Exciting News! We are thrilled to announce the rebranding of impactMarket account to PACT Consortium. This fresh new identity marks an exciting evolution, as impactMarket grows into a dynamic consortium of global financial institutions. The PACT Consortium will now serve as the go-to hub for everything happening in the vibrant PACT ecosystem.

Why the change? As we continue to innovate and expand our offerings, we wanted a name that reflects this broader vision.PACT Consortium isn’t just a rebrand — it’s a commitment to delivering cutting-edge microcredit lending solutions while fostering collaboration, transparency, and impact within the decentralized finance space.

Expect more exciting updates, new features, and even deeper community engagement under this unified banner. We can’t wait to share what’s in store. Stay tuned and join us on this incredible journey as we continue to build the future of finance, together!

Join the conversation and stay connected with us! Follow PACT Consortium on Telegram,Discord, and X for the latest news and updates.

As we bid farewell to another remarkable year, the impactMarket team takes pride in reflecting on our extraordinary journey in 2023. What a ride it has been!

Originating from a successful Unconditional Basic Income (UBI) program that disbursed over $3 million to nearly 50 thousand beneficiaries globally, impactMarket evolved into a comprehensive web3 solutions hub to empower local communities. We launched new products, Microcredit and Learn and Earn, celebrated great mission-aligned partnerships, participated in several events worldwide, and shared about impactMarket across podcasts, articles, and more.

Amidst the challenges of the crypto bear market, we persevered, fueled by a vision to empower the financially underserved.

Find below some highlights from impactMarket in 2023:

Microcredit

We implemented pilots in Brazil, Uganda, Nigeria, and Ghana testing diverse formats and gauging their impact. Collaborating with Huma Finance strengthened our Microcredit presence in Uganda. In total, it was disbursed $154,000+ through 500+ loans to 425 borrowers who have already made almost 900 repayments.

Learn & Earn

In February, impactMarket launched the Learn & Earn platform, offering short educational content. Thousands of users engaged in courses on finance and web3, with partnerships with Talent Protocol and Halofi bringing some of the first courses to the platform. Notably, our Learn & Earn became the inaugural dApp featured on Opera’s MiniPay wallet, now accessible in Nigeria, Kenya, and Ghana.

Unconditional Basic Income

The bear market drastically reduced the donations to our Unconditional Basic Income program, impacting the frequency and amount of the funds distributed to the supported communities. Aiming to overcome this situation, we launched our “Deposit and Donate” feature, enabling donors to deposit cUSD on impactMarket’s website and redirect the earned yield to support UBI, earning PACT rewards for their donations.

Our commitment to understanding the socio-economic impact of UBI was evident in the independent study “UBI, Blockchain & Refugees” conducted in Krisan Refugee Camp, Ghana, by Rohit Fenn, Avina Ajit, and Aditi Singh. This study delves into the economic and psychosocial aspects of UBI for beneficiaries, offering valuable insights. Download it here.

We partnered with Ammer Cards, Celo Foundation, and the NGO Agape Hands to implement a 3-month pilot in the community of Cochas Bajo, in the Peruvian Andes. 50 beneficiaries were selected to receive UBI and a personalized Ammer Card to facilitate them to spend their funds in local merchants. These two merchants received PoS devices from Ammer to accept crypto payments and Microcredit to invest in their small businesses. Stay tuned for more stories coming from this amazing pilot!

With GainForest, we expanded the applications of our UBI solution to support forest stewards. A few communities were created on impactMarket’s platform to facilitate the distribution of a Conservation Basic Income to reward their preselected and validated stewards on the ground.

Across the Ecosystem

There are other great partners with whom we joined forces in 2023. We collaborated with ImmortalX to support our UBI initiatives, with DappLooker to enhance our analytics capabilities for Microcredit, with Double to bring extra benefits for PACT holders, and with our market makers from DWF Labs.

Our team marked presence in events across the globe, from EthCC to DevConnect, and online in several webinars, podcasts, and livestreams.

We strengthened our connections in the Celo ecosystem and beyond and in 2024 we want to go even further.

What comes ahead in 2024

A dynamic and uncertain scenario requires people and organizations the ability to adapt, reinvest themselves, and constantly evolve. The bear market deeply impacted the blockchain ecosystem in 2023 and, among rumors of a bull run about to start, we reinforce our commitment to a mission worth building for. A mission toward Financial Inclusion that inspired us through hard times to keep creating solutions to empower the last mile.

This mission is not only ours as a project. It’s ours as a community. As people who believe blockchain has a huge potential to create a real positive impact in the world.

