Inside Bitcoin Lake: Lessons From My Months As A Volunteer With Guatemala's Groundbreaking Project

1 year ago 180

A unpaid from Guatemala’s Bitcoin Lake task shares the rewards of moving connected this circular economy.

Bitcoin is simply a disruptive exertion that has emerged arsenic a cardinal constituent of the fiscal industry. My enactment astatine Bitcoin-friendly companies has allowed maine to observe the galore ways successful which Bitcoin is transforming the industry. Looking to lend more, I embarked connected a Bitcoin-only travel and joined the non-profit project, Bitcoin Lake.

Located successful Panajachel, Guatemala, Bitcoin Lake launched conscionable implicit a twelvemonth ago. The task aims to make a circular system powered by Bitcoin, providing a caller and accessible solution for unbanked arsenic good arsenic banked merchants. In Guatemala, approximately 60% of the big colonisation doesn't person entree to ceremonial fiscal services, and Bitcoin Lake's inaugural to onboard merchants has a important interaction connected the section community.

I person seen firsthand that this task has successfully onboarded much than 60 merchants, of whom 90% are unbanked and solely judge currency and bitcoin. The task continues to question enactment and ways to heighten the acquisition for the Bitcoiners there. The Bitcoin tuk tuk (see fig 1 below) and the Bitcoin vessel (cleverly named “Peer To Peer”) are examples of specified initiatives.

Figure one: A Bitcoin-themed mentation of a tuk tuk, a precise communal conveyance successful Panajachel. 

Bitcoin Lake has made important strides successful a abbreviated period. Business owners are astounded by the easiness of utilizing Bitcoin, and the acquisition projects person been an outstanding success. Centro Educativo Josué, Guatemala's archetypal schoolhouse to person the "Mi Primer Bitcoin" course, has seen its students summation an exceptional knowing of Bitcoin. The advancement and interaction of Bitcoin Lake are important and service arsenic an inspiration to all.

During my archetypal period volunteering with Bitcoin Lake, my knowing and dedication to Bitcoin has grown significantly. As 1 of my archetypal tasks, I collected information to measure the advancement made successful 1 year. As shown successful figures two, 3 and 4 below, charts exemplify the travel of bitcoin successful the task and the fig of transactions completed wrong the past year, indicating important growth.

Figure two: 4,674 transactions were made successful 2022, per Bitcoin Beach Wallet data
Figure three: Bitcoin Lake had a Bitcoin measurement of 7.39 BTC successful 2022, per Bitcoin Beach Wallet data

I besides started teaching "Mi Primer Bitcoin” courses astatine the section school, wherever it's been rewarding to spot kids grasp the conception of wealth and the imaginable benefits of Bitcoin. In January, we held our archetypal meetup with 10 attendees, and we program to big much events successful the future. We've besides been orangish pilling section merchants and gathering Bitcoiners from astir the world. All of our efforts springiness maine anticipation for a amended future, not lone for the task but for the full country.

The past twelvemonth was challenging for the Bitcoin industry, with a batch of mislaid spot and a carnivore marketplace that deed hard. However, we persevered and continued to absorption connected maturation and adoption. Even with the uncertainty and skepticism from those who don't recognize Bitcoin, much radical are taking the clip to larn astir it and admit its value. Merchants are realizing that they tin payment from holding bitcoin alternatively of cashing retired instantly, and locals are becoming much acquainted with Bitcoin, making them much receptive to the thought of adopting this caller technology.

Merchants similar Pedro, the proprietor of Café del Arte, a small, household concern that accepts bitcoin, are embracing the benefits of utilizing this technology. As explained by Pedro, the enactment of accommodating recognition paper payments comes with an attached outgo and a slowed-down outgo process, whereas opting for Bitcoin presents an instant, cheaper and much streamlined avenue with the Lightning Network.

We've seen galore akin occurrence stories from different merchants, which is gratifying. At the section school, Centro Educativo Josué, students are learning astir Bitcoin, its worth and its quality to lick issues similar inflation. On April 12, we'll beryllium investigating our students' cognition of Bitcoin, and we're assured that they'll beryllium good prepared. You are invited to beryllium 1 of the plebs to trial the students by reaching retired to Bitcoin Lake connected Twitter.

Bitcoin Lake has made tremendous strides successful promoting a circular system with Bitcoin. I promote anyone funny successful supporting adoption and experiencing the beauteous views, civilization and hospitality of Panajachel to sojourn us. You'll beryllium amazed by the advancement we've made, and the merchants volition beryllium thrilled to judge your sats. Together, we tin make a amended aboriginal with Bitcoin.

This is simply a impermanent station by Rudy Gallardo. Opinions expressed are wholly their ain and bash not needfully bespeak those of BTC Inc oregon Bitcoin Magazine.

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