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NEW YORK (May 9, 2023) The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) is pleased to announce its latest round of gifts from the Bitcoin Development Fund. HRF’s 12 grants focus on improving Bitcoin scaling, privacy, decentralization, supporting global education, censorship-resistant communication, and building communities worldwide. Areas of focus include Africa and Asia. 

Grants include:

•$100,000 to Calvin Kim for his work on Utreexo, a Bitcoin scaling solution for faster verification and synchronization of Bitcoin full nodes. HRF’s funding allows Kim to research and implement a P2P protocol for Utreexo block/transaction messages to prepare Utreexo for a main net launch. 

•$50,000 to 0xB10C for their work on Bitcoin Core Tracepoints, P2P monitoring, fork observer, mining pool observer, and Bitcoin data. Funding supports 0xB10C’s efforts to monitor the Bitcoin network for anomalies, improving network security and resiliency. 

•$50,000 to Calle for Cashu, a free and open source protocol that enables Chaumian ecash on top of Bitcoin. The Cashu protocol conceals user balances and transaction history, offering near-perfect privacy for users of custodial Bitcoin wallets.

•$50,000 to Meron Estefanos for the creation of Bitcoin Innovation Hub Uganda. Ugandans face difficulty receiving remittances due to high fees and obstacles in obtaining ID cards. The space will host local meetups and serve as a Bitcoin awareness and learning center, equipping local youth with practical skills to become sovereign individuals. 

•$50,000 to Kieran for Snort.Social, a web client of Nostr, a decentralized, censorship-resistant, open-source, Lightning-native protocol for a global social network. Snort.Social allows users to access Nostr on a web browser, reducing reliance on app stores and centralized services.  

•$50,000 to Rootzoll for Raspiblitz, a do-it-yourself lightning node that can be run on a Raspberry Pi. Running one’s own node allows users to host popular apps like the BTCPay server, increase their privacy, and improve their ability to verify their transactions. 

•$25,000 to BOB Space BKK for their Thailand residency program. BOB Space BKK is a Bitcoin-only hatchery, incubator, and co-working space in Bangkok. HRF funding will support BOB’s residency program, accelerating promising FOSS projects in Bitcoin, Lightning, and eCash protocols.

•$25,000 to World Liberty Congress for the Freedom Academy, a program that equips activists with the tools, resources, and support needed in the struggle against authoritarianism. This grant supported a recent financial freedom training in Zambia.

•$25,000 to Hampus Sjöberg for Blixt Wallet, a non-custodial open-source Bitcoin and lightning wallet. Blixt is feature-rich, with mobile and desktop support, lightning addresses, and LNURL. Funding will support Hampus’ efforts to improve the user experience and performance of the Blixt Wallet. 

•$10,000 to Nourou for Bitcoin Sénégal, a group that hosts meetups, creates educational content, and onboards local merchants to Bitcoin. Funding will support Bitcoin Sénégal’s existing work, a new website, in-person meetups, and a “Bitcoin Tour” to increase adoption in Senegal.

•$10,000 to Charlene Fadirepo for the Bitcoin in Africa Show, providing education, insights, and thoughtful conversations to deepen the understanding of Bitcoin across Africa. Funding supports existing podcasts, educational materials, and community development. 

•$10,000 to Lorraine Marcel for Bitcoin DADA, a women-centric organization with contributors based in Kenya and elsewhere that educates African women in the Bitcoin space. Funding will support continued online courses, tutorials, and Bitcoin meetups to help women in Africa better understand Bitcoin. 

Since early 2020, HRF has allocated more than $2.7 million in BTC and USD to more than 80 developers, educators, and open-source initiatives worldwide. HRF continues to raise support for the Bitcoin Development Fund, with the next round of gifts to be announced in August 2023.

HRF is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowable by law. Gifts can be made at HRF.org/DevFund, and proposals for support can be submitted to [email protected].

Follow @HRF on Twitter for more updates on this project and all of our other programs designed to promote freedom and human rights around the world.