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This is an inspiring story of misfortune, of how the person has overcome the hardship and how bitcoin has helped him.


I'm a Syrian Refugee. This Is How Bitcoin Changed My Life

Half of Syria was flooding into the Netherlands back then, and smugglers were active on the other side of Europe. I bought a small book to teach me how to pray in Islam, then started to practice my prayers and listen to the Koran. I also started listening to Sayed Hassan Nasrallah’s speeches, his recitals and calls to fight alongside Hezbollah in Syria. I was surrendering to my fate of being deported to Syria or Lebanon.

Sleepless nights went by, with the Facebook pages continuously broadcasting images of the brutality of war in Syria. I did not want to be part of this.

On Sept. 11, 2014 , 500 migrants lost their lives in the Mediterranean Sea attempting to cross to safe land. It was at that moment I realized how blessed I was to be in Europe, and I surrendered to the idea of becoming a refugee.

Read in full https://www.coindesk.com/im-a-syrian-refugee-this-is-how-bitcoin-changed-my-life

Bitcoin is indeed the one and only global currency. It is borderless in its purest sense.

I share his frustration over the hassles and the terrible fees when you send a significant amount of money from one country to another. I used to work overseas and I also spent a good deal of money just for fees due to regular remittances.

When I started using Bitcoin, I would even send a little amount first to make sure the address is the right one before sending the larger amount. Fees do not bother me anymore.

Thanks for sharing, it's a really interesting story, and it's very eye-opening. Even if we theoretically discuss how Bitcoin can help the unbanked, most of use here won't ever experience anything like what this guy did. And to me it's an example that even if Bitcoin doesn't reach mass adoption or is too volatile to be a store of value, there's still a lot of practical uses for it for at least some people, and in that Bitcoin is truly irreplaceable.

I'm sure there are a lot of heart hearted and inspiring stories similar to what the OP has said. In this community alone, I believed that it help a lot of people, thru hardship and overcome their problems financially. And that is the beauty of bitcoin, although he mentioned that it was 2013 that he was introduced, it is not late for people to discover bitcoin and the potential to help them change their life for the better.

Now this man is using Bitcoin for what it is supposed to be. Using Bitcoin to avoid the stupidly high fees countries ask for when sending money to another country, as well as using it without an identity. Being anonymous isn't a negative thing, sometimes it's more like the situation calls for it, to survive, to live, to make money or whatever the reason. Having Bitcoin is pretty nice in that kind of situation. Currently the volatility is a problem hence the block in its adoption, but once people learn of it not as an investment, it's volatility could probably be reduced to the very minimum, at the very least, you wouldn't wake up seeing your coins having only 50% of the value from what it was before you slept.

This is a testimony on how bitcoin is helping the masses by helping them with the nooks and crannies of an ever changing financial labyrinth. This is also what the government is trying to get rid off, they want their masses in tight leash and now they are slowly tearing away.

A good read indeed.

It was a worth it journey for him but if he's not that too hard-working and persistent, nothing will happen to him. With the last word he said about bitcoin changing lives, well, everybody here can connect.

Exactly, I think that everyone of us here have some experiences where Bitcoin changed our lives, it's universal story.
This is once again a proof that being hard working and persistant pays out sooner or later. So, never give up Bitcoin no matter how hard sometimes might seem.

Bitcoin changed the life of every person,who got involved in the crypto world.It's good to know that Bitcoin can actually help refugees in terms of getting a job and making money,and also sending funds overseas to their struggling families.
By the way,there's something missing in this article.
I read that this guy was maintaining the Facebook page of some Egyptian software engineer and early Bitcoin adopter.That doesn't mean that this guy from Syria owns or trades Bitcoins.Does he own or trade BTC?There's no clear explanation how and when he discovered Bitcoin and when he started to maintain the FB page of the Egyptian guy.

Great use of the tech available to him at that time. It's also extremely lucky for him to be in the right place at the right time, considering that the bitcoin scene on that region is still developing and he was one of the most active ones to shape the scene there. This story is inspiring, and aside from that, teaches us the benefits of bitcoin that we somewhat neglect since we are not in the same state as this man back in 2014-2015. We are always in it for the price action, profit and comfort. Though we always state that bitcoin serves a huge purpose for the un-banked population, we rarely emphasize the strong need for bitcoin especially on these regions were hiding is a must and no financial institution/service can aid them.

Truly an amazing story and great use of bitcoin for survival and success.

We have our different and unique story but his experience and story are very inspiring.