How do we envision the future ahead? Inclusive. Empowering collective action. Decentralized.

As a DAO (Decentralized Autonomous Organization), we are taking a step forward in our decentralization journey inviting all of you who feel inspired by our mission. If you would like to become a DAO contributor, fill out this form. Soon we will share more information.

Join us in this movement towards Financial Inclusion!

impactMarket, The Human Empowerment Protocol

impactMarket provides accessible financial solutions to empower underprivileged people worldwide, such as Microcredit, Learn & Earn, Unconditional Basic Income (UBI), and the crypto wallet Libera.

You can find impactMarket also on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, GitHub, Youtube, Telegram, and Discord.

Year in Review: impactMarket’s Journey in 2023 was originally published in PACT on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

In September 2023, we initiated an exciting project pilot with Ammer Group, the Celo Foundation, and the Peruvian NGO Agape Hands to bring Unconditional Basic Income (UBI) and Microcredit to empower a community in Tarma, Peru. We shared an overview of this pilot in a previous article and we will now take you on a journey to the heart of the Andes.

Don’t worry about the high altitudes… Do expect to get as much excited about this pilot as we are!

Context: Financial Inclusion and Poverty in Peru

Financial inclusion and poverty are critical issues in Peru, affecting millions of its citizens. To paint a comprehensive picture of the situation, it’s important to consider various aspects related to access to financial services, financial literacy, poverty rates, and the state of crypto adoption and development in the country.

Access to Financial Services and Financial Literacy:

Financial Inclusion: Access to formal financial services historically has been limited in Peru, particularly in rural areas. According to data from the World Bank, in 2017 only approximately 36% of the adult population had an account with a formal financial institution, leaving a significant portion of the population unbanked or underbanked.

Financial Literacy: Limited financial literacy is a barrier to financial inclusion. Many Peruvians, especially in remote regions, lack the necessary knowledge to make informed financial decisions or to take advantage of available services.

Poverty Rates:

Poverty Incidence: Poverty is a persistent issue in Peru and, despite a positive improvement in the past years, the COVID pandemic negatively impacted the progress achieved so far. According to the World Bank, seven out of ten Peruvians are currently poor or have the risk of becoming poor. Approximately 60% of households in Peru continue to lack essential services, including but not limited to access to drinking water, sanitation, electricity, and internet.

Regional Disparities: Poverty rates are not evenly distributed throughout the country, with rural areas typically experiencing higher poverty rates than urban centers. The Andean region, where Tarma is located, has historically had higher poverty rates compared to the coastal and urban areas. Economic disparities and limited access to basic services are more pronounced in mountainous and rural regions, disproportionately affecting women in these regions.

Crypto Adoption and Development:

Penetration Among the Population: Crypto adoption in Peru is still in its early stages and hasn’t evolved substantially in the last 3 years in comparison to other countries. The use of cryptocurrencies for everyday transactions is limited to primarily international remittances.

Challenges: The use of cryptocurrencies faces various challenges in Peru, including regulatory uncertainty, lack of awareness, and concerns about financial stability. Additionally, many individuals in rural areas had limited access to the internet and technology, which further hindered adoption.

Opportunities: Despite these challenges, there was potential for cryptocurrencies to address financial inclusion issues. Initiatives like our project in Tarma could help raise awareness about cryptocurrencies and their potential benefits in underserved communities.

Community: Cochas Bajo, Tarma, in the Peruvian Andes

Cochas Bajo is a rural community located in the district of Tarma, within the department of Junin. This community embodies the very essence of the Peruvian Andes, with its cultural richness and the resilience of its people against economic challenges. This pilot aims to contribute to both their economic well-being and the preservation of their cultural heritage. Cochas Bajo is characterized by its unique blend of aspects:

Demographics: Cochas Bajo is home to a predominantly indigenous population, largely of Quechua descent. This demographic diversity adds to the rich cultural tapestry of the region.

Geography: The community is situated in the picturesque Tarma region, surrounded by the breathtaking Andes mountains. The geographic isolation of this area has, historically, presented challenges in terms of access to basic resources and services.

Economy: Cochas Bajo primarily relies on agriculture, with subsistence farming being a common livelihood. Economic opportunities have traditionally been limited, contributing to the high poverty rates in this region.

Culture: The culture of Cochas Bajo is deeply rooted in Andean traditions, including music, dance, and artisanal craftsmanship. The people here take great pride in preserving their cultural heritage.

Social: The community is closely knit, with strong social bonds and a sense of collective identity. However, limited access to financial services and opportunities is a recurring issue.

