HRF grants 700 million satoshis to 20 projects worldwide

NEW YORK (December 10, 2024) — The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) is pleased to announce 700 million satoshis of gifts from its Bitcoin Development Fund. HRF’s latest batch of grants focuses on technical education for people living under authoritarian regimes, independent media outlets, decentralizing mining, and providing human rights groups with more private financial solutions. Areas of focus include key countries and regions in Latin America, Asia, and Africa.

Grants include:

• Stratum V2 Reference Implementation (SRI), an open-source software that decentralizes Bitcoin mining by enabling nodes to construct their own block templates. This helps promote solo mining, reduces reliance on large mining pools, and strengthens Bitcoin’s permissionless and censorship-resistant qualities. Funding will support developer bit-aloo’s full-time work on SRI, including benchmarking tools to evaluate the performance of Stratum V2, integration tests, codebase maintenance, and software documentation.

• Public Pool, a free and open-source mining pool optimized for low hash rate devices (a mining device with limited computational power). Users can self-host a Stratum server and select their own block templates without relying on a third party. By making Bitcoin mining more accessible and decentralized, Public Pool strengthens the Bitcoin network. Funding will support hosting costs, hardware upgrades, and operational expenses.

• Naiyoma, the first female Bitcoin Core developer from Africa. Hailing from Kenya, she is dedicated to fostering an open financial system rooted in transparency, freedom, and fairness. Her work focuses on reviewing pull requests (PRs), addressing bugs through new PRs, and improving Bitcoin Core’s codebase. Funds will support her full-time contributions to advancing Bitcoin Core.

• Daniela Brozzoni, an experienced software developer. Previously, she contributed to the  Bitcoin Development Kit (BDK), a software library that allows you to build cross-platform Bitcoin wallets. She is now shifting her focus to Bitcoin Core, where her work will be reviewing key pull requests (PRs), contributing to new features, and improving testing coverage. Through her efforts, Daniela aims to enhance Bitcoin’s decentralization, privacy, and resilience. This grant will support her full-time contributions to Bitcoin Core.

• UX/UI Design for Bitcoin Core, redesign work by product designer Michael Haase that aims to bring the Bitcoin Core App to mobile devices (making it accessible beyond desktop use). This update will enable users to run nodes, access essential wallet features (such as Silent Payments and multisignature) directly on their phones, and improve their financial privacy. Funding will support the project’s design and development.

• No BS Bitcoin, a newsdesk delivering the latest Bitcoin news and updates on open-source technologies in a clear and accessible format. Free from ads, tracking and paywalls, the platform consistently highlights privacy and freedom technologies essential for activists and citizens under authoritarian regimes. Funding will ensure the site’s continued operation, enable the hiring of an additional editor, and support the introduction of Nostr features (like Zaps and comments) to foster greater community engagement.

• Tando, a new payment application co-founded by Sabina Gitau, empowering 54 million Kenyans to have the option to use Bitcoin for everyday transactions. By integrating with M-PESA, Kenya’s leading mobile payments system, Tando allows users to pay in Bitcoin via a Lightning wallet, while merchants receive Kenyan Shillings. The platform is KYC-free and has no fees, offering an affordable and private payment solution. Funds will help boost Tando’s liquidity, support a growing user base, and drive expansion across the African continent. 

• YakiHonne, a client for the decentralized Nostr protocol built by a team in East and Southeast Asia. It was developed by Wendy Ding to support free speech and promote Bitcoin payments across 170 countries. With innovative functionality and a blend of online and offline events, YakiHonne seeks to drive the adoption of decentralized social media. Funding will support smart widget development, relay network improvements, and influencer engagement to expand Nostr’s reach and impact.

• SeedSigner Multi-language Support, a translation project by developer Ace to integrate multi-language functionality into the fully customizable, open-source SeedSigner hardware wallet. This will enhance accessibility for users worldwide and empower marginalized communities to achieve financial sovereignty through inexpensive and accessible self-custody. Funding will support the developer’s efforts to deliver a multi-language version of SeedSigner within the next year.

