Fostering trust in digital interactions

Ensure authenticity with verifiable credentials on the Cardano blockchain

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Declining digital trust and the rise of AI are contributing to an increase in online fraud and impersonation.
As a result, humanitarian organizations face a growing need to verify the authenticity and trustworthiness of aid recipients. However, traditional verification processes are labor-intensive, error-prone, and inconsistent, leading to security risks and a lack of verifiable digital approvals.

The Tadamon Accelerator for Food Security is one such program that faces the challenge of monitoring the legitimacy of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and tracking the status of applications, which hinders the program's goal of transparently distributing development assistance. This issue is not a generalized identity problem, but a specific barrier to scaling the program's reach and impact.


The lack of a trusted, verifiable source and a system to monitor approval processes directly impacts the ability to effectively support vulnerable populations through services provided by CSOs. To address these specific verification challenges, the program sought to develop a scalable and replicable solution by leveraging Veridian, the Foundation’s digital identity platform and wallet.

Challenge
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Inconsistent verification
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Labor-intensive processes
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Unverifiable digital approvals
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Ineffective legitimacy monitoring
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Inefficient application tracking
Solution

The Empowerment for Poverty Reduction Program: Leveraging verifiable credentials to empower local CSOs

Launched in 2020, Tadmon supports civil society organizations (CSOs) in serving vulnerable groups across 57 IsDB member countries. With over 5,200 registered CSOs, Tadamon faces a growing need to scale its reach while ensuring the authenticity and trustworthiness of each organization. To help address this issue, the program collaborated with the Cardano Foundation to develop a Proof of Concept (PoC) that explores the use of verifiable credentials for CSOs participating in the Tadamon Accelerator for Food Security. This initiative not only enhances the transparency of development assistance distribution but also empowers local CSOs with a verifiable and portable digital identity, which is key for efficient project implementation.


Beyond this initial phase, the Veridian platform represents a complete, scalable solution that can support Tadamon’s broader goals. The model has the potential to be extended to other programs within the UNDP, other UN agencies, and humanitarian organizations, which could create a more efficient and trustworthy ecosystem for development assistance.

The Cardano blockchain enables secure and verifiable digital identity management

Transforming the landscape of CSO verification

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CSO onboarding

01.

The CSO submits their details and creates a unique ID, which is connected to the Tadamon ID for a secure and uninterrupted connection.

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CSO verification

02.

The Tadamon team approves the CSO, signs the certificate with their ID wallet, and stores this information immutably on the blockchain.

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Optional co-signing

03.

A beneficiary is optionally invited to sign the certificate. If they do, their signature is added to the on-chain certificate.

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Information access

04.

The approved CSO information and certificates can be accessed by the CSO, Tadamon team, and beneficiaries via a special link, allowing for transparent verification.

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Data auditing

05.

At any time, a password-protected list of all approved CSOs and their data can be retrieved into a spreadsheet for auditing purposes.

Fostering trust and transparency between Tadamon stakeholders

01.
Expanded CSO database
Tadamon aims to create the world's largest interactive CSO database by 2029.
02.
Reduced fraud risk
Digital identities significantly reduce fraud and impersonation risks, fostering a trustworthy environment.
03.
Accelerated verification process
Streamlined verification and on-chain records significantly reduce the time and effort required for CSO verification.
04.
Enhanced transparency
Immutable on-chain records provide transparency and real-time monitoring of applicant status.
05.
Empowered organizations
CSOs can present verified credentials seamlessly, expanding opportunities and fostering an equitable ecosystem.
06.
Portable digital identity
Veridian unifies DID standards, giving CSOs a portable and interoperable identity for use across programmes similar to Tadamon.

We are confident that this partnership will strengthen our collective presence in OIC Member Countries and empower, inspire, and connect CSOs in their mission to improve the socio-economic well-being of marginalized communities.

Robert Pasicko
UNDP Program Coordinator
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