The Protagonists in this Pilot

Beneficiaries: 36 women and 14 men were selected by the NGO Agape Hands to receive the UBI. The pilot was comprised of 3 people aged between 18 and 29, 26 aged between 30 and 49, and 21 people over 50 years old. Yes, we are talking about grandparents transacting crypto in a small rural village in the Peruvian Andes 🤯

You might be thinking… HOW? That’s the beauty of this groundbreaking partnership between impactMarket, Ammer Cards, Celo Foundation, and the NGO Agape Hands. The best in accessible Web3 technology with local roots, leveraging the ground experience of Agape Hands and a remarkable sense of community to drive seamless crypto adoption with a positive impact.

Merchants: Two women between the ages of 18 and 29 were selected to participate in this pilot being empowered and engaged in a few different ways. First, they applied for and received microcredit to invest in their businesses. Second, they received a PoS (Point of Sales) device with the Ammer Pay app installed to enable beneficiaries to easily spend their UBI. Third, thanks to Ammer’s simple-to-use solution and the UBI incentivizing the beneficiaries to consume more, they could see an increase in demand and profit.

The two small stores are mostly focused on selling groceries and a variety of basic items. Before this pilot, they only accepted payments in cash. Having access to new forms of digital payments, such as crypto, helps incentivize both merchants and their customers to explore and benefit from other financial solutions.

Preliminary Results

Showcasing the impact of the initiative, these two merchants utilized their funds to make substantial contributions to the local economy. According to insights from Ammer Cards, to date, one merchant sold goods totaling 1,678 cUSD, while the other one recorded sales of 1,579 cUSD. The beneficiaries, leveraging their newfound financial resources, engaged in 220 transactions, amounting to a total value of 3,256 cUSD, through purchases from the participating merchants.

Breaking down the transaction dynamics, the first transactions averaged 25.9 cUSD, the second batch of transactions averaged 15.8 cUSD, and subsequent transactions, were consistently 10 cUSD or less. This diversified usage of funds reflects a thoughtful approach by the beneficiaries.

One significant learning emerged during the course of the pilot: in the initial stages, beneficiaries expressed concerns about high transaction fees, leading them to make bulk purchases. However, as the pilot progressed, participants learned that cUSD fees were minimal, enabling them to spend their funds more often on day-to-day needs without incurring substantial losses. This newfound knowledge empowered beneficiaries to make more frequent, smaller transactions, enhancing their overall quality of life.

Up next…

As this 3-month pilot is coming to an end, stay tuned for upcoming articles, social media posts, and an inspiring short documentary to know all about the outcomes, stories from the participants, and the next steps of this journey (did someone say microcredit? 👀).

Ammer Group

Ammer is a Swiss company that develops innovative products and solutions based on Web3 technology. The company’s mission is to provide the world with a payment system that would allow billions of people who do not have access to traditional banking systems to participate in the global economy.

Celo Foundation

A mission-driven foundation responsible for education, community engagement, and ecosystem support of the Celo platform.

impactMarket, The Human Empowerment Protocol

impactMarket provides accessible financial solutions to empower underprivileged people worldwide, such as Microcredit, Learn & Earn, Unconditional Basic Income (UBI), and the crypto wallet Libera.

You can find impactMarket also on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, GitHub, Youtube, Telegram, and Discord.

impactMarket is built on the Celo Network and is an avid advocate of the mission of Prosperity For All. As an active contributor to the Celo ecosystem and with a bold vision to keep building and thriving on Celo, in November 2022 we at impactMarket went one step further in our commitment and launched its validator group, owning four validators.

The profits are redirected to support impactMarket’s work toward financial inclusion. As Celo validators, we value the voting power delegated to us by doing our best to play a relevant role in the safety and development of the network and its community.

Running this validator group has been a great journey so far! We’ve been learning a lot and counting on the friendly support of the validators’ community in a true sense of cooperation.

We are happy to update you regarding this first year:

• We renamed our validator from Cnstnt to impactMarket for a clearer positioning;
• We are constantly optimizing technical aspects to ensure that all of our validators are operating accordingly;
• We actively participated in Celo’s governance, by carefully analyzing the proposals published on the Celo Forum and voting accordingly.

