I by no means anticipated a jetlagged morning in Las Vegas would change my life, not to mention spark hope on the opposite facet of the world. However that’s what occurred after I — a advisor, ex-Deloitte, and fundraiser with 9 years of expertise within the nonprofit sector — landed on the Bitcoin Conference Las Vegas in search of one thing greater than “enterprise as ordinary.” Fundraising had began to really feel like… effectively, simply fundraising for the sake of fundraising.
What shocked me most, although, was how shortly I discovered myself swept up by the convention vitality. On my very first day, I ended up volunteering with the Open Supply Hub. There, I used to be in a position not solely to assist construct bridges between progressive initiatives but in addition to attach extra deeply with groups like Primal and see how Nostr opens doors for Latin American circular economies.
On Day Two, whereas most individuals had been nonetheless asleep, I confirmed up early, decided to pick a Bitcoin current for my nieces. Among the many buzzing Bitcoin bazaar stands, I discovered a sales space with lovely youngsters’s books and merch, and as luck would have it, discovered myself chatting with Fernando Motolese — the founding father of Bitcoinze. Proper place, proper time! He ordered 200 Portuguese-language children’ books, and as two Lusophones obtained speaking, he advised me bluntly:
“If you wish to see Bitcoin change lives, you could speak to Valentin Popescu from MOTIV PERÚ.”
Years earlier, I lived in Peru, working for an NGO alongside Inca communities, the place I’d discover myself having guinea pig for breakfast and alpaca for dinner. No WiFi, no loos, solely latrines. The thought of saving cash was so international, we didn’t also have a native phrase for it.
That’s the tough actuality: In a lot of Latin America, the idea of saving doesn’t even exist, not to mention the instruments to do it. For a lot of, life is solely about surviving as we speak — not constructing for tomorrow. After I met Valentin, every little thing clicked: this particular person wasn’t simply speaking about Bitcoin as tech or funding. He was making Bitcoin a instrument for hope, for studying, for self-sufficiency… for precise change.
Image this: Deep in Peru’s Sacred Valley, alongside Amazonian rivers, whole communities are leapfrogging the monetary system that forgot them. At Motiv Perú facilities, children and entrepreneurs receives a commission in sats for studying, for instructing, for constructing stuff. You earn, you save, you spend — all with bitcoin. No fragile money, no corrupt intermediaries. Like all circular economies, they’re rising from the underside up.
Right here’s the kicker: Due to Motiv Perú, these communities and round economies aren’t simply surviving — they’re dreaming. They’re seeing a future the place they will work, personal and save. Bitcoin can also be accepted for every little thing: bread, haircuts, even journeys to Machu Picchu.
Motiv Perú is driving a revolution in group empowerment all through Peru by leveraging Bitcoin as a catalyst for progress and inclusion. The group was born from a $5,000 bitcoin donation through the COVID pandemic and is sustained by ongoing bitcoin contributions, guaranteeing its mission stays community-driven and decentralized. By means of hands-on monetary schooling and the nurturing of bitcoin round economies, Motiv Perú provides among the nation’s most marginalized populations sensible entry to digital finance. By making Bitcoin a instrument for incomes, saving and transacting, Motiv Perú equips group members with actual alternatives for self-sufficiency and sustainable progress.
The group’s story started with the Life Saving Steps mission, delivering sneakers to youngsters in Peru’s distant Andean area — an act funded by way of bitcoin donations that addressed primary wants and constructed belief. This basis paved the way in which for initiatives like “Surf for All,” which mixes sports activities and digital literacy for kids with particular wants, and ongoing diet packages that help youngster well being. At the moment, each Motiv Perú initiative — from its origins to its progressive packages — demonstrates how grassroots motion, coupled with Bitcoin adoption and donor help, can spark lasting transformation for these historically excluded from alternative.
That dialog with Valentin modified every little thing: I went on to turn out to be an envoy, and now I’m engaged on “Bitcoin Cup,” a high surf competitors and a vibrant celebration of Bitcoin adoption and the round economies powering Huanchaco, Peru:
Keep tuned, as a result of that is simply chapter one. The true story isn’t solely written in convention halls — it’s unfolding in locations forgotten by the banks, however now remembered by Bitcoin.
