Hermann Buhr Vivier
Hermann Vivier is the co-founder of The Surfer Kids (est. 2010) and founder of Bitcoin Ekasi (est. 2021). Hermann first became interested in Bitcoin in late 2013 as a result of the banking crisis and subsequent bank bailouts in Cyprus. In May 2015 he and his wife adopted Bitcoin as a form of payment. They operate a South African tourism business, catering for the Eastern European and Russian markets, and the first Russian-Ukrainian conflict meant that Bitcoin was (in certain cases) the only form of payment available to receive money from their clients. Following the global covid lockdowns and the resulting slump in their tourism business they started looking for ways to become more active in the Bitcoin space. Hermann started writing for Bitcoin Magazine in January 2021 and a series of events followed that led to the creation of Bitcoin Ekasi in August 2021. Inspired by Bitcoin Beach, the founding mission of Bitcoin Ekasi is simple:
Transition The Surfer Kids away from using fiat, and towards using Bitcoin donations.
Pay The Surfer Kids Coaches’ salaries in Bitcoin.
On-board local merchants in the township to accept Bitcoin as payment.
Provide the community with relevant Bitcoin education.
Sessions
Bitcoin Ekasi, a nonprofit organization, seeking to establish a bitcoin economy in Mossel Bay, South Africa, has opened the Bitcoin Ekasi Center. The center will provide financial literacy education to residents, focusing on the area’s younger generation and business community.
So many communities worldwide have been inspired by Bitcoin Beach and embarked on their journey of orange pilling their community! These exciting grassroots initiatives are proving to the naysayer that it is possible for anyone, no matter what their background, to use bitcoin as money!
With Africa's youth wanting more independence and connectivity to the world, Bitcoin is the beacon of hope that allows them to break their dependence on the west. Learn about the tools, programs, and grassroots efforts helping to turn the continent orange.