As the next step, our goal is to launch our 5th validator enabling us to increase the funds donated to impactMarket’s mission while going deeper in our commitment as validators. And to achieve this goal we need your trust and support. To help us reach the voting power enough to start a new validator, please stake Celo and elect our address:

0x21fb4411fa5828344c2788ab07d4cc12a12571b9

You can use the Celo Wallet to easily lock CELO and stake it by voting for impactMarket’s Validator group. Create a new account or import your existing Celo account and support impactMarket now!

impactMarket, The Human Empowerment Protocol

impactMarket provides accessible financial solutions to empower underprivileged people worldwide, such as Microcredit, Learn & Earn, Unconditional Basic Income (UBI), and the crypto wallet Libera.

You can find impactMarket also on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, GitHub, Youtube, Telegram, and Discord.

One year of impactMarket’s Validator: Overview and Next Steps was originally published in PACT on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

In a strategic move towards enhancing financial inclusion on a global scale, impactMarket and Huma Finance have launched their partnership, combining forces to further their shared vision of inclusive finance. Through this collaboration, both organizations are converging their strengths to amplify the impact of Microcredit, a catalyst for economic growth and prosperity for underserved populations.

impactMarket stands as a beacon of financial accessibility through its Human Empowerment Protocol. At the heart of its suite of transformative offerings lies an innovative Unconditional Basic Income (UBI) protocol, touching the lives of over 40 thousand beneficiaries across nearly 30 countries. With groundbreaking products such as the Microcredit, Learn & Earn Platform, and Crypto Wallet Libera, impactMarket embraces financial inclusion as a cornerstone of its mission.

Huma Finance, on the other hand, stands as a leading credit ecosystem where innovative, crypto-forward fintechs can utilize their receivables on-chain to engage with global capital sources. With this unique model, Huma enables fair and transparent credit and growth opportunities across the globe. This resonates with impactMarket’s ethos, establishing a synergy that is a step towards reshaping the landscape of financial access.

The convergence of these two powerhouses is met with palpable excitement as impactMarket integrates Huma’s expertise to augment its Microcredit endeavors. With successful pilot initiatives already transforming lives in Uganda, Brazil, Nigeria, and Ghana, the partnership paves the way for an accelerated expansion of this transformative financial tool. It’s a testament to the conviction that Microcredit is not just a lifeline, but a launchpad for small entrepreneurs to flourish, triggering a cascading effect of prosperity that reverberates through local economies.

“impactMarket’s pilot pool on Huma is a step towards serving the 99%. Microcredit is an experimental bridge which could bring us closer to true financial inclusion,” remarks Erbil Karaman, Co-CEO and Co-founder of Huma. This sentiment is mirrored by Marco Barbosa, impactMarket’s Co-founder and President, who states, “Our partnership with Huma is a stride toward our mutual commitment to inclusivity and empowerment. It’s a powerful alliance that charts a course for global change”.

In a world striving for equitable financial opportunities, impactMarket and Huma are joining forces toward a future where financial inclusivity is no longer an aspiration, but a palpable reality. As they harness their collective strengths, the journey toward global impact embarks, with Microcredit as the vehicle propelling underserved entrepreneurs from the margins to the mainstream of economic prosperity.

Huma Finance

Built by serial entrepreneurs, fintech, and credit veterans, Huma Finance is the leading credit platform, where high-performing receivables from real-world businesses connect with global capital on-chain. Learn more https://huma.finance/.

impactMarket (The Human Empowerment Protocol)

impactMarket provides accessible financial solutions to empower underprivileged people worldwide, such as Microcredit, Learn & Earn, Unconditional Basic Income (UBI), and the crypto wallet Libera.

You can find impactMarket also on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, GitHub, Youtube, Telegram, and Discord.

impactMarket Partners with Huma Finance to Expand Microcredit was originally published in PACT on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Insights, exciting results, and next steps to expand the microcredit program currently available in Brazil, Uganda, Nigeria, and Ghana.

In the fast-evolving landscape of microfinance, impactMarket continues to push boundaries with our newest product, Microcredit. We are excited to publish our second Microcredit Report, covering the period between April and September 2023. This report not only builds on the initial insights from the pilot in Uganda but also introduces compelling findings from the pilots in Brazil, Nigeria, and Ghana. These new endeavors mark the extension of our mission to empower small-scale entrepreneurs with access to vital financial resources. Together, they paint a vibrant picture of the impactMarket’s microcredit initiative. See the highlights of our latest report:

Mobile Bankers: The Catalysts of Change

A highlight in this report is the role of our Mobile Bankers. These dedicated individuals are instrumental in bringing the benefits of microcredit to entrepreneurs in Brazil, Uganda, Nigeria, and Ghana. With 12 active Mobile Bankers across these regions, we’re not just extending financial access; we’re building a network of local change agents who understand the unique needs of their communities. Get to know more about it by downloading the full report.

