Interview with Gloire: Democratizing Bitcoin in the DRC and Africa

Today, we give the floor to Gloire Kambale Wanzavalere, an entrepreneur and active defender of Bitcoin, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) who organizes events and carries initiatives that help push the adoption of bitcoin on the continent.

Glory, can you introduce yourself in a few lines?

I am a Bitcoiner from the Democratic Republic of Congo. I co-founded several initiatives, including Kiveclair, an organization dedicated to Bitcoin education in my country. I also co-founded Africa Bitcoin Community, another association that, among other activities, organizes “ Africa Bitcoin Conference“, an annual event that brings together the Bitcoin community in Africa. The second edition was held in December 2023 in Accra, Ghana. We plan to organize the third in Kenya at the end of this year.

How did you fall into the Bitcoin rabbit hole?

My first encounter with Bitcoin dates back to 2014, when a television report aroused my curiosity, without capturing my full attention. My active journey is similar to that of many others: at the end of 2017, a close friend told me about an opportunity to make easy money online.

I followed him, but quickly discovered it was a scam. However, this mishap had the merit of making me think again about Bitcoin. I then dove into research, discovering the immense potential of blockchain, a topic that was causing a lot of buzz at the time. As I began to tire of my law studies, this new discovery encouraged me to leave everything behind to explore a field that was still little known and not taught in schools. I saw immense potential there. I left home to devote myself entirely to this subject, with various speculative adventures along the way. After a few setbacks, I began to understand the activist side of Bitcoin, learning its history and foundations. It was early 2019, if I remember correctly. Since then, I have embarked on a true journey into the heart of Bitcoin, a journey that continues to this day.

3/ Do you think that the adoption of bitcoin is on the right track? in Africa where do certain points need to be improved? If yes, which ones ?

When I started speaking publicly about Bitcoin and its virtues, few Africans were doing so, although Bitcoin was already present on the continent, with a more speculative side. Today, Africa has many figures who speak of the liberating potential of Bitcoin and noble initiatives are emerging everywhere. Bitcoin has revealed itself to Africa, we are on a very good path.

However, African youth are not yet sufficiently involved, particularly in the development of the protocol. Most Bitcoiners on the continent are still preaching the good word. This still remains too theoretical and philosophical, but remains a positive first step. We must do more. Our voices must be heard through lines of code, products adapted to our realities, powerful companies in the ecosystem, etc.

Qala (today integrated into Btrust) showed this way. Several developers from the continent are already exploring Bitcoin Core. Machankura launched an incredible solution reflecting the African need. We already have our first miners. But it's still not enough. To meet the challenge, we must increase in-depth training so that African talents are sufficiently reflected on Bitcoin at the level of the protocol as well as the applications.  

• Read: Machankura: Send bitcoin to a basic phone in Africa

You are organizing the event in Ghana, can you tell us a little more about the event?

Africa Bitcoin Conference aims to unite the African Bitcoin community. Our objective is twofold: on the one hand, to amplify Africa's voice in the ecosystem, and on the other hand, to create an meeting space for Bitcoiners from the continent. This event promotes exchanges, encourages synergies and highlights the remarkable initiatives developed across Africa and around the world. 

The strength of Bitcoin lies in its community, and it is essential that it meets regularly for better coordination. By launching this conference, we have filled a void in Africa. Now, this event has become a catalyst for connecting the African Bitcoin community and sharing its vision with the rest of the world. We are also happy that similar initiatives are emerging, particularly in Senegal, in Benin and South Africa. 

Adoption is strong in English-speaking countries compared to French-speaking African countries, why do you think?

It is difficult to precisely determine the reasons for the gap between English-speaking and French-speaking countries in Africa. Several factors come into play, but in my opinion it is largely a cultural issue, inherited from the colonial model.

Anglophone populations tend to integrate more quickly into various fields, including technology and business, compared to Francophones. As some say, “the English speaker is business oriented, while the French speaker is political”. This trend is also reflected in the adoption of Bitcoin, although the language barrier also plays a role. The world of Bitcoin, both scientific and commercial, is predominantly English-speaking. However, it is up to us to break these inherited chains to think freely and, fortunately, this is happening more and more in several French-speaking African countries, regardless of the sector.

What do you think should be done to improve/accelerate adoption? in French-speaking Africa?

We must increase educational initiatives adapted to our specific contexts. These programs should be designed in local languages ​​to ensure better understanding and accessibility. Bitcoin is open to everyone; it’s about adapting and integrating it into our various realities. 

6/ Where can we contact you? (links to your networks / email,)

I plan to share my twitter or my linkedin, it's much better to avoid the risk of spam.

Thank you for giving me the floor.

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We also thank Gloire for this interview and salute the Bitcoin projects that he is undertaking with enthusiasm. If you are curious about bitcoin and you are in the DRC, do not hesitate to follow Gloire on the networks to find out the next meetup dates.

Finally, to learn more about different projects and perspectives, you can also listen to his interview conducted by “ Africa speaks Bitcoin". This is also an excellent podcast that we recommend, especially if you want to dig deeper into the subject of Africa and Bitcoin.

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