A Bitcoin (BTC) educator based in Tanzania has successfully climbed Kilimanjaro, financing the entire trip through Bitcoin and Nostr donations.
Kweks (not his real name) raised over $1,700 in Bitcoin (0.0018 BTC) to cover the costs of the hike and announce a new Bitcoin education academy in Tanzania.
Kweks and his wife recently opened the “Proof of Work Academy,” or POWA, a learning center in Tanzania. POWA is a pun on Bitcoin’s consensus protocol, proof-of-work, and the Swahili word “Poah,” meaning fresh or cool.
To promote the new school and showcase his support for decentralized protocols, including Bitcoin and Nostr, Kweks funded the climb using satoshis (sats), the smallest denomination of Bitcoin.
Bitcoin Lightning Network donations came in from around the world via crowdfunding on Geyser Fund and Zapraising, a Bitcoin Lightning Network crowdfunding platform using Nostr (Zaps).
Kweks carried a Nostr flag and shared updates throughout the hike on X, Nostr, and WhatsApp. He explained that while the money raised covered the costs of the climb, the primary impact was educational.
“I thought it [the ascent] would be a great case study to show what Bitcoin can do and introduce some people to Bitcoin as well.”
The climb demonstrated to the local community that there is global support for Kweks’ educational work in Tanzania. Additionally, Kweks received a tip from one of the guides, showing grassroots Bitcoin adoption in Tanzania.
However, one of the challenges in Tanzania is the lack of off-ramps into local currency, as major crypto platforms do not operate there. Throughout the hike, Kweks received questions from Tanzanians about how he funded the adventure and what Bitcoin is.
Kweks spent 25 years in the UK before moving to Tanzania and noted that Bitcoin adoption is different in Tanzania due to the existing barter system and hyperinflation. He believes that using relevant terms and explaining the economic benefits of Bitcoin can help people understand its potential.
“They see that it’s harder to make ends meet. So with these concepts, they understand that Bitcoin the tool can help them — and that’s the work. That’s the work that needs to be shared and explored.”
Kweks continues to share educational resources on Nostr and X, while offering free classes at POWA to Tanzanians near Kilimanjaro.
