I'm so elated by the mere fact that writing this post has the potential to transform my life. I accidentally discovered Steemit while doing a google search for SEO optimization techniques. I quickly learnt that Steemit as a platform provides a great opportunity for content creators established and newbie alike to earn a buck or two from their trade or hobby. This is markedly different to platforms like Facebook or Instagram where the majority of the people who generate the content earn very little or nothing at all. I set about joining the platform and signed up immediately. Even before my account was approved, I was already spreading the Steemit gospel to family, friends, colleagues and other people I'm connected to through social media. I have made it my mission to introduce as many people as I can to Steemit here in Botswana and I hope to become the defacto ambassador of the platform in so doing.
Since I only discovered Steemit two days ago, I cannot claim to have affected the lives of those I have discussed the platform with for the better or worse. I am however hopeful that they will join me in my quest to create a very powerful and dedicated Steemit community in Botswana and Africa as a whole. I take cognizance of the fact that there are already some individuals within the country such as @bitcoinlady who have already embarked on crypto awareness campaigns. However, to me these seem disjointed and limited to spreading awareness on investing in crypto-currencies or on how developers can leverage blockchain technology to create powerful applications.
My intention is thus to unify the different communities within the country to create one powerful Steemit community. Apologies to anybody who might have already started but my research shows there aren't any.
Since there are already existing Steemit communities in other African countries like Zimbabwe, Ghana and Nigeria, I will be reaching out to those to see how we can work together to spread the Steemit gospel and become a positive force for social and economic change. I am very grateful that a platform like Steemit affords everyone irrespective of their geographical location or background a chance to participate in the global economy with very few barriers to entry.
Why I think Batswana Should Embrace Steemit
Like many African countries failing to diversify their economies from natural resources, Botswana has one of the highest rates of youth unemployment with many university graduates struggling to lend a job resorting instead to passive income streams unable to sustain one or their families.
According to Internet World Stats, at the start of the new millennium, internet penetration in Botswana was at 0.3% improving to 28.4% in 2015 while a post on The Sunday Standard newspaper cited the country for having one of the highest smartphone penetration rates on the continent at 160%. While data costs continue to border on extortion, prices have fallen by 70% making it possible for the masses to access the web.
While Botswana is considered a middle income country earning most of its income from safari based tourism, beef and diamond exports, equitable wealth redistribution still leaves a lot to be desired.
According to Wikipedia, spending on economic development had to be cut by 10% in 2002-3 as a result of budget deficits and expenditure on healthcare services. The country was one of the worst hit by the HIV/AIDS pandemic reducing life expectancy from 65 to 35 years in 2006. The figure has since improved to 54 years. While the leadership of the country can be commended for tackling the HIV/AIDS scourge and the stigma associated with it head on, the economic impact cannot be argued. Children have been left orphaned, families broken and the economy has been left reeling from the after effects of HIV/AIDS.
By embracing Steemit, they will gain;
• Exposure by showcasing their immense talent on the world stage
• A chance to network with like minded people from across the world
• A chance to earn something from their work
Spreading Awareness
One of the most popular platforms within the country is Whatsapp. Since Whatsapp is a social network based on the contacts you have, my contacts are likely to be different from those of the next person. A dedicated Steemit Whatsapp group will be created. The group will strive to;
• Recruit as many people as possible to Steemit
• Provide assistance with signups
• Manage user expectations of the platform
Set up a regular Steemit meetup where users can share ideas on how to extract maximum value from the platform
With the price of bitcoin, ether and other crypto currencies skyrocketing, investing in crypto currencies presents very high barriers to entry while Steemit provides a relatively easy and safe way of getting started in the crypto world. With just a smartphone/tablet and an internet connection, Steemit provides the many unemployed youths of this country a chance to transform their lives. I can't wait to see what the community will contribute to the platform.
I hope the post is not too long. Thank you very much for taking time to read this post. Please support the project if you can.
Good thoughts
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Beautiful post