BREAK CHAINS WITH BLOCKCHAIN
THIS WAS ONE OF THE COOLEST PROJECTS I PARTICIPATED IN DURING MY FIRST YEAR AT BLACK MADRE AND IN LIFE AS WELL. I HAD THE INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE 'BREAKCHAINS WITH BLOCKCHAIN' PROJECT. BLACK MADRE, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH HORIZON FCB DUBAI AND THE CHILDREN OF FEMALE PRISONERS ASSOCIATION, WAS INVITED TO CREATE NFTS REPRESENTING WOMEN IN EGYPT CONVICTED OF DEBTS.
ONE OF THESE STORIES IS THAT OF QAMAR. QAMAR WAS MAKING PROGRESS IN LIFE. SHE HAD PURCHASED A REFRIGERATOR IN INSTALLMENTS TO EASE THE CARE OF HER FAMILY. HOWEVER, HER WORLD CRUMBLED WHEN A FIRE DEVASTATED HER APARTMENT, DESTROYING NOT ONLY HER REFRIGERATOR BUT ALSO HER HOME. DESPITE THE GENEROSITY OF FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS, SHE COULDN'T RECOVER FINANCIALLY AND ENDED UP INCURRING A DEBT THAT LED TO A 1-YEAR PRISON SENTENCE.
THE ART I DEVELOPED, DEDICATED TO QAMAR, ENDED UP BEING SOLD, AND THE PROFITS PROVIDED NOT ONLY HER RELEASE BUT ALSO THE OPPORTUNITY TO REUNITE WITH HER FAMILY. THIS PROJECT HIGHLIGHTED THE POSITIVE IMPACT ART CAN HAVE ON TRANSFORMING LIVES.
