Key facts:
Amid poverty and violence, bitcoin emerges as an ally in the fight for a better Haiti.
The Yes, Bitcoin Haiti project is creating a new citadel.
The population of Haiti is mired in the adversities of a permanent crisis. In some way, all residents of the poorest country in Latin America are marked by the constant challenges that combine poverty, violence and political instability. However, in the midst of uncertainty, bitcoin (BTC) is emerging as an ally, proving that it can drive the transformation that many dream of.
And of course there are dreams in Haiti, where Most live in extreme povertymeaning that many families cannot afford nutritious food. Daily livelihoods are often based on informal and subsistence work, such as selling small products on the street or working in agricultural activities if they have access to land.
However, leaving home means being constantly on alert due to the gang violence that controls much of the urban areas. The possibility of being victims of robbery, kidnapping or direct violence is a daily reality.
So life in Haiti is like being on a battlefield, where food is scarce, as well as basic services, including drinking water and electricity, which complicates daily life and affects health, especially of children.
Additionally, Haiti is vulnerable to natural disasters, as the country is in the path of Atlantic hurricanes, and has been a victim of the worst consequences of these natural disasters.
Bitcoin, a ray of hope in the most vulnerable country in Latin America
In the daily lives of Haitians, who face a constant struggle for survival amidst historical and contemporary adversities that have plunged the nation into a deep crisis, a couple of people in the commune of Saint Michel de l’Atalaye, located four hours by car from the capital, Port-au-Prince, joined together to develop a project of circular economy based on bitcoin, called Yes, Bitcoin Haiti.
The initiative, founded in February of this year, has set itself the mission of Transforming the local economy through education and bitcoin adoption. So the project moves forward with the help of Phanor Mendelking, a 34-year-old Haitian who, after being displaced by gang violence, was inspired by Bitcoin to help his community. Now, together with a young student named Val Papouche, they aim to offer online education throughout the country.
Mendelking was introduced to Bitcoin by his American friend, Armand, who educated him on the basics of fiat money, inflation, central banks, and the liberating potential of the currency created by Satoshi Nakamoto. Now inspired by this knowledge and amidst the ongoing chaos engulfing Haiti, Phanor is convinced that It’s time to bring knowledge about bitcoin to every Haitian who lives in the country.
To achieve this, Mendelking and Papouche enrolled in the My First Bitcoin Diploma and are now working on their next plans: “Papouche intends to teach the Bitcoin Diploma at his mother’s primary and secondary school, the Marie-Rose Esteve Mixed Institution,” as read on the Project Description published on the Bitcoin grant platform Geyser Fund.
Even the smallest thing helps Haiti’s rebirth
Mendelking and Papouche have mapped out the development path for their project and take into account community meetings and workshops organised in various locations in St Michel De L’Attalaye, where They will distribute educational material about bitcoin.
They also plan to hold meetings with companies and schools and organize meetings with local leaders in their homes to develop bitcoin adoption strategies to strengthen the circular economy in their area.
Your plan recently received funding Human Rights Foundation (HRF). Funds will go toward project leaders’ salaries, the purchase of equipment, and the production of educational materials.
So, as Mendelking and Papouche open new doors to knowledge and adoption of bitcoin, it is worth keeping in mind that fiat money is on the verge of collapse and that what Haitians are experiencing today, tomorrow that reality may spread throughout the world, a bleak outlook. where bitcoin may be the only ray of hope that can be seen on the horizon.
