In the heart of rural Kenya, where traditional financial systems often fail to protect savings from inflation and instability, a quiet revolution is unfolding. Bitcoin Chama—a community-driven initiative blending age-old cooperative savings practices with cutting-edge bitcoin technology—is rewriting the rules of economic empowerment.
What began as a quest to solve a single heartbreaking story of eroded savings has grown into a movement challenging the very foundations of money. Through farming cooperatives, community projects, and grassroots education, Bitcoin Chama is proving that decentralized technology can thrive in the most unexpected places.
First Steps
- What was your first encounter with bitcoin or blockchain technology, and how did it shape your perspective on financial systems?
2023, my brother introduced me to bitcoin. I’d heard about it before but never paid much attention. Once I started learning about it, everything changed—I began to understand the true nature of money, its relationship with time, and the role of governments in financial systems. Bitcoin opened my eyes to a whole new way of thinking, and it’s been one of the most transformative discoveries of my life. 
- Why did you choose to focus on bitcoin specifically, as opposed to cryptocurrencies?
During my time in campus, I tried trading, but I didn’t really understand the crypto world back then. What I did know, however, was how volatile and unpredictable it could be. When I finally entered the bitcoin space, one of the first lessons I learned was: *Don’t shill.*
Everything else fades in comparison to bitcoin. It became clear to me that bitcoin isn’t just another asset—it’s money I can use every day, and it stands apart from everything else in the crypto space.
Building on Bitcoin
- What motivated you to establish a Bitcoin-based chama in rural Kenya? Was there a specific problem you were trying to solve?
Initially, I didn’t know much about bitcoin. But I had a friend who worked as a Boda Boda rider, saving diligently to buy iron sheets and build a better house for his family.
He saved what little he could in a bank and a savings group, but after two years, when he went to withdraw his money, he found that the price of iron sheets had nearly doubled. What was supposed to buy 30 sheets now couldn’t even come close. For someone working so hard, this was devastating.
That’s when I started asking: *How can we solve this problem?* At the time, I didn’t fully understand bitcoin or how money works, but I realized the issue wasn’t just rising prices—it was the financial system itself.
Later that year, I was introduced to bitcoin, and everything clicked. If my friend had saved in bitcoin instead of fiat, his purchasing power wouldn’t have been eroded. In fact, he might have even been able to afford nails, labor, or extra materials.
That realization inspired me to create Bitcoin Chama—a community to help people save in bitcoin and protect their hard-earned money from inflation and systemic flaws.
- How do you convince people in rural Kenya to trust and adopt bitcoin as part of their financial activities?
Most people in our community struggle with poverty, and when I first started my bitcoin project, I focused on teaching them about bitcoin. While many were interested, I soon realized that knowledge alone wasn’t enough—people needed resources to actually use bitcoin.
That’s when we shifted our approach. Now, we create projects, grow them together, and when we sell what we produce, we save the earnings in bitcoin. This way, we’re not just teaching about bitcoin; we’re actively improving lives and building a self-reliant bitcoin community. Our ultimate goal is to empower people financially while showing them the real-world benefits of bitcoin.
- What strategies have you used to educate members about Bitcoin and blockchain technology?
Most people in our community face poverty, so teaching them about bitcoin alone wasn’t enough. Instead, we create projects, grow them together, and save the earnings in bitcoin. This way, we improve lives and build a self-reliant bitcoin community, showing its real-world benefits.
- What steps have you taken to make bitcoin accessible and understandable to people in rural areas?
I try to encourage people to use it everyday. Whenever I am paying for most things nowadays I pay using bitcoin. I even pay my boda boda rider nowadays in bitcoin.
We are even planning to develop a system to reward people who pay using bitcoin. This will make people use bitcoin more and thus make them more familiar with bitcoin and how to use it.
- How do you measure success for Bitcoin Chama? Is it financial growth, community impact, or something else?
My main goal is to impact my community. We will have seen to have had achieved our goals the day when people will be using bitcoin daily as money within our community.
Saving in bitcoin, buying items with bitcoin and paying for services in bitcoin within our community.
- Are there any specific projects or initiatives that you’re particularly proud of?
Yes, I am so proud building Bitcoin Chama. I get so excited orange pilling our community knowing how much impact it will bring.
We’ve done a few projects since we began.
I). We have a community gym which is very cheap to get a gym membership.
II). We have constructed beehives and given out 15 beehives to needy youth in our community
III). We tapped free clean water for people in our community
We are now working to construct chicken coops and lease land to grow vegetables.
Community Influence & Challenges
- What challenges did you face when starting the chama, particularly in introducing Bitcoin to rural communities?
I don’t have many challenges—just two main ones.The first challenge is poverty. Whenever you introduce someone to bitcoin, you often have to explain its history. Imagine telling someone that in 2010, bitcoin was worth about $1, and by 2013, its value had increased significantly.
Fast forward to 2025, 15 years later, and bitcoin is now worth around 10.7 million Kenyan shillings (about $84,000). When people hears this, they see it as a great opportunity to escape poverty.
The problem is, they often perceive bitcoin as free money, rather than understanding it as a long-term investment or financial tool. The second challenge is scamming. Many people think bitcoin might be a scam. This is a common issue in many communities.
- How has the local community responded to the concept of a bitcoin-based chama?
Most people are interested and are curious about what this bitcoin technology is about. I sometimes find people walking from over 2km just to reach our center to ask about bitcoin. I never thought people will take it this well.
- Have there been any misconceptions about bitcoin that you’ve had to address within your community?
The most common one was bitcoin is another online scam. There have been many cases of scamming over the last few months. So whenever people are told that bitcoin is money and you have to buy it with fiat, most think they will be scammed then.
So I have to show them mostly. What we earn from the community projects, we save in bitcoin. So this solves the idea of being scammed.
- Are there any partnerships or collaborations (local or international) that have helped strengthen Bitcoin Chama?
We aren’t partnered with any corporations. We actually received our first donation from Bitcoin Beach a few weeks ago to help us build our community which we are so grateful for.
- What advice would you give to someone looking to start a similar initiative in their community?
I am not good at giving advice but, small steps are most important. Quality takes time.
What’s Next?
- What are your long-term goals for Bitcoin Chama over the next five to ten years?
Over the next 5-10 years, we want to make bitcoin so basic that everyone will be using it like they are using money today. We want people’s lives to be better economically than they are today. I want people to be able to afford basic needs.
We want to own a piece of land where we grow crops for commercial uses. We want to also own a daily farm if possible and a successful chicken farming system. We want to incorporate farming and bitcoin.
- How can individuals or organizations support the work you’re doing with Bitcoin Chama?
You can support our work or community by donating via geyser fund or dm us if you have any way you think you can help. We are both on Nostr and X