Incentivizing Repayment: Strategies and Success

Ensuring repayment is a critical factor in the success of microcredit. We’ve implemented innovative strategies to incentivize borrowers, such as tailored repayment schedules and incentive campaigns. The result? An impressive 0% default rate since the start of our microcredit pilots. This demonstrates not only the viability of our model but also the commitment of our carefully selected borrowers.

From Insights to Growth: The Path Forward

What’s next for impactMarket’s Microcredit initiative? We are committed to ensuring robust growth, maintaining excellent results, and providing the best user experience possible to drive adoption and make a tangible impact on the ground. The report outlines our projected growth of +66.67% for Q4 2023 and +60% for Q1 2024. These projections are based on our accumulated results and learnings, and a clear vision for development and implementation.

This is just a glimpse of what this Microcredit Report holds. We invite you to dive into the full report to explore the in-depth results, insights, and strategies that have made this initiative a resounding success. Discover how decentralized and inclusive microcredit, enabled by blockchain, is revolutionizing access to finance for entrepreneurs in Brazil, Uganda, Nigeria, and Ghana. Download the full report now to access more information.

You might also be interested in our previous reports:

• Microcredit Report Uganda — April and May 2023
• UBI, Blockchain & Refugees
• impactMarket latest Annual Report 2021–2022

impactMarket

impactMarket provides accessible financial solutions to empower underprivileged people all over the world, unlocking opportunities and human potential.

You can find impactMarket also on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, GitHub, Youtube, Telegram, and Discord.

impactMarket’s Microcredit Report — April to September 2023 was originally published in PACT on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

⚡ tl;dr

• impactMarket’s Learn & Earn is the first dApp integrated into the recently launched MiniPay wallet.
• Will Le is now the new CEO of impactMarket. Welcome, Will!

“Joining impactMarket is a privilege, and I’m thrilled to be part of this remarkable team. Together, we’ll keep creating solutions that empower those who need it most and pave the way for a brighter future. I’m honored to lead impactMarket toward even greater success.” — Will Le, new CEO of impactMarket.

All About the Business

📈 Our Monthly KPIs:

Monthly Active Users (MAU)

• Libera: 3554 (-33%)
• dApp: 7K (+21%)

⛓️ On-chain Activity

Total Volume by beneficiaries: $8,897,678.6

Transfers: 6,622

Onchain Transactions: 12,71k

🔝 Microcredit in Numbers

Product Updates

❇️ Microcredit

• We have been working on making the Accept/ Reject flow, Borrower profile, and Repayments more streamlined and easier to use while cleaning up any bugs that have arisen in our Dog Fooding sessions.

❇️ Learn&Earn

• Integration of Learn&Earn with MiniPay is now complete and has been deployed progressively in Nigeria.

📱 Libera Wallet

• All designs for the Fiat Connect integration are now ready to be developed. That includes the full cash-out flow as well as the full KYC screens.

Partnerships, Events, and Latest Announcements

• Opera launched the MiniPay wallet built on Celo, to reach millions of users in Africa, and impactMarket’s Learn & Earn is the first dApp available on MiniPay. We believe that Financial Education is key to promoting Financial Inclusion and crypto adoption, and we are super excited to promote a rewarding learning experience to all MiniPay users.
• Our COO Jessica Gaubert participated in a X Spaces hosted by RociFi to discuss on-chain credit scores for emerging markets microloans.
• Our CMO Susanne Zapelão spoke in a vibrant gathering organized by ReFi Lisboa with the theme “Regenerative Chains: From Carbon-Negative to Community Positive”.
• We shared how we are leveraging DappLooker’s platform on our data-driven approach to develop our Microcredit solution, expanding to why transforming on-chain data into actionable insights is relevant to incentivize mainstream adoption of blockchain. Listen now to the enlightening X Spaces where we dug into this discussion with Marco Barbosa, Arif Khazi from DappLooker, and Angelo Kalaw from Celo Foundation.
• PACT, our governance token, is now listed on the Centralized Exchange BTSE.
• We announced our collaboration with ImmortalX based on a token swap through which impactMarket will redirect the cUSD rewards generated from staking IMTX to fund our global UBI program.
• Our President Marco Barbosa represented impactMarket at the Tokenization GTI webinar — Sustainable Assets Edition, part of a series of webinars promoted by the Central Bank of Brazil focused on digitizing the Brazilian economy and developing the Digital Real platform. Watch it now (IN PORTUGUESE) here.
• During the #CommunityTalks of September on X Spaces our community members of Uganda talked about Financial Education in their communities. Hear now from those who make the magic happen on the ground!

