Hope With Bitcoin at Derby Digital

A few days ago, we started talking about Derby Digital and our desire to attend the event in Lomé, Togo. We had received a free pass from Merciano ALIA, and of course, we wanted to be there. But having a pass doesn’t mean you can simply cross a border. We still needed to cover transportation, accommodation, food and other travel expenses.

So on August 19, we reached out to our community and asked for help. And honestly, even on August 21 around 7 PM, I still didn’t know if I would actually make it to Togo. The event was the next day, but the funds were still not enough.

Then, around 11:40 PM, the community showed up. Contributions started coming in, and within a few hours, the Hope Builders made the journey possible. What seemed impossible that evening became reality: Hope With Bitcoin was going to Derby Digital.

For me, this journey was particularly meaningful. It was my first time crossing the borders of Benin and experiencing another country and ecosystem. But I wasn’t travelling simply as a visitor. I was going as the founder of Hope With Bitcoin, with one goal: represent what we are building, connect with others, learn, and share our mission.

And Derby Digital was much more than an event. It became a space for meaningful conversations and connections. I had the opportunity to meet and exchange with TOGO Bitcoin COMMUNITY , DESMOND, WILFRIED, ETCHE Tine Antonio , Makouboulate, and many other amazing people who contributed to making this second edition special. Every conversation brought a new idea, a new perspective, or a new possibility.

One of the biggest lessons I took from this experience is that Hope With Bitcoin cannot remain a project working alone in its corner. What we are doing in Benin is creating impact, but we can do more by connecting with other local communities, collaborating with other builders and making our work more visible.

And this trip already opened a concrete door: Bitcoin Benin Hub has opened its doors to Hope With Bitcoin, giving us the opportunity to organize Bitcoin education sessions for children and use a dedicated space for our educational activities. For me, this is a huge step because education has always been one of the pillars of our mission.

Another idea also emerged from these conversations: the Impact World Tour. We want to gradually take Hope With Bitcoin beyond one location, connect with other communities and, when our resources allow, bring our humanitarian and educational actions to other countries.

Hope With Bitcoin was born in Benin, but our vision is international. In the future, we could see different national communities or branches growing in different countries while remaining connected to the same mission.

And when I look back at this journey, everything started with a simple question: Would we actually make it to Derby Digital?

The answer is yes.

And the reason is simple: our community made it happen.

To every Hope Builder who sent sats, shared our posts, encouraged us or simply believed in us: thank you. 🧡

You didn’t just help fund a trip. You helped open new doors for Hope With Bitcoin.

From Cotonou to Lomé.
From one community to another.
From an idea to action.

The journey is only beginning.

Hope in Action. Powered by Bitcoin.