Bitcoin Forum

A few days ago, I was part of the team that embarked on a mission to introduce newcomers to bitcoin in Cameroon. The experience was both exhilarating and enlightening, as we engaged with the curious and passionate young Africans eager to understand the intricacies of Bitcoin. It was a profound moment of introspection, witnessing their genuine interest and profound questions about bitcoin. We did our best to impart knowledge, covering essential aspects such as the fundamentals of Bitcoin, its role as an alternative to traditional fiat currencies, the inner workings of the Bitcoin network, and concepts like proof of work. We delved into the realm of Bitcoin creation and mining, explaining the significance of Bitcoin wallets and how to secure them effectively, among other topics.

I have always known that Bitcoin represents power and freedom, and for many of these young individuals, the notion of taking control of their finances without intermediaries was a revelation they had never considered before. To conclude our educational effort, our team guided them in creating their own Bitcoin wallets and even welcomed them to the bitcoin family with a small gift of $1 worth of satoshis. However, our journey doesn't stop here. We remain committed to furthering their understanding of Bitcoin, which is why we established a dedicated closed social media group where they can seek answers to their questions and continue their learning journey.


Here is a video of us welcoming the newcomers to the bitcoin family with $1 worth of satoshis sent to their wallet using lightning network  posted on my team leaders' twitter. - https://twitter.com/BitcoinSophist/status/1711751847768129634

It seems like you are doing a good job. The only thing, I imagine that the LN is done through some centralized entity, isn't it? Otherwise you should open a channel to send that $1 to each person. In general everything that involves a popularization of Bitcoin seems to me a good idea even if it does not fit perfectly into Satoshi's initial idea of P2P.

You did great work there, my friend because sharing knowledge with others will always result in adding knowledge to your own. I really liked the idea, and I might be doing the same, but I will not giveaway $1 from my pocket because I am not rich, and I don't want to fetch people by giving them the treat of $1. I am not saying you did wrong by giving them $1, because $1 is not that much money, and people would become greedy and follow you down a path in a place where crypto is not legal yet, even though it is not illegal either. That's a relevant point.

I think it will be wise to hide the faces of the users before sharing their videos on social media because once you tell them that BTC provides anonymity and etc., they might question you about why you guys shared our video on social media using the BTC LN.

Well, I might be being extra careful here, but it is what it is. If you respect privacy and anonymity, then you should hide their faces, otherwise, it is not that much of a problem. All I am afraid of is that governments can take action against such acts because some actors don't want you to grow.

Beside all that, I really like the idea and keep it up and keep growing.

This is a positive growth to the bitcoin community at large. I assume that some basic concept of Bitcoin was explained on the very first day of the seminar. It's literally impossible to touch all the basic areas, so encouraging them to carry out their own research would also expose them to the deeper side of it. Keep up with the good work.

My opinion...

Welcome to the bitcoin world Cameroonian , How lovely to hear you guys are doing such effort to lure your community and people in your country to adopt Bitcoin and specially using Lightning Network.

Giving away 1 dollar worth of Bitcoin is a good start for the people to understand and know how to use and value our precious coin.

Yes, we used Blink (formerly Bitcoin Beach Wallet).

I never know about Bitcoin Beach Wallet.

If a wallet is close source, it is not safely to use. You must choose open-source wallets to use.
[LIST] Open-source Lightning wallets (https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5252739.0)

You can check reviews from https://walletscrutiny.com/
Cryptocurrency wallet list and reviews (https://www.cryptowisser.com/wallets/)

Its a good initiative that you have taken and giving the participants a small token of appreciation which can utilize is a good gesture.

But the question remains as to how these people will increase that 1$ to 100$ - have you taken that into account? This question comes in naturally and you will have to face it. Also how they can spend this small amount of money as well.

It is possible for them to visit this forum and look for job opportunities from the forum too. Try showing these things among others gradually on upcoming meetups or on your social media page and good luck on your work.

