Two Bitcoin Stories from the AfroBitcoin Conference in Ghana 2022

[alastantiger]

So the first Africa Bitcoin Conference is holding in Ghana currently. Some of the speakers at the conference include Jack Dorsey, Ray Youssef, Obinna Nwosu, Alex Gladstein, Mike Brock, Fadi Elsalameen and a host of others. Today is day 2.

In the third panel discussion, various speakers (Roya Al Mahboob,  Meron Estefanos, Leopoldo Lopez) told stories of how bitcoin is serving as a strategic tool for civil resistance. That is, activists are using bitcoin to get over financial repression and fight political tyranny all across the world. The two stories that stood out for me are those of Roya Al Mahboob, and Meron Estefanos. I'll share a summary below.

• Meron Estefanos is a refugee advocate. She shared a story how just last week an Eritean refugee was kidnapped in Sudan and was about to be sold to Libyans. The ransom was about $40,000. But if they were able to pay for the person before in Sudan before he gets transferred it was going to be $5000. She only had an hour and half(1hour 30minutes). So what she did was to find someone in Sudan who was willing to pay the ransom in person. She went on to train the person on how to receive bitcoin, and how to exchange it. Within an hour and half(1hour 30minutes) they were able to do it and the person was released.
  

• Roya Al Mahboob, an Afghan tech entrepreneur and activist shared her story of the challenges that Afghan women face becasue the political structure prevents them from obtaining education and competent employment. To systematically fight against this, she  founded a training school where Afghan women are trained in software development, they are given jobs, she set up bitcoin addresses for them to get paid with bitcoin. In Afghanistan, a woman usually needs a man's help to open a bank account—perhaps her father or brother but bitcoin has bypassed that.

You can join the live session here : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LzrrcjaFyE

Do you have stories of how bitcoin in used in fighting oppressive governments, please share

Thank you.

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[OgNasty]

I'm not sure if using Bitcoin to pay a ransom to kidnappers is exactly the sort of development we'd like to see with Bitcoin, but I'm glad that someone feels they were helped out by it. 

I like the second story much better and would like to think that Bitcoin has helped some oppressed women become financially independent from those that control them.  I hope that these sorts of stories are what continue to appear as they represent the good side of Bitcoin, while story #1 seems to represent more of the bad side of what Bitcoin can be used for.  With a little luck, maybe we'll see more of story 2 in the future and less of story 1. 

[hZti]

Interesting stories about different uses of bitcoin in real world scenarios.
While I can fully support the second story and this is actually one of the reason why I invest a lot of time and effort into bitcoin is the second story. The first one however I am a little bit twisted. On one hand the person was released, but on the other hand the blockchain makes it impossible to freeze the assets of the terrorists. Still terrorists can use a lot of other assets for their shady deals that can not be frozen, like gold diamonds or simply cash money.

[Odusko]

From the point overview by ops, I don't see any positive discussion as relate to Bitcoin usage and with the mentioned points in the writing this only points to Bitcoin as a currency for criminal transactions a d bypassing government restrictions and Bitcoin as a tool for money laundering and this will only push back Bitcoin adoption by government and even the citizens will see Bitcoin as none legitimate currency even though Bitcoin is the best alternative.
I wanted to follow the discussion but with the host speakers focusing on the part of Bitcoin being an exit from centralization instead of Bitcoin being treated as an alternative currency that exists along with fiat.

[Upgrade00]

In Afghanistan, a woman usually needs a man's help to open a bank account—perhaps her father or brother but bitcoin has bypassed that.

This is why Bitcoin was created, to give individuals an alternative. Allowing the government to hold all the powers creates room for oppressive policies which the citizens would have to live with if Bitcoin did not exist.
These type of stories shows Bitcoin in practice and how it is much more than a fancy digital money which can double or triple in price during the bull run.

