The traditional foreign aid system is broken. It was built on outdated assumptions of centralization, dependency, and control. In a time of global crises, communities on the frontlines are often the last to receive support and the least empowered to shape how that support reaches them. This session invites participants to unlearn the deeply embedded models of humanitarian aid and explore how a decentralized, community-driven platform, AidOs, that has been created by Aseel, is transforming how help is delivered.
AidOs is a decentralized humanitarian operating system that empowers local networks to distribute aid with transparency, speed, and dignity. Through its Atalan (Heroes) Network, community members act as local aid agents, delivering packages, registering beneficiaries for digital OMID IDs, and building data systems from the ground up. This model eliminates traditional intermediaries and places agency directly in the hands of those closest to the crisis.
We’ll share how Aseel’s model is being used across Afghanistan to reach all 34 provinces with zero foreign logistical footprint. We’ll examine the role of open APIs, ethical data collection (via Ferni), and digital identity in enabling both transparency for donors and autonomy for beneficiaries. Participants will learn how AidOs is designed to be interoperable, scalable, and applicable far beyond Afghanistan, from refugee camps to climate-hit regions globally.
This talk isn’t just about showcasing a tech solution. It’s about asking hard questions:
What happens when we design humanitarian systems that don’t assume centralized power is necessary?
How can we build digital tools that serve both transparency and trust in fractured environments?
What does it mean to decolonize aid in the 21st century, not in theory, but in code, community, and practice?
Join us to explore what humanitarian aid could look like when led by the people it’s meant to serve. Walk away with a new perspective on aid systems—and an invitation to partner, invest, or collaborate in building a future where help arrives faster, fairer, and on local terms.
Nasrat Khalid: CEO of Aseel Technology- Master's Degree in Business & Management with over 12 years of experience with multiple international organizations engaged in humanitarian affairs, international development and technology.
Nasrat Khalid was raised as an Afghan refugee, witnessing war, migration, and underdevelopment firsthand. A self-taught infrastructure engineer, he worked with USAID, the World Bank, and other global organizations before founding @ASEELApp — a decentralized aid platform born out of frustration with the slow pace of traditional aid. Aseel has delivered emergency relief to over 500,000 people during the Afghanistan crisis and the Türkiye earthquake. It also enables artisans in Afghanistan and Turkey to sell handmade goods globally, with over 10,000 items sold. Nasrat aims to scale Aseel to all 46 least developed countries in the next four years.
Aseel has been recognized by MIT Solve, Xtreme Tech Challenge, and the Andrew Rice Award, and Nasrat has been featured by TIME, NPR, and Al Jazeera.