Qala, dedicated to training African Bitcoin and Lightning engineers, has been acquired by Btrust, a non-profit organization founded by Block CEO, Jack Dorsey and rapper, Jay-Z, to support Bitcoin development across the continent.
Following the completion of this deal in September 2023, Qala has also rebranded as the Btrust Builders Programme.
Today, we are thrilled to share a monumental story in our journey. We have officially become part of ₿trust @btrustteam!
This has led to our rebranding as ₿trust Builders – marking a pivotal shift in our operations to focus on open-source training in Bitcoin and Lightning. pic.twitter.com/kjSkpv8Sbc
— Btrust Builders (@btrust_builders) September 5, 2023
The two organizations see the opportunity to boost Bitcoin development by coming together to utilize their specific advantages:
Btrust, seeded with 500 BTC at launch, has the financial resources but doesn’t have the structure to develop the African Bitcoin talent pipeline; it relies on giving out grants to fulfill its mandate. Qala, on the other hand, has the system but lacks the resources to do it sustainably.
According to Qala CEO, Femi Longe, lack of adequate financing to support its program was its biggest challenge prior to the acquisition. The organization has relied on grants from organizations, including the Human Rights Foundation and Coinbase Giving.
In early 2023, the Human Rights Foundation (HRF) granted Qala $100,000 to support its Bitcoin developer education efforts across the continent.
In February, Qala received $100,000 to fund the continuation of its 13-week fellowship in addition to sponsoring six Qala fellows to attend the Oslo Freedom Forum, from the Human Rights Foundation (HRF).
“The challenge is that generosity and sometimes opportunities in Bitcoin kind of tracks with the price of bitcoin just as hiring does, which is the second challenge we faced. So when there is a bear market, bitcoin companies tighten their buckles,” Longe said.
Funding is crucial not only for the day-to-day operations of Qala, but also to provide stipends to fellows who successfully participate in the intensive part of the program. These stipends help ensure that participants can focus primarily on their training without the financial burden that may come with it.
Longe and Stephanie Titcombe, the program managers at Qala, will take on roles as program leads for Btrust Builders within Btrust. The program’s new focus is on open-source training and it is actively inviting senior African software developers to participate in Bitcoin and Lightning development.
“When we launched our program in 2021, our objective was straightforward: to cultivate a substantial number of African engineers well-versed in Bitcoin’s potential to transform the continent,” said Bernard Parah, Co-Founder & Director of Qala.
“Today’s announcement significantly expedites this mission, enhancing our ability to not only grow our current community but also provide them with the resources to actively contribute to Bitcoin’s open-source development as a crucial solution to Africa’s distinct socio-economic challenges.”
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