Of course the word “faith” is associated with many different facets of life. On the one hand, there is religious faith, which assumes the absolute truth of a belief, for example, the existence of God. On the other hand, we also speak of faith when we think that something is true although we have no visible evidence for it. We use the word faith for our convictions which we belief to be true. Last but not least, it is a word that gives us strength. Faith is an expression of our confidence. It strengthens us in our abilities and thus lets us courageously and full of confidence follow new paths.

The bottom line is that we use the word faith to refer to different value systems. One is about a higher power that guides us through life, the other is about rules, laws and forms of society that provide us with the framework for living together. In many different languages, the word faith is derived from the terms "to approve of something”, “to hold it dear". These value systems are different foundations of  personal identity and of different cultures that also represent the basis of our respective lives.

Whereas in the Western world, combined with democratic forms of government, faith in the state and in the legal system comes to the fore, in African culture trust in the community and faith in the tradition of the family come first. In our history, we have seen what difference these distinct preconditions make in the development of a society. Nevertheless, we must clearly stress that all different forms of belief and thus also value systems have their advantages and disadvantages. Today we are able to immerse ourselves in the different forms of society and thus perceive the variations thereof ourselves. This allows us to learn from the different systems, recognize the respective problems and thereby jointly develop new, innovative solutions that should contribute to a positive direction of development.

An important value system that has become established worldwide across cultures is our current money or financial system. It helps us to relate everything in the world to everything else and with it we try to represent the common denominator of all things. But actually, this value system is also based on the faith of us people. The bills and coins themselves, do not have the value that we assign to them with our faith in the monetary system. Our trust in the system thus relates to the institutions behind it and their promise of the functionality of our monetary system.

Is all just an illusion?

Digitization has made our monetary system increasingly abstract. Cash, i.e., real coins and bills, represents only a minimal proportion of the amount of money in circulation today. We are living in a time in which a global economic crisis is occurring with a vehemence and complexity that absolutely shakes the faith in this global value system. Many people are currently asking themselves why we rush after worthless coins and bills or why we accept electronic money that exists only virtually. Is it all just an illusion? Will the system fall apart when people lose faith in it and no longer trust state institutions?

For this reason, a group of innovative thinkers came up with the idea for a decentralized currency in or through the internet at the beginning of this millennium. The so-called blockchain technology developed from this. A blockchain is a distributed peer-to-peer database with strict rules for adding data. Bitcoin as a monetary system makes use of this technology and as the first, digital asset fulfils the 5 most important characteristics that a monetary system must fulfil: scarcity, durability, divisibility, transportability and general acceptability.

Scarcity means limited availability, i.e. that it cannot be increased at will by everyone. Durability means that a good remains constant over a long period of time, and divisibility means that something does not lose its original properties when divided. Transportable is something that can be moved from one place to another with little effort, and general acceptance means that the good is recognized by all participants and meets with approval as an object of exchange.

Independence and freedom

Financial independence and freedom are, in principle, important fundamental values for us humans everywhere. Therefore, freedom must be guaranteed in our monetary system so that we can believe in it. Bitcoin payment works directly from A to B, independent of financial institutions. No third parties are necessary for this. Bitcoins can be sent from anyone to any place in the world at any time without having to obtain permission or confirmation. The transfer is verified by the entire community through the decentralized system. Therefore, it is not surprising for many that especially in the last few years the trust in this innovative alternative to the conventional money system has increased more and more.

Because Bitcoin has this multitude of positive characteristics for use as a monetary system, many people today see it as a revolution in our current financial world. This secure, free, non-manipulable and non-censorable new system works worldwide and is freely accessible to every individual. Bitcoin is limited in quantity to 21 million pieces by a sophisticated algorithm and is therefore inflation-proof.

Bitcoin can also become a great change maker for The Gambia. We at IN·US would like to establish this additional payment system in our community and further spread the knowledge about it as an opportunity for the whole country. The Gambia, as a rather unknown country, can appear in a new image by accepting Bitcoins as a payment system. This innovation and progress will bring a new, conscious and sustainable target group to The Gambia. More tourism creates additional jobs, the transfer of knowledge about the monetary system facilitates accessibility and guarantees a certain degree of freedom. The interest of a young generation is aroused, within the country and internationally.

With the establishment of a Bitcoin Gambia community, the first step towards an aspiring direction has been made.  With regular meetings, always on the first Monday of the month at the Kasumai Hotel in Bijilo, this new movement with sustainable mindset will grow steadily and day by day more and more people will become aware of the way our current, financial belief system works. As a hybrid event on-site and online at the same time, everyone is welcome to join these meetings and learn or exchange information about the new Bitcoin technology and its possibilities. We welcome all who question their current belief system, want to check whether it still corresponds to their wishes and ideas and then want to actively contribute to a positive and conscious further development of the worldwide social system with us. An old proverb says that “Faith moves mountains!”. It gives us strength and power. We are so confident that we feel we can do something almost impossible and overcome extreme challenges without further ado. Therefore, this time of upheaval is an absolute opportunity that we can take advantage of by becoming aware of our faith and knowing the advantages and disadvantages of different value systems. Unimaginable changes in a positive direction, which combines the advantages of existing belief systems, can now be realized and sustainably implemented. Discover your personal strength and contribute yourself to bring about this magical change with the power of your thoughts, your faith.

My insider tip in The Gambia of the month!

In most countries in Africa, including of course The Gambia, people have limited access to key financial products and services. About 80% of the people in The Gambia do not have access to a regular bank account. This is a major problem for the people, leading to further economic challenges and a slow pace of development for the country. Rural areas are particularly affected.  However, mobile phones and the internet are widespread.

We therefore want to be part of a global movement with our pioneering work in The Gambia and drive the networking of freedom-loving and independent people within the Bitcoin community. Bitcoin and the digital asset revolution are narrowing the financial gaps by making it easier for consumers to trade them. They are attracting new audiences to the tourist-oriented country and thus are directly increasing the economic growth of The Gambia. We look forward to your interest in becoming part of this new movement and invite you to learn more about the latest developments at our monthly Bitcoin Gambia community meetings. Every 1st Monday of the month at 5:30pm we welcome you to the Kasumai Hotel in Bijilo and are eager to hear your questions and have an exchange.