel strongly their donations should be held in Bitcoin, not auto-converted to fiat. When donors told us their Bitcoin was their “digital gold” and a ‘hedge against inflation,’ we listened. Our Bitcoin Fund enables us to unlock donations we otherwise would not receive to maximise our reach and impact for children. 

Given the major foreign aid cuts that have impacted our sector this year, the timing to further diversify from institutional funding and embrace disruptive solutions has never been more urgent. Save the Children’s Bitcoin Fund builds on our commitment to creating cutting-edge solutions, enabling multi-year humanitarian programming with greater efficiency, transparency, and reduced reliance on traditional financial intermediaries. Ultimately, it means we can continue to be there for kids when and where they need us the most — every day and in times of crisis. 

OpenSea: Can you share an example of how crypto donations have already made an impact on the ground? Whether through speed of aid delivery, donor engagement, or community empowerment. What have you seen firsthand?

Antonia Roupell: In countries like Bhutan, we’ve tested how crypto donations have enabled families to receive cash assistance via mobile wallets within minutes. In the Philippines, we ran a pilot that paid youth in Bitcoin for microwork tasks completed on their mobile phones. The feedback was really positive and we proved how useful Bitcoin and stablecoins can be in sending small amounts to wallets cross-border. 

OpenSea: Save the Children also joined the Bitcoin Humanitarian Alliance with The Human Rights Foundation this year. What does being part of that coalition mean, and how does collaboration strengthen your mission to reach children in crisis?

Antonia Roupell: Being part of the Bitcoin Humanitarian Alliance means joining a global network of organizations and individuals leveraging Bitcoin to protect human rights by democratizing access to financial services — something we take for granted in many countries. This collaboration allows Save the Children to share best practices, expand our youth-led advocacy work, and innovate collectively. 

OpenSea: How do you approach education and trust-building with supporters and donors who are new to this space?

Antonia Roupell: By providing clear, accessible information and addressing concerns about safety and compliance, Save the Children builds trust with supporters new to crypto — helping them feel confident their donations will have a meaningful impact for kids. For example, not enough people know that they could reduce their U.S. capital gains by donating crypto to charity.  

The response to our innovation work has been incredibly positive among crypto natives and Bitcoin maxis, but also among people outside the crypto space, who are compelled by our commitment to using technology to innovate effective humanitarian solutions and deliver greater impact for children around the world. 

OpenSea: From a technology perspective, what excites you most about bringing blockchain into a global nonprofit framework like Save the Children’s? Are there any recent innovations that have made this work especially promising?

Antonia Roupell: The potential to reduce transaction times and enable remote financial access while increasing our transparency and accountability are among the areas that excite us the most. As well as offering an instant financial inclusion tool, innovations such as Lightning network payments, global stablecoin adoption and mobile wallet integration have made blockchain relevant for humanitarian aid delivery. 

Save the Children has over a century of expertise, and we’re unwavering in our commitment to continue innovating to reach millions of children every year. We believe that disruptive innovation can happen from within large organizations and when so much is at stake, we know it’s our duty to try. The progress and solutions being built in blockchain are moving fast and we’re thrilled to be working with incredible partners — such as the Bitcoin super-app builders, Fedi, and our custody solution to holding cryptocurrency, Fortris — who offer us invaluable expertise and advice. 

OpenSea: Finally, on a personal note, what keeps you inspired at the intersection of technology, innovation, and global impact?

Antonia Roupell: The real difference technology can make when used for good inspires me the most. Save the Children's mission is to protect children's access to health, education, and safety, wherever these basic rights are threatened. The reality is bleak when considering that this year alone, conflict plunged 63 million children into hunger.

Seeing the eyes of youth widen when testing a digital wallet for the first time has been a highlight for me. Watching their faces light up when they receive cross-border funds to their phones in seconds at almost zero cost signals that this technology is not waiting for anyone. To be sure, it’s not Save the Children’s role to bring crypto adoption to people but rather to support the education and use of blockchain technologies, like Bitcoin, to deliver maximum value and real solutions to those who need them most.

Learn more about Save the Children’s Bitcoin journey here.

Donate crypto to Save the Children in just a few simple steps here. 

To engage with Save the Children’s Bitcoin Fund please contact: bitcoin@savechildren.org 

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