Independent educators are changing the world. They unite once a month in a General Assembly of the Node Network, an initiative from My First Bitcoin, to create a thriving ecosystem of educators around the banner of “independent, impartial, bitcoin-only and community-led bitcoin education”. The GA from October 31 was attended by a record of 39 individuals!
Welcome to this fifth write-up of all progress that has been made in the past month. Welcome to the stories from 15 countries!
Celebrating Success at Our 4th Graduation!
“This past Saturday, we proudly honored the achievements of the graduates of our fourth cohort. It’s been an incredible journey, and we couldn’t be more excited about the impact these new graduates will have in their communities.
To continue supporting Bitcoin Education and foster Bitcoin circular economies, we’ve just released fresh updates on our GitHub! These resources are tailored to equip both educators and students with the tools needed to make Bitcoin adoption easier and more effective.
Thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey. Together, we’re building a stronger Bitcoin future!“
We’re beginning this journey in Kenya, heading to the next node in the UK.
Innovation in Action: Our Students Built an S9 Heater!
“Our students continue to amaze! They’ve just completed building an S9 heater, and we will publish a video showcasing their work soon.
This project is part of our recently finished course, developed with a Learning Management System ‘LMS’ to make learning even more interactive and accessible. The next cohort kicks off in November, and applications are open now!
We’re also taking steps to expand our reach, applying for non-profit status in the UK to bring Bitcoin education to more communities. Our students are using LNBits wallets, giving them hands-on experience with lightning. In an exciting outreach, we’ll be visiting the London Liberal Club with a graduate student to introduce politicians to Bitcoin and set them up with their own Lightning wallets. Together, we’re bringing Bitcoin knowledge and practical tools to new audiences!“
Now we are embarking on an extensive journey from the UK to Bitcoin Country and next Node, El Salvador.
Expanding Impact through Education and Collaboration!
“We’ve completed a major collaboration with El Salvador’s Ministry of Education, reaching over 400 teachers, which will impact an estimated 7,000 students.
Our Intro Bitcoin Course is thriving, with over 90 participants in coffee shops and 290 students in high schools, plus a recent graduation of 80 students in Metapan in partnership with Volcano Energy.
We’re now onboarding MPB teachers and nodes to our LMS and using LightSats, a tool to help onboard people to Bitcoin with lightning tips.
As we prepare for Bitcoin Week, we’re excited for a packed schedule: a graduation on November 13, an unconference on the 14th, the Adopting Bitcoin conference on the 15th-16th, and a day-trip to Bitcoin Beach on the 17th. Our educators will also teach at AB2024 and host activities in the Bitcoin Para Niños space.“
We will be traveling from El Salvador to the next Node in Haiti.
Exciting Start for Our First Introductory Bitcoin Class in Haiti!
“On October 18th, we launched our first introductory class in Haiti, and the turnout exceeded our expectations. We welcomed 9 students initially, and by the second session, our numbers grew to 17! Huge congratulations to our incredible team, Papouche Satoshi and Val (HaitianHODL), for leading this initiative and bringing Bitcoin education to the local community.“
Here’s what’s next:
To improve our approach, we’re keeping detailed notes for every class. We’ve set up daily class reports on our shared Google Drive to document student feedback and teacher observations, helping us refine and enhance future classes. Thank you to everyone who supports us in this mission – let’s keep building!
From Haiti, we’re heading directly to the next node in the USA.
Highlights from Financial Literacy Week and Exciting New Developments!
“We recently presented MFB’s Bitcoin Intro Course at our local college’s Financial Literacy Week. As part of this initiative, we donated a copy of the Bitcoin Diploma Student Workbook to the college library, and it will soon be accessible in the BSC online library catalog!“
Here are some other exciting updates:
Milestones in Indonesia: Bali Graduation and New Cohorts!
“We’re thrilled to announce our first-ever graduation in Bali – congratulations to our graduates! We’ve also launched our second cohort in Bandung and kicked off our first online class, with a fantastic turnout of 40-60 attendees from 157 registered participants.“
Here’s what’s coming up:
“We’re also excited to share that we’ll be in El Salvador in just 9 days!”
From Indonesia, our next destination is the Sranan node in beautiful South America.
Closing In on 100 Merchants and Expanding Our Community Efforts!
“We’re happy to announce that we’re just 2 merchants away from our goal of onboarding 100 Bitcoin-accepting businesses by the end of the year! Alongside this, we’ve started organizing soup kitchens and delivering fresh fruit to orphanages, bringing essential support to our community.
Our efforts are attracting passionate young individuals, eager to learn and engage with Bitcoin. Moving forward, we’re committed to continuing merchant onboarding, supporting soup kitchens, and focusing on educating kids through our Mi Primer Bitcoin courses.