Wow I'm seeing more similar stories from Nigeria and now Cameroon and adoptions seem to be increasing in those countries.
Is Cameroon one of the countries that allows Bitcoin to be considered a legal currency, because I see that it is in an open place and these people are displaying their pictures.
I hope that it will be a start and that they will benefit from the decentralized economy and inflation problems more than just learning Bitcoin or trying a specific application.

Your boldness in Cameroon is exactly what we need to spread Bitcoin's message of financial freedom and power. But did you genuinely assess their understanding? Passion is sometimes confused for understanding. Africa is a complex mix of civilizations, and while Bitcoin promises emancipation, it requires deep understanding to exploit. Your great trip is just the beginning.

Continuing education is important, but do you provide them the tools to navigate Bitcoin's volatility? Managing funds without intermediaries is appealing, but it has drawbacks. They must appreciate the importance of Bitcoin wallet security and its value fluidity. Your restricted social media group is a start, but constant interaction is essential. Introspect, reassess, and reinforce.

I don't know how long this awareness program lasted but I think it will take some time to teach these areas of bitcoin effectively. I am sure they will have further questions on these topics so there is a need to create a platform for feedback. Your team should create an avenue where they can ask questions and get further teachings. Thank you for this great work.

Great news coming from the West African Sub-Region. Nigeria has a high population of Bitcoiners but the interest of neighboring countries such as Niger, Cameroon, and Benin has been very low. Bitcoin awareness needs to be spread in these Francophone nations and it is good news to see people like OP taking this bold step. Cameroon just like Nigeria is suffering from high inflation which has made many Nigerians buy bitcoin to serve as a hedge against the fall of the value of money. So these trainees can derive some benefit from the knowledge of bitcoin they have acquired from this awareness program.

You're doing well, bitcoin education has a huge task to fulfill, it's something deserving an applaud seing that you're taking a bold step in traveling down to Cameroon all because if bitcoin education, this is to ensure that everyone heard about the good news of bitcoin, also, we can consider this that Cameroon is one of the countries underdeveloped and having a low numbers of people engage in bitcoin, because if i call recall well.

This will be the very first time am hearing something about Cameroon concerning bitcoin, which means the youths over there are getting along also to ignite fire just as other regions with bitcoin adoption fast increasing.

I am happy when I see people spreading bitcoin awareness and also teaching people that don't have the knowledge and want to know. It is a great job that you and your team did OP. The area that you said you guys taught them, I believe that they understood it because it is not easy to understand them in just a week. Seeing bitcoin awareness moving from Nigeria to Cameroon and Maybe later it will spread to Benin is something that will lead to more people adopting and using bitcoin, which is what this community was created for. I am very impress for sacrificing your time and resources for bitcoin. West Africa countries need bitcoin to survive the high rate of inflation in the country.
Kudos

Sharing your knowledge and experience about bitcoin to others is one of the best thing in the society right now. Because the government is deliberately creating poverty to to the people and when bitcoin came, it removed that poverty mindset from people so anyone who comes it, have the freedom to finance. It is a nice work done by you by bringing people to the cryptocurrency (bitcoin). As you are orienting them on this journey please also tell the risk (volatile) nature of bitcoin so that when they into it and in the bear market, they will know what to do. The Cameronians in your locality will be very happy with you. Keep up the good work. The Lord is your strength.

I thought Nigeria was the only West African Country active on this forum, but I'm happy today to see that we also have Cameroonians among us, most especially O.P who is striving to help promote the awareness of Bitcoin in Cameroon, a sister neighbouring country to Nigeria, known for its commitment to the growth & interest in  Bitcoin & the forum at large. So I'm very much happy to see cameroonian showing interest in the forum & Bitcoin generally, which I just can't wait to see a Ghanaian, Togolese and Beninese also present here on this forum.

Hence, introducing these people about Bitcoin was a very good idea you just did, as it offers the ability to have control over their funds and prevent against future inflation, far better than saving funds in fiat currency.

It is good to see how the awesomeness of bitcoin is spreading in some countries in Africa. However, you did a very good job sharing the ideas of Bitcoin with others, and I know that in this tutoring there will be a lot of questions and answers because a lot of those people there haven't heard about bitcoin before and I think it is their first time to acquire some good knowledge about bitcoin.

