Team of 3 embroidery artists weaving NFT charity drop for victims of human trafficking

Team of 3 embroidery artists weaving NFT charity drop for victims of human trafficking

A team of three embroidery artists — Katerina Marchenko from Russia, Aline Brant from Brazil and Ninni Luhtasaari of Finland — have announced on December 23, Thursday, that that they would be auctioning their nonfungible token (NFT) art pieces for supporting Hope for the Future (HFTF).

HFTF is a registered charity based in Austria. As per the announcement, proceeds from the auction would assist victims of human trafficking in finding entry-level work positions after their traumatic experiences.

The NFT sale is scheduled for Orica between December 27 and 30, with each piece having a floor price of $500. The auction’s goal is raising $10,000 for the employment program. 

Founder of HFTF, Andrea Staudenherz, has said that even when one offers survivors the possibility of getting out, they are mostly so traumatized by their experiences that having little knowledge of the local language becomes difficult for them. For that to change, they must “first become integrated step-by-step into normal life,” which is where the employment program comes in.

Staudenherz also said that it is “incredible” that the renowned embroidery artists are now supporting the charity’s work via Orica from different sides of the world. These NFTs, she explained, gives them the hope that they could fund five days a week of the training program in 2022. The current budget stretches to only four, she added.

Marchenko, who has over 400,000 followers on Instagram profile, stated that they would follow this year’s excitement about NFTs, but they needed a reason “bigger than being in it for the money,” so when Orica had told them bout Hope for the Future’s campaign, it became “that bigger reason” for them. 

Marchenko expressed their excitement of auctioning their artwork for such an important cause.

The intersection between charity, NFTs and other philanthropic ventures has been increasing massively in 2021. For instance, Orica had partnered with a registered charity, Austria’s Bbanga Project and Germany’s digital artist Mellowmann had hosted an NFT drop, the proceeds of which went to the construction of a school in Uganda. 

Similarly, In the United States, the Internal Revenue Service has permitted good Samaritans for writing off their crypto or NFT proceed from donations against their ordinary income, thus saving ample tax dollars while simultaneously donating to good causes.