If the mainstream media can cover stories like this and they'll give a block time for it, people who have doubts and negative with bitcoin will start to have a different outlook with bitcoin.

Yes, you're right. If not because of his own determination, then bitcoin would not affect him that much. Anyway, that was indeed a great and inspiring story. It's a proof that when used well, bitcoin can do a lot for us.

On a personal note, I think that bitcoin can really change us and our lives but our own discipline, commitment, and determination is what make the "life-changing" moment happen.

It's a beautiful story. I've used Bitcoin for international transfers as well, although being a person arriving legally to another country, I needed to prove my financial capability by showing a bank account statement, so I went through international banking transfers as well which was quite terrible with huge fees. What I've never thought of is people who are in the circumstances in which they cannot have a bank account but can have Bitcoin. Although buying stuff with BTC is much harder due to the lack of stores that accept Bitcoin, it's still a great thing if you don't have a way of buying stuff with fiat. Not to mention that the guy in the story basically got himself a career because of Bitcoin.

That is an inspiring story. What he said is right. We can prevent revealing the identity when we use bitcoin because bitcoin will works to us without any problem. If there is more inspiring story on the internet which people can read, I am sure slowly, and people will realize that bitcoin can help their life, even if they are a refugee as the author. The adoption will grow, and bitcoin will become more popular than now. But we still need to have an identity because only with identity, we will have a chance to go to another place/country without a problem.

Not 'really'.

But it actually changed a lot of lives and continues to change more lives.

Thank you for sharing this history. It is moving and inspiring. We are many bitcoiners who have gone through difficult times, we have believed in Bitcoin and we have solved the problems we encounter along the way. I can also confirm this with my own experience.

I really like your inspiring story. I read your whole story and realized the importance of Bitcoin. Although I have already invested some money in bitcoin. If Bitcoin price going down I hope I will invest some more money in bitcoin. I see bitcoin as an asset all the time.

The world is divided by imaginary boundaries, ideologies, religion and race but in real there's no difference between any human. The needs and desires for all human are same. It's just our schooling, biasness and ego that makes us different. And if we want to be really free, we should be able to think freely. Free speech and crypto are the first step towards a free world.

What a touching story. His limitations did not make him surrender, instead of that, he looked for other ways to survive and live. And he met with Bitcoin. Maybe this also has become his destiny.
From this, we know that Bitcoin has advantages that cannot be done by currencies as usual. If at that time other people might view that Bitcoin is something illegal and dangerous, then for him, Bitcoin is one of the ways to help him to continue to live. And in fact, even today it's proven that Bitcoin has changed the lives of many people, all over the world.

Likewise with my life. I do not have a permanent job in the real world. I left my bachelor's degree and focus in the crypto world. Only from this crypto world do I get income and can cover my daily needs. It's not easy for this because of the many people around me who regret my decision to stay in the online and crypto world. Most of them only know that crypto is not something that can help in the future. However, I'm personally convinced, this is technology, and I believe that from this crypto world, I can make our lives better. Of course, some of the income from crypto is used to make business in the real world. Isn't this good?
And I'm sure many of the same stories are about how Bitcoin changed their lives and lived them.

I really love to read this kind of stories, we need more of this, I'm sure there are a lot of stories here, specially how btc helped them get through this pandemic, with the lockdowns and jobs being lost. I also love how he said that for btc to be easily understand, it is needed to be used.


I hope you will not lose that confidence with this technology, you are a work in progress, its alright if those people around you will not understand your reasons today, they will surely understand it in the future, and you won't even need to explain it to them cause they will just be surprised. You already chose a decision, stick with it and believe to it. You took a great risk, you left your job for this, and in every great something, there's always a great risk. Its a leap of faith.

I've never been a refugee but I understand how hard it had to be for you OP to see your country in ruins and knowing you cannot go there.

It's great that you were able to find a hobby that took your mind away from it all and gave you a new purpose in life.

It's a story of someone's life it's not OP's life. You are not reading carefully, aren't you?

Anyway, it's kind of inspiring story on how he got his identity back since he's a refugee with no identification to show to the authority, therefore his movement is limited especially sending/receiving money. Luckily, Bitcoin did change everything in his life and he even got his identity again and not as an illegal immigrants. Thanks to Bitcoin he is now a well-known speaker in Europe.

I thought he was posting an article about his own experiences.

I don't know what OP's real name is and people often post articles as authors or about themselves.