I can say that the economy of the country is not in a good position, so bitcoin knowledge is a good one for a citizen of the country to acquire because, with their patience and discipline, their knowledge will not be a waste if they also put it in practice.

This is how you should spread knowledge especially when it involves money because you can afford to take the blame if they lose their money due to their lack of understanding of the basic things regarding bitcoins. That 1$ might not be worth it but they can look at it every day and watch how the price of bitcoins affected their original $1 because that's exactly how their money will going to be. they can freely decide whether they put some more money into it or just simply wait for the right time but the important thing is, they already know what they need to do and what the risk and consequences of their investment could be.

Another great effort in spreading the technology. That's a good thing.

However, I think this event is sponsored, isn't it? I cannot read what's written on the other two tarpaulins, but I see blink wallet on one of them. I haven't used the wallet itself but I have read that it's custodial. That basically goes against what you've shared to your participants that "Bitcoin represents power and freedom" and "the notion of taking control of their finances without intermediaries."

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I myself have also heard of similar Bitcoin events here in my country which are supposed to educate people about Bitcoin but are sponsored by companies which offer services that run contrary to the basic idea of Bitcoin.

Although not yet considered as a legal tender, Cameroon has over 900k crypto users and it is rapidly growing. The rate of adoption is almost the same with Nigeria. We buy Bitcoin through P2P services like on Bisq, Binance, Yellowcard and others. There has been call by the government to regulate it which is understandable because bad agents are using it as a means to dupe people through elaborate profits promised from crypto ponzi schemes. That's why we are working hard on educating our citizens about Bitcoin. What is lacking is proper Bitcoin education and we are working round the clock through radio, TV, Books, videos, physical meetings to get the people educated on Bitcoin.

Good job. You guys are doing really a good job on this on because since I've seen the other posts that have been doing initiatives like this, you know that it's not that easy to organize this type of seminar or meet ups.

While on your end, you're dedicating your time, money and effort in educating those that are not yet aware of Bitcoin. I don't know how much and big the crypto movement there in Cameroon.

But activities like this are always appreciated.

Am glad you are a true believer of Bitcoin and you and your team has deemed it possible to share your knowledge to the few who are interested. Yes adaptation and awareness in various part of the world. And African shouldn't be left out. If its possible your crew can send out ambassadors to other countries that help with the widespread of Bitcoin as you have started in your country. Nevertheless don't stop, continue to teach more and more people who are interested and advantages of investing in Bitcoin with the little they have.

Also, there are some reputable persons in your country you crew can meet to discuss for support. So that you can get a good place that has more real estate to accommodate more people as time goes on.

Pretty cool. I mentioned this before somewhere too but my very first sats received to my wallet (Electrum) was 10,000 sats. It's pretty crazy that it's worth almost three dollars today. More like less than 5 cents when I got mine.

I'd recommend getting people's first interaction to be on-chain now though. Fees a wee high but it's really nice to show them how it works on explorer for the first time I feel.

It is humble person who gives 1 dollar to new Bitcoiner.
Who gives 1 Dollar to new Bitcoiner deserves credit. Bitcoin is difficult to get in some countriy and New Bitcoiner need to learn what is important for Bitcoin. Giving 1 Dollar is big help already.

1 Dollar can be a lot when Bitcoin gets older.

I am impress with the drive and eagerness by your team  to do something that spreads bitcoin awareness and adoption among the young people and you didn't actually stop there you have to offer them the opportunity to practically get on desk immediately by encouraging them with some Satoshi to have an experience of  what they have been lectured about exploring how it works.

Do you guys plan on continuing  the $1 worth of Satoshi to newcomers just after this set or it's just a part of the initiative that ends with this set learners. Because I was wondering how you guys source the money you gifting out as part of the programme?

Good move OP and to your team in trying to spread the word and creating some much needed awareness about bitcoin. It can be difficult in trying to get people to keep an open mind in order to learn something new. With bitcoin that has had mischief makers, over the years actively spread falsehoods and misconceptions, it can be hard getting through to people so I applaud you and your team for taking out the time and making such efforts to engage with and enlighten people.

