2026-01-30 –, Machankura
Soweto, a historic centre of resistance with 1.7 million residents, continues to face severe socio-economic challenges in 2025, including systemic unemployment and financial exclusion.
This presentation introduces SowetoBTC, a non-profit initiative that leverages Bitcoin education to drive economic sovereignty.
The session will analyse how Bitcoin financial literacy and practical training empower local youth to access the global digital economy and enable small businesses (SMEs) to bypass traditional banking barriers. By examining current Bitcoin adoption trends within Soweto's informal sectors, this presentation argues that Bitcoin is a modern form of resistance against economic inequality.
Attendees will gain actionable insights into building sustainable circular economies within marginalized communities.
This session explores the practical application of Bitcoin, in a community historically marginalised from traditional banking systems. We detail the educational framework used by SowetoBTC to deliver essential financial literacy and practical skills training.
Key focus areas include:
Empowering Youth: Strategies for integrating youth into the global digital economy.
Supporting SMEs: Methods for small businesses to reduce reliance on conventional financial infrastructure.
Building Circular Economies: Case studies from Soweto illustrating how local transactions using Bitcoin foster sustainable growth and individual financial sovereignty.
Attendees will leave with a clear understanding of how targeted Bitcoin education can transform systemic hardships into tangible economic opportunities.
Founder of SowetoBTC, a non-profit initiative dedicated to providing Bitcoin-only education to youth and businesses in Soweto, South Africa.
A dedicated Bitcoin educator, Trezor Academy local organizer, My First Bitcoin educator, and an active participant in the Federation of Bitcoin Circular Economies.
Michael's work is driven by his conviction that, many socio-economic challenges facing South African communities stem from mismanaged government monetary policies, and that Bitcoin offers a powerful alternative to this broken system.