How Bitcoin is fighting poverty and corruption in Kenya
In Kibera, Nairobi's slums in Kenya, people are trading cash for Bitcoin more and more.
In the Kibera slums in Nairobi, Kenya, people are increasingly swapping cash for Bitcoin. The reason? Daily robberies, widespread corruption, and the steep fees of mobile payment services like M-PESA make the traditional financial system unworkable for many.
The driving force behind this shift is social worker Ronnie Mdawida. With his initiative, he’s building a closed Bitcoin marketplace, funded by donations. “Kibera is one of the most financially excluded communities in the world. We brought Bitcoin to Kibera to help people participate in the economy financially,” explains Mdawida told Tagesschau.
His organization blends Bitcoin use with education. Local residents receive training in financial literacy and crypto knowledge. They learn not only how to use the technology, but also what the risks are. At the moment, more than €20,000 worth of Bitcoin is circulating within the community. More and more merchants are also accepting the cryptocurrency as valid tender.
Kibera isn’t alone. Worldwide, the use of Bitcoin as a payment method is growing, especially in developing countries. Human rights activist and avid Bitcoiner Anita Posch sees that trend every day. With her initiative “Bitcoin for Fairness,” she lets communities experience the power of financial self-determination.
The throughline is clear: Bitcoin thrives where it’s needed. Cartoonist Lina Seiche, known from “The Little Hodler,” summarizes it well: “If cash is the easiest, people pay with cash. If Bitcoin is the easiest, they pay with Bitcoin.” Bitcoin as a payment method is far from a failure; its value shows up precisely in the margins of the world.