Having taught about creating wallets and the need to safeguard them, I think it was a nice gesture to end the discussions by letting them have a dollars worth in their wallets. It might have been a new experience as well as motivating.

First of all Op great work. Keep it Up. Awareness & education campaign a decent move and strongly appreciative as well.

Hmm, such public gatherings and collaboration always make a positive impact on both parties, such exercises motivate the other as well to work for the awareness of technological adoption. Here in Bitcoin, most people heard of it already whenever we have a conversation about it with people, but most of the time in the end we both come to know there we so many misconceptions due to wrong media reporting and understanding.

The Internet can really help a lot in getting the basic to advanced education about any topic, The same is the case with the Bitcoin and crypto market people can easily go through a few tutorials to understand the concept but a personal 2-person meeting can be a more impactful medium to guide them. Pozi schemes & these shit Banks spends a lot on the marketing of their insurance policies to attract the capital of innocent people by making them aware of the DeFi and Bitcoin we can bring much comfort in their lives, Financial planning is the most important in the current age, it requires investment opportunities and Bitcoin is one of the most emerging one.

Nice work there @OP, with these group equipped with Bitcoin knowledge and has the same aim as you is essential in propagating Bitcoin in Cameroon.  Hopefully they will keep their enthusiast in learning Bitcoin and not be discouraged by the even where it became difficult due when the government decided to be hostile to Bitcoin.

It is a known fact that Cameroon government has yet implemented an appropriate regulation about cryptocurrency hopefully they will be inclined in accepting BTC. 

I think that certain countries in their region are always enthusiastic about these types of events that, no matter how they are done and the influx, they always add to the basic idea of knowing that there is an alternative like bitcoin and that above all there are millions of people who support it, You are few there but you represent the desire of many us to come together and each express their emotions beyond how we always do it anonymously.

Hopefully one day this possibility of meeting to talk about bitcoin will spread more, sometimes I come across bitcoin events but they are somewhat elite, you always have to pay and you, on the contrary, give $1/BTC

Another West African country apart from Nigeria has chosen to spread awareness of Bitcoin uniquely by giving out $1 sat as a gift for a start-up. Even though the $1 is too small to have in bitcoin, at least it will give them the knowledge to understand how the price volatility of bitcoin works(up and down fluctuation of price).

Your initiative to teach adults from Cameron about Bitcoin and even spend money on it to ensure that the knowledge influences them is admirable.

As much as this is a cause for concern, I think that for beginners it helps that they are able to just start with this because teaching them about complicated things quickly wouldn't probably be in their best interest, let them explore the easy parts and as OP have said, they have a private group chat for their questions. Also, you have to understand that there are different ways for someone to learn about bitcoin and I believe that the way that we learn about bitcoin is flexible and has a lot of freedom, that way embodies what bitcoin is to the core.
Which is a good thing because if there's nothing to be done about it yet then the people who wants to learn about bitcoin are doing just fine and if down the line the bitcoin influence in the country seeps through the government of Cameroon then the current status quo of bitcoin and crypto in the general would probably change and hopefully for the better of both bitcoin and the people of Cameroon given that when the influence was hopefully positive when it reached the government.

Cameroon just like most African countries do not have any law against Bitcoin neither do they give approval for Bitcoin as a legal tender. Most of them like Nigeria are still studying the technology to see how best to approach it. Nigerian government, for instance, have not really taken a stand on Bitcoin....they are just contemplating on the legal framework for its regulation. I know this is partly a case of lack of or incomplete understanding of Bitcoin and on the other hand, concerns of the complexity of Bitcoin regulation. I know the new government is a little bit friendly with Bitcoin following their body language like lifting ban and restrictions placed by previous administration on accounts that transacted in Bitcoin.

In general, Bitcoin have a promising future in Africa in general and the youths are doing amazing job at educating people about Bitcoin. Most of what we are doing underground are not reported in this forum...