Our People

• The highlight of September was welcoming Will Le our new CEO. Get to know more about Will and what is making us so excited to have him on board by reading his interview in our Meet Our Team series. Our co-founder and former CEO Marco Barbosa, who has been playing a fundamental role in impactMarket’s development and growth, will continue to contribute now as our President.
• As we welcome Will as part of our team, we say goodbye to our Summer Interns, Mariam Chehab and Marcos Salazar. We are thankful for their great work at impactMarket in the areas of Impact Measurement and Development and we celebrate their journey in a dedicated Meet our Team edition. Read it now here.

That’s all, folks! :)

Keep following impactMarket on social media to stay tuned to all of our updates and see you in the next bulletin!

impactMarket

impactMarket provides accessible financial solutions to empower underprivileged people all over the world, unlocking opportunities and human potential.

You can find impactMarket also on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, GitHub, Youtube, Telegram, and Discord.

#28 impact Bulletin | September 2023 was originally published in PACT on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

ImmortalX and impactMarket are thrilled to announce a collaboration that showcases the power of DeFi mechanisms to do more than generate wealth — they can drive prosperity by impacting those who have long been marginalized by traditional financial systems.

At its core, ImmortalX is rewriting the playbook for decentralized perpetuals exchanges. Built on the Celo ecosystem, it introduces innovative mechanisms and tokenomics that offer a competitive edge to Celo users. Central to this collaboration is a token swap through which ImmortalX will stake impactMarket’s governance token PACT while impactMarket will stake ImmortalX’s IMTX token.

What sets this initiative apart is its forward-thinking approach to Unconditional Basic Income (UBI) funding. impactMarket will leverage cUSD rewards generated from staking IMTX to fund its global UBI program. This strategy ensures an ongoing source of funding for UBI, underscoring a commitment to a fairer and more inclusive financial future.

Unconditional Basic Income (UBI) is a key facet of impactMarket’s mission, serving as an effective strategy for poverty alleviation, crypto adoption, and retention. To date, impactMarket has distributed over US$ 3 million in UBI and provides support to over 200 vulnerable communities across nearly 30 countries (see more data on the Global Dashboard).

“At impactMarket, our vision has always been to create a world where blockchain empowers everyone, especially those in need who are often unbanked and underbanked. Partnering with ImmortalX allows us to amplify our impact and collectively drive positive change”, celebrated Marco Barbosa, co-founder and president of impactMarket.

Shared values unite ImmortalX and impactMarket in this initiative. Together, they are embarking on a mission to harness the potential of blockchain technology to empower individuals, reduce inequality, and drive positive change globally.

“Having witnessed the adversities brought forth by the lack of financial access, this reason alone was more than enough to bring forth the development of ImmortalX. The partnership with impactMarket will undoubtedly empower our establishment to accomplish its original goals and potentially transcend”, delighted Josh, co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer of ImmodtalX.

This collaboration is a testament to the fact that DeFi mechanisms, such as token swaps and staking, can serve as catalysts for prosperity and inclusion on a global scale. Together, we have the power to reimagine our systems and practices, uplifting those in need and building a world where everyone can thrive.

ImmortalX

ImmortalX is a next-generation decentralized perpetual exchange on Celo, enabling Celo users to trade cryptocurrencies such as BTC, ETH & CELO with up to 50x leverage, directly from their wallets without depositing. By leveraging our unique concentrated liquidity vault mechanism, our capital-efficient platform offers low slippage for traders and attractive yield farming opportunities for liquidity providers.

impactMarket

impactMarket provides accessible financial solutions to empower underprivileged people all over the world, unlocking opportunities and human potential. Our inclusive protocol is transparent, reliable, and borderless. It operates as a DAO on top of the Celo network, using $PACT as its governance token while running autonomously through smart contracts.

You can find impactMarket also on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, GitHub, Youtube, Telegram, and Discord.

impactMarket and ImmortalX Leveraging DeFi for Financial Inclusion was originally published in PACT on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Summer is vacation time for many but, for others, it’s an opportunity to learn and evolve. This was the summer plan for our engaged interns!

Summer is often synonymous with relaxation, but for us, it was a season of growth. In this edition of Meet our Team, we proudly present two remarkable interns who have embraced the challenge of honing their skills while making a meaningful impact on our projects. Meet Mariam Chehab, who’s delving into the world of Impact Measurement, and Marcos Salazar, a key support pillar for our Development team. As they immersed themselves in their roles, they didn’t learn just about our ecosystem — they became an integral part of it.

