We’re pleased to announce that MaNgo has donated its 2nd and 3rd grant rounds. These two rounds were donated to the Wikimedia Foundation by MaNgo Gamma in a single payment.
The Story of MaNgo
In a previous blog post, I mentioned that one of the updates in the Gamma version was the addition of the “Metaverse to Universe” tab on the homepage. This tab is dedicated to sharing details about MaNgo’s grant rounds and its charitable activities. The NGO’s name is inspired by the narrative created around Mango — the symbolic figure of our organization. The story revolves around a smart yet shy Shiba Inu dog who, after suffering mistreatment in the neighborhood, found refuge with us. Mango spends many days behind the window. He has heard that this window is a gate into the promising Metaverse. So, He decided to help his friends and people through this window. The most modern Non-Profit Organization in the world is called MaNgo because of his heroic purpose and smarter thinking.
Timeline
At the end of each season, MaNgo donates the funds it has raised to a trusted center or individual selected by the MaNgo board, with the aim of supporting animals in need. The timeline for these donations is based on the Iranian calendar, the most accurate calendar in terms of seasonal changes. The first round (summer) was granted to a sweeper who lost his toes while saving a group of puppies. The donation amount for Round 1 was kept confidential, as it was fully funded internally. However, this is not the case for Rounds 2 and 3 — our autumn and winter grant rounds — which followed a different approach.
Crypto Donation Gateway
One of the core developments in the Gamma version was enabling the public to make donations. We achieved this by integrating cryptocurrency gateways into the MaNgo website. Since the beginning, the MaNgo board has upheld a fundamental principle: an NGO must never receive donations without offering a service in return. It was decided to launch MaNgo’s blog section, leveraging the blogging infrastructure already established through MansNotes. This initiative also aligns closely with MaNgo’s core values. This section was launched under the direct supervision of MaNgo’s Chief Veterinary Officer, to publish content focusing on animal welfare and environmental preservation. Currently, MaNgo’s blog posts are authored exclusively by Dr. Amirbahador and focus solely on veterinary topics. In MaNgo’s full release, the number of bloggers will expand and the scope of content will go beyond veterinary science. This robust platform can attract many bloggers, thanks to one key principle upheld by MaNgo’s board: every blogger is the sole owner of their content. This means that in line with what MaNgo calls “mission-driven spending,” bloggers can fulfill their social responsibility and philanthropic goals—while also earning lifetime income in dollars from their content. MaNgo’s crypto gateway currently supports Bitcoin, Dogecoin, Shiba Inu, and Solana, whose addresses are managed by MaNgo and are, for now, dedicated to its sole active blogger, Dr. Amirbahador.
Choosing the Donation Recipient
During Rounds 2 and 3, we repeatedly saw Wikipedia display messages encouraging users to donate in order to prevent the Wikimedia Foundation from being privatized. We had come across notices like the one below several times:
While all MaNgo board members were happy to support this Foundation, some concerns were raised: 1) the foundation is based outside of Iran and 2) such a donation would be an indirect way of supporting animals and the environment. So, the MaNgo board decided to let the audience choose the donation destination. Therefore, It was decided by the board that I’d post a story on my personal Instagram account inviting all MaNgo followers to participate in a poll. The poll aimed to help the board choose between two options: donating to the Wikimedia Foundation or supporting local animal welfare organizations.
In a series of Instagram stories, I explained why donating to Wikimedia was important:
“According to Wikimedia itself, if just 2% of users donated only $2.75 each, the foundation could remain independent, allowing free and open information to continue to be published through this nonprofit platform. We believe the Wikimedia Foundation and its 10 affiliated websites play an irreplaceable role in spreading awareness about animals and the planet. That’s why the MaNgo team calculated that we could, through the donations we’ve collected via our crypto gateways, make a donnation equivalent to what several individuals might contribute —if, of course, you agree.”
The final poll result showed 60% in favor of donating to the Wikimedia Foundation and 40% in support of animal welfare organizations. Respecting the audience’s vote, we allocated MaNgo’s Rounds 2 and 3 donations to the Wikimedia Foundation, located in San Francisco. What made this journey even more exciting was the letter we later received from Maryana Iskander, CEO of the Wikimedia Foundation. You’ll find her letter at the end of this blog post, following a message from MaNgo’s COO, Mohammadreza.
Going forward, I, Mohammadreza, will be covering all operational and financial updates related to MaNgo. In Rounds 2 and 3, for the first time, we introduced cryptocurrency gateways as a donation input method to MaNgo. This is the first time that the NGO directly accepts donations from its audience. To manage how the collected funds would be spent in each round, we introduced a new model called mission-driven spending.
Mission-Driven Spending
Following MaNgo’s story—the smart and shy dog—it is said that he allocates the collected donations as follows:
“Mango directly donates 50% of his income through the Metaverse Window of Hope. He spends this amount to support his friends or causes that positively influence their lives. For the remaining 50%, Mango does not surrender his smarter thinking. He spends 25% as a salary to the owner, if an owner exists, and keeps the remainder for R&D, cause staying ahead in a fast-moving world requires continuous progress so that he helps those in the universe better and more.”
To test both the crypto donation gateway and the liquidity of cryptocurrencies stored in MaNgo’s treasury, we conducted a trial operation on Dec 17, 2024, using 42.0 Dogecoins. This test simulated the entire process of converting cryptocurrency into Iranian Rials. The expenses related to this trial, as well as the minor payments to MaNgo contributors, were categorized under the R&D expenses for these donation rounds.
MaNgo’s Currency Unit
The MaNgo board has decided for the NGO to join the Dogecoin movement. As stated on the official website of this beloved meme coin, one of the serious yet playfully framed goals of the Dogecoin movement is to make Doge the base currency for global trade. They portray this ambitious goal with the following satirical image:
From now on, MaNgo will use DOGE (1 DOGE = 1 DOGE) as its accounting unit. The value of each DOGE will be calculated based on its exchange rate on the day the donation is made.
MaNgo’s Donation Date and Amount
MaNgo’s Round 2 and 3 donations were made on March 21, 2025, coinciding with the first day of spring. It was processed via Coinbase exchange using a MasterCard belonging to the MaNgo board members and was directed to the Wikimedia Foundation in San Francisco. Here is a summary of MaNgo’s income and expenditures:
Income Chart:
Spending Chart:
Our beloved Mango is pretty happy to have taken a small step toward helping fellow beings and improving life on Earth—and so are we! 🐶 As MaNgo’s Chief Operating Officer, I’d like to thank all members of the MaNgo team.
Lastly, we’re pleased to share the letter we received from the CEO of the Wikimedia Foundation. This letter was sent to MaNgo’s official donation email and is as follows:
Dear MaNgo,
Thank you so much for your 74.7283 Doge one-time donation to support Wikipedia and the Wikimedia Foundation. With this support, you help strengthen our nonprofit mission to ensure people everywhere can access the information they need, whenever they need it, for free.
Wikipedia only works because of the hundreds of thousands of humans who dedicate their time and energy to making it one of the most trusted sources of information online. The tireless efforts of these volunteers are what makes this website invaluable to billions of readers worldwide. This is even more important today with the changes in technology and artificial intelligence shaping our world.
So the next time you visit Wikipedia, I hope you take pride in knowing that you help make this possible. Wikipedia is a collective labor of love, and you’re a part of it. Thank you again for your dedication to this remarkable mission.
With gratitude,
Maryana Iskander
CEO, Wikimedia Foundation