• Vexl, a peer-to-peer Bitcoin trading application founded by Lea Petrasova to provide users with a private and Know-Your-Customer (KYC) free Bitcoin experience. By connecting users through their phone contacts, Vexl enables secure, direct Bitcoin transactions in a peer-to-peer manner. The app aims to make private Bitcoin usage more accessible while offering critical protection against authoritarian regimes. Funding will support Vexl’s growth, focusing on reaching African communities and driving improvements to its backend infrastructure.  

• Tomatech, a community focused on building a team of developers in India to advance Bitcoin infrastructure and Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) projects. By offering mentorship and training, it bridges the gap between education and practical experience. Additionally, its Goa-based cultural center and community space will foster a vibrant Bitcoin community through meetups, workshops, and residencies. Funding will support developer training, the creation of a developer hub, bounties and grants, and general operations.

• Krux, open-source software that turns generic devices into hardware wallets for secure Bitcoin self-custody and transactions. It features air-gapped operations, key management and backups, an intuitive interface, and support for 10 languages. This project can help decentralize Bitcoin custody and safeguard freedom and property rights in authoritarian regimes. Funding will help developer Odudex further advance this innovative open-source project.

• Iris, a Nostr web client created by developer Martti Malmi designed to make private and secure messaging simpler and safer. Using the MIT-licensed nostr-double ratchet library, it aims to improve protection for metadata and message content, ensuring conversations remain private—especially in surveillant environments. Funding will support hiring a developer to expand Iris’s features and functionality.

• African UX Bitcoin Bootcamp, a program that empowers talented Bitcoin UX designers from authoritarian countries with the opportunity to attend the Africa Bitcoin Conference (ABC) for hands-on training and networking. Led by Bitcoin Design Foundation’s co-founder, Mogashni Naidoo, participants will receive on-ground training and test the usability of their products at ABC. Funds will cover the program expenses, including flights, accommodations, and logistics, ensuring accessibility for all participants. 

• Bitcoin History, a research project by Pete Rizzo dedicated to documenting and preserving key people, events, and materials (ie. photographs, videos, links, information) that shaped Bitcoin’s rise as a global monetary and human rights force. Focused on “the history of the future of money,” the project highlights Bitcoin’s role as a tool for financial freedom. The grant will support an additional researcher to investigate and document stories of Bitcoin’s use against authoritarian regimes.

• Cashu-ts, the primary Software Development Kit (SDK) in the Cashu ecosystem developed by Gandlaf21. It simplifies wallet creation, integrates the latest protocol updates, and powers popular wallets (like Minibits, eNuts, and Nutstash). By enabling the development of secure, privacy-focused “digital cash” wallets, Cashu-ts plays a vital role in advancing the Cashu ecosystem and financial privacy. This grant will support the developers in maintaining and improving this essential library. 
• Unify, a Payjoin wallet developed by Fontaine to enhance privacy in Bitcoin transactions. Built using Nostr and Bitcoin Core, it leverages Payjoins to obscure transaction histories by enabling multiple parties to make collaborative payments (making Bitcoin inherently more private). This functionality is especially crucial for individuals navigating repressive regimes. Funding will support the developer’s full-time contributions, advancing Unify’s features and expanding its compatibility with other wallets.

• The Financial Freedom Policy Coalition, a policy coalition founded by Venezuelan activist, Jorge Jraissati, brings together youth leaders, policymakers, and industry experts to promote economic opportunities for people living under authoritarian regimes. The coalition plans advocacy missions to educate policymakers on how Bitcoin can support human rights and create social benefits. Funds will cover the costs of organizing and running these missions.

• Jon Atack, a Bitcoin Core contributor and Bitcoin Improvement Proposal (BIP) editor, recognized as one of the top all-time contributors to Bitcoin Core. As a dedicated developer, he plays a pivotal role in enhancing Bitcoin’s decentralization and robustness. Atack is also a staunch advocate for using Bitcoin and open-source software as tools to resist tyranny and advance global human rights. This grant will empower him to continue his vital contributions to Bitcoin development.

• Brink, an organization committed to strengthening the Bitcoin protocol through research and development. Co-founded by Mike Schmidt, Brink supports Bitcoin protocol engineers with grants and offers training and mentorship to onboard new contributors to open-source development. This grant will cover operational expenses, ensuring continued support for open-source developers and the advancement of Bitcoin’s core infrastructure.
  
  

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 https://hrf.org/bdfapply.

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