Stay tuned as we delve into their experiences, contributions, and aspirations. Together, let’s celebrate the synergy of youthful enthusiasm and seasoned expertise, fostering an environment where learning is a perpetual journey and evolution is a way of life.

Meet two of our recent talented interns at impactMarket and learn more about the projects they are working on to help us make a bigger impact on people’s lives, and why they chose impactMaket. Perhaps you’ll feel inspired to apply for an internship yourself.

On the Spotlight:

Mariam Chehab

I’m Mariam, 24 years old from Beirut, Lebanon. I currently live in Istanbul where I’m finishing my Bachelor in New Media and Communications.

Marcos Salazar

I’m Marcos, a 22-year-old born in Venezuela and raised in Mexico. I currently live in NYC, where I’m completing my Bachelor’s in Computer Engineering.

Could you tell us a bit about yourself and your background? We’re excited to learn more about you!

Mariam:

I love animals, as can be seen in one of the pictures! I take ceramics and boxing classes, and hopefully soon sailing. As a Middle Eastern, loving the kitchen comes to me naturally and I take cooking as one of my hobbies. And lastly, as a media student, I really enjoy my studies and my favorite part about it is the political and news media, perhaps because I was raised in a very politically active nation and environment.

Marcos:

I love traveling and meeting new people. It’s always interesting to see life from different angles. When I’m not on the road, you’ll often find me dancing salsa or cooking up something in the kitchen. It’s just how I like to relax and have fun. Professionally speaking, I’m driven by the desire to shape my career in a way that brings about a positive impact.

What exciting responsibilities have you been handling during your internship? We’re eager to hear about the impactful work you’ve been involved in.

Mariam:

During my internship, I was mainly either preparing reports or analyzing them. But it’s not as basic as it sounds, on the contrary, it was actually really nice and rich in a variety of tasks. It’s never the same topic repeated, always a new one arises. Research includes preparing charts and graphs, going through people’s success stories, and designing visual materials.

Marcos:

I was part of the core developer team, I mainly worked as a frontend developer, helping the team bring to life the impactMarket platform. I was also tasked with testing new features of the platform so in case there was an error I had to report it so it would be addressed immediately by the dev team.

Every experience comes with its highs and lows. What’s been the most rewarding aspect of your internship so far, and on the flip side, what challenges have you faced? We’re here to support your growth.

Mariam:

The most rewarding and fulfilling part of this internship was submitting the work with positive feedback! This part is usually undermined but to me personally, it was the best as I started with just a little knowledge of crypto and blockchain, which was challenging in the beginning, but it turned out to be a satisfying experience.

Marcos:

The highlight of my internship has been the opportunity to collaborate with an incredibly structured developer team. It was eye-opening to see what’s behind a Blockchain company and to build relationships with the brilliant minds behind it. On the other hand, initially integrating myself into their established rhythm and immersing myself in the development process was tough at the beginning, however, with the help of everyone on the team I was able to successfully integrate and contribute.

Looking back at your journey with impactMarket, what notable achievements have you celebrated? Additionally, what obstacles have you encountered and conquered? Your experiences matter to us!

Mariam:

Now completing almost two months with impactMarket is a true achievement for me, I have learned a lot about things that I expected to learn about, like how DeFi functions, and other things that I didn’t expect to know more about, like colleague communication and the nature of links between different departments.

Marcos:

One of my favorite moments at impactMarket was when I presented the development team’s update during our company-wide weekly call. This experience was invaluable as it allowed me to practice skills beyond coding.

On the other hand, a significant challenge was integrating into such a large-scale project. Navigating the complexity and understanding where to begin contributing took time.

Can you share a specific memory or experience from your time at impactMarket that has truly resonated with you? We’re all ears for the moments that have made a lasting impact.

Mariam:

The first time I attended the monthly meeting where everyone from all departments met was a big moment for me. It was my first big professional meeting where I had to present to everyone the work I had done. Although I was a little nervous, it felt really good and motivating afterward.

Marcos:

One standout memory from my time at impactMarket was during our monthly meeting. Seeing everyone involved, their dedication, and the passion they held for driving positive change truly resonated with me.

As your internship draws to a close, what plans or aspirations are you nurturing for the next steps in your journey? We’re excited to hear about the paths you’re envisioning.

Mariam:

As I’m coming closer to the end of the internship and the end of my university years, I’m very excited to start on my career journey and hopefully my master’s degree. This internship really pushed me towards a future in the departments of research and academia, as I found myself enjoying it and putting genuine effort into it.

