The Bitcoin Lady from Botswana
Accessibility is what makes blockchain the most promising technology of all time. Blockchain lets anyone in the world with internet access send and receive funds fast, easy, and with no need for a third party. The African population is the one who extremely needs such benefits.
Numbers of research estimates 13% of South Africans with internet access own cryptocurrency, compared to the 7% global average. South Africa, Ghana, Kenya, and Nigeria today consider being the fastest growing crypto communities on the continent. There are many factors to contribute to the mass adoption of bitcoin across Africa, including inflation and lack of admission to traditional financial institutions.
The Bitcoin Lady
Alakanani Itireleng, also known as “Bitcoin Lady” is the main figure of our today`s story, and probably one of the main figures in Africa. Her story began tragically. In the 2010s Alakanani lost her son to illness, but the searches to finance the lung transplant for her son’s treatment have led her to bitcoin as a means to accept international donations.
A teacher in religious studies for over 17 years, a Bitcoin influencer, and a crypto educator since 2013, Alakanani obtained a degree in Education and a master's in Business Administration from the University of Botswana.
Satoshicentre is a Home of Decentralization
Mrs. Itireleng opened a blockchain hub called Satoshicentre in Gaborone. She works on her own alongside developers putting all the efforts into increasing the knowledge of bitcoin and growing the crypto community all-around African continent. Her main purpose is to create as many possible ways of utilizing blockchain technology to resolve the daily life problems faced by Africans.
In addition, Satoshicentre has incubated a blockchain mobile Health Care application, called Boitsogo. Besides, they build a Real Estate advertising technology (METROLINCE) and a transportation application (Mpege). Satoshicenter established a crypto-based debt relief fund to help African communities suffering from serious financial troubles (with "Debt-Aid Fund"). They also founded the "Orphans of the World'' project through the blockchain-based dAPP that allows donors to help orphans directly without relying on middlemen. The project focuses on the hard conditions which orphans from all around the globe face every day.
Besides establishing Satoshicentre, Mrs. Itireleng is the Vice President of Token Innovation at AfroDEXLabs, an African decentralized exchange lab, which builds blockchain technologies to spread mass crypto adoption.
Bitcoin is the Future of the Financial Services
The World Data Bank reports that for the majority of Africans there is a lack of traditional banking services. The amount of accessible commercial banks for the population is 61% lower across Sub-Saharan Africa than the world`s average. 66% of people in Sub-Saharan Africa didn’t have access to a traditional bank account, according to the 2018 official data.
Her commitment to push the technology and contributions Alakanani has made to Bitcoin and blockchain have put her in the numbers of today`s top lists of influential bitcoin leaders.
Today the whole world is in need of help from strong and incredible people such as Alakanani Itireleng, who no matter what happens continue the fight for the future of ours and our children. And Blockchain technology facilitates the help to be processed safe, fast, with no third parties to be involved.