[CryptSafe]

So the first Africa Bitcoin Conference is holding in Ghana currently. Some of the speakers at the conference include Jack Dorsey, Ray Youssef, Obinna Nwosu, Alex Gladstein, Mike Brock, Fadi Elsalameen and a host of others. Today is day 2.

In the third panel discussion, various speakers (Roya Al Mahboob,  Meron Estefanos, Leopoldo Lopez) told stories of how bitcoin is serving as a strategic tool for civil resistance. That is, activists are using bitcoin to get over financial repression and fight political tyranny all across the world. The two stories that stood out for me are those of Roya Al Mahboob, and Meron Estefanos. I'll share a summary below.

• Meron Estefanos is a refugee advocate. She shared a story how just last week an Eritean refugee was kidnapped in Sudan and was about to be sold to Libyans. The ransom was about $40,000. But if they were able to pay for the person before in Sudan before he gets transferred it was going to be $5000. She only had an hour and half(1hour 30minutes). So what she did was to find someone in Sudan who was willing to pay the ransom in person. She went on to train the person on how to receive bitcoin, and how to exchange it. Within an hour and half(1hour 30minutes) they were able to do it and the person was released.
  

• Roya Al Mahboob, an Afghan tech entrepreneur and activist shared her story of the challenges that Afghan women face becasue the political structure prevents them from obtaining education and competent employment. To systematically fight against this, she  founded a training school where Afghan women are trained in software development, they are given jobs, she set up bitcoin addresses for them to get paid with bitcoin. In Afghanistan, a woman usually needs a man's help to open a bank account—perhaps her father or brother but bitcoin has bypassed that.

You can join the live session here : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LzrrcjaFyE

Do you have stories of how bitcoin in used in fighting oppressive governments, please share

Thank you.

There is always a Bitcoin story and experience everyone would want to tell. I believe these are the stories that warrants the government being afraid of the emergent and existence of Bitcoin. With Bitcoin the masses would not be oppressed anymore. Bitcoin just caused financial revolution in the economy.  Since it's inception, lots of activities have  been going on without any trace.
 
This is not only the issue of fighting oppresive government, let us also look  at  liberation and financial freedom,  boarderless transactions, privacy, third party interference, faster transfer all these put together Bitcoin has surpassed.  Bitcoin emerged as the beginning of financial revolution to mankind.

[Dave1]

Ok, so two contrasting stories about the used of bitcoin,

First, just sad that someone is kidnapped and they had to pay ransom. And the kidnappers accepted bitcoin as payment. So for sure this kind of news will put bitcoin again in a bad position because anti-bitcoin says that it is being used by the criminals.

Second though is good news, seems that the Afghan women has found a way, however, it will be very different to them if I'm not mistaken. They could circumvent it as this point but sooner or later their government who is known to be oppressive to women, so not sure how long they can go about it using bitcoin to get around about the bank thing. You just have to admire their courage.

[coolcoinz]

I'm not sure if using Bitcoin to pay a ransom to kidnappers is exactly the sort of development we'd like to see with Bitcoin, but I'm glad that someone feels they were helped out by it. 

I like the second story much better and would like to think that Bitcoin has helped some oppressed women become financially independent from those that control them.  I hope that these sorts of stories are what continue to appear as they represent the good side of Bitcoin, while story #1 seems to represent more of the bad side of what Bitcoin can be used for.  With a little luck, maybe we'll see more of story 2 in the future and less of story 1. 

The first story leaves a bitter aftertaste, but Bitcoin wasn't used because it was attractive to the kidnappers but because it was a fast international payment system.
We can debate whether kidnappers should be paid at all, or not, the way the US doesn't negotiate with terrorists, but if it was decided that they can and want to pay, it came down to whether they can make it in time, or not. Bottom line, they chose bitcoin because it was the fastest international payment they could do and it worked they way they wanted. I don't think that there would suddenly be no kidnappings if people stopped paying in bitcoin or that there are now going to be more of them since they can demand to be paid in bitcoin

[Z-tight]

Do you have stories of how bitcoin in used in fighting oppressive governments, please share

I do not have any particular story to tell, but i am just happy that many people all around the world can use a currency that is censorship resistant and cannot be printed in massive amounts by the government, causing inflation and suffering for people.

