NFT Creator Raises $50k For Kiwi Conservation

A national charity protecting one of Aotearoa’s most vulnerable birds received a $50,000 donation last week from the most unlikely of donors: a NFT project.

On Saturday, Christchurch-based user experience (UX) designer Christian Dixon-McIver, alongside developer Josh Smith, confirmed a donation of $50,000 to Kiwis for kiwi during a livestream on streaming platform Twitch, after creating 5,000 unique video game-style 8-bit kiwi that were sold on the Cardano blockchain as non-fungible tokens (NFTs).

Dixon-McIver was inspired to raise money for Kiwis for kiwi after a trip from Queenstown to Milford Sound.

“The tour guide was telling us about how New Zealand used to be home to millions of birds, but then we introduced predators and these special creatures started to die out,” Mr Dixon-McIver said. “I just felt really sad. How can we call ourselves ‘Kiwis’ if we don’t look after the kiwi?”

Dixon-McIver said this NFT project shows there can be different ways to raise money for charities, by thinking outside the box.

“Door-knocking, cold-calling, and shaking buckets on the street work, but people are always looking for new ways to donate,” he said. “NFTs are a new channel that reaches a wider audience across the world. Buyers of these limited-edition kiwi NFTs can feel like they’re contributing to a worthy cause by doing something a bit different.”

It’s also proof that a lot of good can come out of cryptocurrency.

“People still don’t know much about NFTs or cryptocurrency, and there’s still a lot of mistrust around them. But a lot of good can come out of them, and I’m stoked to have been a part of something that will directly impact the future of New Zealand’s national icon.”

Kiwis for kiwi executive director Michelle Impey admits that when Dixon-McIver first approached the organisation, she didn’t know what to think.

“I have to be honest, when the initial email came in proposing this as a fundraiser, we weren’t sure,” Ms Impey said. “We know NFTs are a ‘hot item’ at the moment, but we didn’t know if it was legitimate, how it would work, or if it would be successful.

“But this just shows that charities need to start looking outside the square for funding opportunities, because there are plenty of people out there who want to contribute beyond our traditional target audiences and methods.”

In February, Kiwis for kiwi launched an endowment fund which gives philanthropists the opportunity to donate funds or leave a gift in their will to the kiwi conservation not-for-profit.

“Kiwi conservation is something that DOC can only fund up to a point because they partner with other organisations to help hundreds of other vulnerable species too,” said Ms Impey.

“That’s why Kiwis for kiwi exists. We work alongside DOC, iwi, kiwi conservation groups, volunteers, organisations, and individual donors to boost the funding that is available for kiwi conservation.

“Launching our endowment fund earlier this year was one way to broaden our funding opportunities, and now with this NFT donation we’re excited to see what other donation methods might be available in the future.”

About Kiwis for kiwi
Only a few hundred years ago, millions of kiwi roamed Aotearoa. Today, New Zealand is home to approximately 68,000 kiwi, and despite efforts that number drops by 2% every year – that’s around 20 birds a week. Kiwis for kiwi is the national kiwi charity that, in partnership with the Department of Conservation, works alongside community-, iwi- and hāpu-led kiwi conservation projects all over New Zealand to reverse that 2% decline and take our national icon from endangered to everywhere. The organisation also manages several kiwi incubation and crèching facilities as part of their own kiwi conservation strategy.

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