We are also excited to collaborate with Praia Bitcoin Brazil! I’ve spent the last three weeks in Brazil learning how to set up a node and helping them prepare for their upcoming conference.“
Our journey continues from South America to the next Node in South Africa.
Growing Interest in Bitcoin Education and Community Engagement!
“We’re excited to share that recent school presentations have sparked interest among local students, with 10 signing up to learn more about Bitcoin! We also had a successful conversation with a school principal, who’s now interested in Bitcoin. Thanks to this connection, we’ve scheduled a tutorial for school teachers on November 20 to introduce them to the Bitcoin Diploma.
To keep the community engaged, our team will now host monthly Movie Nights! Each event will start with a brief introduction to Bitcoin, helping newcomers learn before the movie begins.
We also see increased interest at Ekasi Center, where more locals are coming by to download wallets and deepen their Bitcoin knowledge. With steady growth in our Bitcoin Diploma classes, we’re optimistic about what’s next!
Lastly, we’d love to collaborate with other SA nodes to share ideas and address common challenges.“
Our next stop takes us from South Africa to the node in Texas, San Antonio.
“We’re excited to share that we celebrated our first graduation on Tuesday, marking a major milestone with 15 students completing the class! They had a fantastic learning journey, and we’re looking forward to starting our next class in early January.
In the meantime, we’re adding new updates to our Geyser page to keep the momentum going. We’re also exploring continuing education workshops focused on advanced Bitcoin topics, including cold storage, multisig, mining, and nodes.
Our efforts to onboard more MPB teachers from among our graduates and community members are underway, with a teachers’ training course scheduled for November 9. A special thanks to a local pizza shop that accepted Bitcoin for our graduation celebration – the owner is now interested in learning more and has offered his space for our future meetups!“
Empowering Communities through Bitcoin Education
“Our diploma courses are thriving, and we’re excited to announce a new partnership with a consulting firm to strengthen our mission.
With BTC Pay Server becoming an increasingly relevant topic, we’re committed to enhancing the learning journey and giving students practical experience they can apply.
We’re expanding our focus to bring more Dominicans on board, with a special emphasis on communities closely and surrounding areas. Through our work, we aim to inspire hope and open new opportunities for people within these communities.“
Milestones Achieved: First Online Cohort Graduation and More!
“We’re thrilled to share that we’ve completed our very first online cohort from Bitcoin Loxion, a strong start that saw 6 students successfully graduate! This accomplishment sets the stage for continued growth as we look forward to launching our first in-person academy soon.
On the 21st of every month, we’re dedicating a special space to discussions about Bitcoin and connecting with Africans in the community.
Our merchant onboarding efforts are also expanding, and we’re excited to welcome our first restaurant into the Bitcoin ecosystem.“
New Cohort, Growing Community, and Exciting Plans Ahead!
“Our first cohort kicked off two weeks ago, and we’ve already held two classes, including two high school students! Seeing young Bitcoin enthusiasts is a unique and inspiring experience for us all.
Every 45 days, we host a meet-up, and this year we’re planning a special early Christmas gathering – our biggest yet, with 40 attendees expected! Our focus remains on creating more students and expanding our reach, including connecting with nearby cities.
Looking forward, we’re excited to start an after-school program in the United States, potentially launching in January.“
Bitcoin Education Program Expands
“69 students have signed up, representing various cities, which highlights the program’s growing reach and appeal across regions.
This achievement shows strong interest and commitment from a diverse group, eager to learn about Bitcoin and its potential impact. Now, the program is on the cusp of a significant collaboration with a major organization, marking a milestone that could greatly amplify their educational impact.“
Aiming High: 100 Students for Our 1st Cohort!
“We’re thrilled to announce our goal of enrolling 100 students in our first cohort, with 55 students already progressing through the program! Alongside our Bitcoin curriculum, we’re also offering a physical education class to provide a well-rounded learning experience.
Our journey is just beginning, and we can’t wait to see the impact these students will make. Thank you for supporting our mission to educate and inspire!“
Empowering Women through Bitcoin Education
“Driven by a deep passion for Bitcoin, we are committed to empowering women through education.
Since discovering Bitcoin in 2021, they’ve been inspired to start their journey as a light node and share their knowledge with others. Exciting things lie ahead as they work to create more opportunities for women in the Bitcoin space!“
If you are a community leader and bitcoin educator and want to be part of the Node Network, check out our GitHub page.
If you want to use our open source Bitcoin Diploma workbook, you can! It’s available on GitHub as well.
For any questions about the Node Network or any other international collaboration, feel free to reach out to Arnold Hubach (arnold@miprimerbitcoin.io).
