But that’s what happened when I — a consultant, ex-Deloitte, and fundraiser with nine years of experience in the nonprofit sector — landed at the Bitcoin Conference Las Vegas looking for something bigger than “business as usual.” Fundraising had started to feel like… well, just fundraising for the sake of fundraising.
What surprised me most, though, was how quickly I found myself swept up by the conference energy. On my very first day, I ended up volunteering with the Open Source Hub. There, I was able not only to help build bridges between innovative projects but also to connect more deeply with teams like Primal and see how Nostr opens doors for Latin American circular economies.
On Day Two, while most people were still asleep, I showed up early, determined to pick out a Bitcoin present for my nieces. Among the buzzing Bitcoin bazaar stands, I found a booth with beautiful children’s books and merch, and as luck would have it, found myself chatting with Fernando Motolese — the founder of Bitcoinze. Right place, right time! He ordered 200 Portuguese-language kids’ books, and as two Lusophones got talking, he told me bluntly:
“If you want to see Bitcoin change lives, you need to talk to Valentin Popescu from MOTIV PERÚ.”
Years earlier, I lived in Peru, working for an NGO alongside Inca communities, where I’d find myself having guinea pig for breakfast and alpaca for dinner. No WiFi, no bathrooms, only latrines. The idea of saving money was so foreign, we didn’t even have a local word for it.
That’s the harsh reality: In so much of Latin America, the concept of saving doesn’t even exist, let alone the tools to do it. For many, life is simply about surviving today — not building for tomorrow. When I met Valentin, everything clicked: this person wasn’t just talking about Bitcoin as tech or investment. He was making Bitcoin a tool for hope, for learning, for self-sufficiency… for actual change.
Picture this: Deep in Peru’s Sacred Valley, along Amazonian rivers, entire communities are leapfrogging the financial system that forgot them. At Motiv Perú centers, kids and entrepreneurs get paid in sats for learning, for teaching, for building stuff. You earn, you save, you spend — all with bitcoin. No fragile cash, no corrupt intermediaries. Like all circular economies, they’re growing from the bottom up.
Here’s the kicker: Because of Motiv Perú, these communities and circular economies aren’t just surviving — they’re dreaming. They’re seeing a future where they can work, own and save. Bitcoin is also accepted for everything: bread, haircuts, even trips to Machu Picchu.
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