The first story in your op is a sad one, the second one is great. I know many BTC people have good stories to tell about the network, i have read many of it on the forum, either how one member was able to convince a merchant to accept BTC, or another member trying to convince a hotel management to accept BTC as payment for his stay in their hotel; i know the government will surely win the 'media battle' with their negative side of the network, but a good story or news about BTC every now and then is always wonderful to read.

[n0ne]

I'm not sure if using Bitcoin to pay a ransom to kidnappers is exactly the sort of development we'd like to see with Bitcoin, but I'm glad that someone feels they were helped out by it. 

I like the second story much better and would like to think that Bitcoin has helped some oppressed women become financially independent from those that control them.  I hope that these sorts of stories are what continue to appear as they represent the good side of Bitcoin, while story #1 seems to represent more of the bad side of what Bitcoin can be used for.  With a little luck, maybe we'll see more of story 2 in the future and less of story 1. 

Even in the first story it looked like the usage of bitcoin helped her at the right time. They've requested for $5k and if they've sold the person to libyans then it would be $40k. By that time she had made use of the bitcoin as a way to reach the kidnappers at the earliest.

Second story is really good and a life changing thing. In a country like Afghanistan, Women into educating women and trying to develop good skills within them is really appreciable and a must for the progress of the country.

[AmoreJaz]

I'm not sure if using Bitcoin to pay a ransom to kidnappers is exactly the sort of development we'd like to see with Bitcoin, but I'm glad that someone feels they were helped out by it.  

I like the second story much better and would like to think that Bitcoin has helped some oppressed women become financially independent from those that control them.  I hope that these sorts of stories are what continue to appear as they represent the good side of Bitcoin, while story #1 seems to represent more of the bad side of what Bitcoin can be used for.  With a little luck, maybe we'll see more of story 2 in the future and less of story 1.  

Even in the first story it looked like the usage of bitcoin helped her at the right time. They've requested for $5k and if they've sold the person to libyans then it would be $40k. By that time she had made use of the bitcoin as a way to reach the kidnappers at the earliest.

Second story is really good and a life changing thing. In a country like Afghanistan, Women into educating women and trying to develop good skills within them is really appreciable and a must for the progress of the country.

the first story is a good example why some noncrypto users have a different outlook with btc. they feel that it is mostly used in illegal activities just like this kidnapping case. but to see the good side of it, if those people involved got a hold of authorities, i don't think they will get the Eritean refugee that fast. the negotiation alone would take months and months. since these kidnappers were thinking that btc is relatively safe because it is anonymous, they agreed to this arrangement.
the second story is great of course, because it is empowering women in the midst of a male dominant country.

[Obari]

So the first

• Roya Al Mahboob, an Afghan tech entrepreneur and activist shared her story of the challenges that Afghan women face becasue the political structure prevents them from obtaining education and competent employment. To systematically fight against this, she  founded a training school where Afghan women are trained in software development, they are given jobs, she set up bitcoin addresses for them to get paid with bitcoin. In Afghanistan, a woman usually needs a man's help to open a bank account—perhaps her father or brother but bitcoin has bypassed that.

this is actually were my concern comes in, of all the countries, why must it be Afghanistan? i really know of this country not taking things lightly with law breakers or defaulters because it is a war country and all they do is believe they are protecting it's citizens.
i read your summery on this and the first thing that came to my mind was if they were doing the right thing and what will be the consequences of their actions if found out?
bitcoin has a major tool in fighting government oppression and a great way to make the citizens stay independent. we could also relate this to the case of the Ukraine and Russian war when the banks where locked and bitcoin was the only way out.

one other way bitcoin has been helping against government in my country is the fact that the looted funds that have been stolen and stored in the houses as they are now loosing value massively due to the greater adoption of bitcoin.