El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele has donated two BTC, worth about $133,000, to support the construction of 1,000 schools in Honduras, according to an October 24 post (formerly Twitter) video.
In the video, the Bitcoin advocate handed the money to Shin Fujiyama, the founder of Students Helping Honduras, an organization dedicated to reducing poverty through education.
This donation is in line with Bukele’s consistent advocacy for Bitcoin, which he made legal tender in El Salvador in 2021. El Salvador’s National Bitcoin Office (ONBTC) confirmed that the money came from Bukele’s personal wallet, and Fujiyama expressed his deep gratitude for the generous contribution. .
Fujiyama is currently conducting a 3,000 kilometer charity run to raise money for the school construction project. In the video, he said he almost gave up on the challenge out of fear, but found inspiration by watching Bukele’s videos, which gave him the courage to persevere.
Stacy Herbert, the director of ONBTC, declared:
“Shin is walking 3,000 km to raise money to build these schools and is currently traveling through El Salvador, where the people have shown him great love and support. This is a story of individual sovereignty, personal responsibility and economic freedom.”
Bitcoin Adoption in El Salvador
This donation further reflects Bukele’s ongoing efforts to promote and integrate Bitcoin into everyday life. However, BTC acceptance rates in El Salvador remain low.
A recent one questionnaire from Francisco Gavidia University in San Salvador found that only 7.5% of respondents use crypto for transactions, while 92% do not. Moreover, only 1.3% of respondents believe Bitcoin should play a key role in the country’s future.
However, despite the low adoption rate, 58% of respondents expressed confidence in the country’s direction under Bukele’s leadership, especially in economic and security areas. The study surveyed 1,224 Salvadorans aged 18 and older.
Since Bitcoin became legal tender in 2021, El Salvador has acquired nearly 6,000 BTC through various purchases and various pro-crypto initiatives. However, this move was criticized by international organizations, most notably the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which recently called for limiting public sector exposure to Bitcoin.