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On Monday, the independently syndicated radio broadcast Free Talk Live (FTL) announced that the organization, along with a group of businesses and FTL listeners, had raised $45,000 in cryptocurrencies to construct an orphanage in Uganda. The initiative also raised another $35,000 in crypto to purchase the land for the orphanage within the small African village.
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$80K in Crypto Raised
Cryptocurrencies and philanthropy go hand in hand and on March 25, the Free Talk Live radio show announced the team had raised a total of $80,000 in digital currencies to purchase land in Uganda and build an orphanage on the site. FTL also had matching contributors who helped the crowdfunding initiative including organizations like Cell411, Bitcoin.com, and the Shire Free Church.
Free Talk Live and Friends Raise $80K in Crypto for Ugandan Orphanage
The land purchase and orphanage construction will help the small village self-sustain and the residents will be able to dedicate more energy to things like growing crops and raising livestock. The orphanage construction goal was also led by The Foundation of Hope Uganda and one of the foundation’s ministers, Ndifuna Johnson.
According to FTL, the radio show’s listeners also participated in the funding process using the radio program’s cryptocurrency tip jar, which accepts DASH, BTC, BCH and the ability to donate with other coins using Shapeshift. FTL airs live, seven nights a week from 7-10 p.m. EST on nearly 200 radio stations. Co-host Mark Edge believes the initiative shows the true power of cryptocurrency crowdfunding. Moreover, Edge thinks that giving the Uganda village a helping hand helps them discover better opportunities.
“All I want here is for young people to have the opportunity to build a better life for themselves,” Edge explained. “Education is important and you can’t have human freedom without humans and these kids need food. This is a way for these kids to get it — this is a better plan — Give them a fishing rod and let them catch their own fish.”
Villagers Build Thousands of Clay Blocks in Anticipation
FTL first heard about the foundation in Uganda when Ndifuna Johnson contacted Edge about the orphanage. Not long after the first encounter and discussions with a local preacher, Kamua Saul, Edge thought it was a worthwhile project to pursue further. According to the radio host, the villagers crafted thousands of clay blocks in anticipation of the orphanage. “They did it piece by piece, fist the foundation, walls, second floor — Bit by bit, over time. It looks great and can fit 40 kids. It also functions as a sort of community center for all the children in the village,” Edge detailed.According to FTL and the foundation, the villagers are in the process of securing the land using the funds provided by FTL donors and associated sponsors. The FTL host also noted that there’s often a misconception among libertarians in regard to helping people in need and this project has shown that “nothing could be further from the truth.” The news also follows the peer-to-peer cryptocurrency exchange Paxful’s mission in Rwanda, which helped fund two schools in the region. The #Builtwithbitcoin initiative raised over $100,000 of BTC, BCH, ETH, LTC, and DASH for the construction. The last facility Paxful helped fund and develop allowed for six classrooms, bathroom stalls, a cafeteria and a new water well system. The New Hampshire radio show’s latest focus on helping the orphanage in Uganda proves once again that cryptocurrencies are extremely well suited for spreading economic freedom through philanthropy.
(Bekar)