My hairdresser has the same problem, because he is a immigrant in my country and he is not allowed to have a Bank account. We had several discussions about this and he told me that between 10 to 15% of the money that he is sending home through MoneyGram or WD are being taken by these companies in the form of fees.

I was totally disgusted by this, so I started selling Bitcoin to him for cash and I helped him to setup a wallet and a manual to explain to his relatives on how to convert bitcoins back to cash in their country. This guy makes a honest living and his family is suffering in his country and Banks and Money transmitters wants to extort them.  >:(

Bitcoin has shown once again that it opens doors, when large centralized organizations mess with their lives. (Political games) 

This story shows many benefits of how bitcoin can help in situations. He took the opportunity even as an early adopter and escrow deals which he earns from and also made him a reputable member in their community.
With Bitcoin, you don't need anyone's permission to transact, it's decentralized. No fees like the banks that takes certain % or fixed amount for withdrawals and deposits.

Thanks for sharing  :)

It has been a long time since the last time I read such an amazing and inspiring story.
Personally, I know many people who were jobless and without any source of income but bitcoin literally changed their lifes.
Bitcoin can be a life changer indeed especially in poor countries where there is no other means to shop online and fees to transfer money internationally are unbearable.

What a touching story and I'm sure everyone learn one or two things from how you rose from being a refugee to a person living quite a decent life. Bitcoin has come to be a currency that is helping everyone with even the unbanked included. I'm sure any unbanked that bought bitcoin fews years back would still be in a life changing game and so is anyone that buy now will have a positive testimony to give the whole world in the next couple of years to come. Your story inspires me that there's always hope in life

This story can be an eye opener to everyone as a proof that bitcoin is here to help us and it can give us an opportunity to rise again and give that hope as a global currency. Bitcoin change my life as well, and I will forever be thankful to this technology and I feel that I also have to share my knowledge and experience with bitcoin so many will use this as well. If we don’t give up, time will come for us and the opportunity will come so make sure to grab it no matter what is your situation in life.

The story in the opening post inspired me, and made my mind even more open that Bitcoin can change someone's life to be better.
I increasingly believe that Bitcoin can help me make my life better too, another point I get from the story is that Bitcoin is very feasible
as a global currency. Imagine the ease and cheapness of conducting transactions between countries with Bitcoin.

I share this view. The ease and cheap cost in international transactions using Bitcoin is a very huge advantage especially to the likes of Mr. Elrjula here. The role of Bitcoin as a global currency, a sort of a carrier of value across borders, cannot be overemphasized.

And, better still, if you send Bitcoin to any of your family members, especially in a war-torn country where bombs are seemingly detonated randomly across the streets and where lawlessness abound, you are somehow assured that it will arrive smoothly. It is indeed much safer to use.

A transaction using an immutable virtual currency which is acceptable worldwide and which can neither be confiscated nor withheld by corrupt agencies has all the advantages that any fiat currency does not have.

There are a lot of people with a heartbreaking story of bitcoin. Very inspiring story.Bitcoin has really changed a life of many people from nothing to a decent life.It gives hope for those who are down and gives light to those who are in difficult situation. Even bitcoin is not yet fully accepted anywhere and mass adoption is just increasing slowly but it is really useful already in many ways.

There are many people benefited from cryptocurrency especially with bitcoin, I have read many stories of a successful person because of their investment with bitcoin, just like me it also helps me with my finances, so I am very thankful because of cryptocurrency and to my friends as well who though me about cryptocurrency. I really like to invest and trade un cryptocurrency because it makes me gain profit. Even though it loses my money sometimes, it's fine because it entertains me so much. It kills my boredom especially with this pandemic virus.

Worth to read. This inspired everyone here. We can see how great bitcoin's power affecting the lives of an individual. Being refugee is indeed difficult without any identification cards and documents with him.

Not all has a talent like that on the story and I admire his determination. What he become now, with the help of bitcoin and his own skills, he deserves it.

I love reading stories like this because it always made me inspired on what I do everyday, this means so much to me.

It is really hard to become a refugee because I know someone who struggled so hard to travel many countries just to become safe from those battlefields in their country. No one wants to become a refugee, but it is good for him that he is really courageous when it comes to this kind of trials in his life. He is lucky enough to know bitcoin because there are a lot of people who aren't given an opportunity to invest in bitcoin. We all know that bitcoin is convenient and can help you whenever you need it. But if you're a refugee, you should know if your destination accepts the use of cryptocurrency so that it is worth it.