Marcos:

Drawing from what I’ve learned at ImpactMarket, I’m eager to expand my career in the blockchain space. I would love to use everything I have learned and my skills to generate a positive change.

For individuals interested in joining blockchain companies, what expert recommendations do you have, considering your technical knowledge in this domain?

Mariam:

To those individuals who would like to join blockchain companies or markets, I would say: please be patient with it. It’s a new age for finance and technology, it’s okay to be a little confused at first but give it a chance and give yourself the time you need to properly understand it. Don’t shy away from it because it’s a major part of our contemporary reality and it’ll be even bigger in the near future. Blockchain can solve a lot of problems and the fact that it’s now being used to help disadvantaged societies says a lot on why you should give it a chance!

Marcos:

I totally get the initial intimidation of diving into a blockchain company. All that technical stuff can feel like a massive wall. But honestly, I have learned that most people in this space are super open about sharing the ropes. Just remember to be curious, shoot over your questions, and keep your eye on what you’re aiming for. It’s all about the journey and learning as you go.

As we bid farewell to the warmth of summer and welcome the crisp embrace of autumn, we look forward to witnessing Mariam and Marcos continue to thrive in the great careers they have ahead. Stay tuned for more stories of growth and innovation from our dynamic team.

impactMarket

impactMarket provides accessible financial solutions to empower underprivileged people all over the world, unlocking opportunities and human potential. Our inclusive protocol is transparent, reliable, and borderless. It operates as a DAO on top of the Celo network, using $PACT as its governance token while running autonomously through smart contracts.

You can find impactMarket also on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, GitHub, Youtube, Telegram, and Discord.

#17 Meet our Team — Unveiling our Summer Interns was originally published in PACT on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

We are excited to announce that $PACT, impactMarket’s governance token, has officially landed on BTSE, a prominent digital asset exchange. This listing signifies a pivotal moment in our mission to fuse financial innovation with social impact on a global scale.

$PACT empowers holders with decision-making authority and offers compelling incentive mechanisms. Our impactful impact Farming initiative rewards donors contributing to the Unconditional Basic Income (UBI) program, fostering a culture of giving and inclusion. Additionally, token holders can participate in staking, deepening their engagement with our protocol.

Today, we’re proud to announce that $PACT is now listed on BTSE, a renowned digital asset exchange. This listing takes us another step closer to our mission of strengthening our protocol, empowering like-minded participants, and making a significant global impact.

Trade and deposit $PACT now on BTSE.

BTSE’s reputation as a leading Centralized Exchange magnifies the visibility and liquidity of $PACT. It provides an entry point for new token holders who share our vision of financial inclusion and social impact. This listing solidifies $PACT’s role as a governance catalyst and underscores impactMarket’s mission, allowing participants to steer the protocol’s course and contribute to its success.

In celebration of this listing, with BTSE we launched two remarkable campaigns:

• PACT Trading Campaign: Between September 19 and 24, users have the chance to win a share of a generous US$10,000 worth of PACT token prizes. To participate, it’s necessary to trade a minimum of US$30 worth of PACT tokens.
• Gleam Competition: Alongside the trading campaign, BTSE is running a Gleam competition, encouraging the BTSE community to explore $PACT and engage with our mission.

This BTSE listing represents a significant step forward, but it’s only the beginning. Our commitment remains unwavering: to create a prosperous world where everyone can thrive. We invite you to explore the $PACT pools on BTSE and join us in supporting our mission to unlock human potential and create a fairer world for all.

BTSE

BTSE is a leading digital asset exchange that offers a simple and secure way to trade cryptocurrencies. As the go-to exchange for all things crypto, BTSE is one of the top trusted crypto platforms for institutions, retail users, and first-time traders. BTSE has developed multiple trading technologies that have been adopted across the industry, setting new standards for excellence and innovation in the world of digital asset trading. Additionally, BTSE licenses its industry-leading technology to exchanges worldwide through its white-label exchange solutions, strengthening the BTSE ecosystem and bridging traditional finance with digital assets everywhere.

Find out more about: BTSE | Twitter | LinkedIn | Telegram

impactMarket

impactMarket provides accessible financial solutions to empower underprivileged people all over the world, unlocking opportunities and human potential. Our inclusive protocol is transparent, reliable, and borderless. It operates as a DAO on top of the Celo network, using $PACT as its governance token while running autonomously through smart contracts.

You can find impactMarket also on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, GitHub, Youtube, Telegram, and Discord.

$PACT Listing on BTSE: Bridging Finance and Social Impact was originally published in PACT on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.