Beyond the Blockchain: How 0.1 Bitcoin Is Transforming Lives for Children in Tacloban

This is a story of how an unremarkable coastal town in Eastern Visayas, Tacloban became the epicentre of global headlines in 2013 as the world’s strongest typhoon ever recorded—Haiyan (Yolanda)—made landfall. It claimed over 7,000 lives and displaced more than four million people. Over a decade later, while the world has moved on, many in Tacloban are still living in the shadow of that storm.

It remains one of the poorest regions in the Philippines. In the displaced communities after the Super Typhoon, over 60% of households live below the poverty line. Children here grow up facing daily realities of economic hardship, limited learning access, and threats of several poverty factors. In some communities, dropout rates surpass 30%—and for many adolescent girls, the pathway from education to employment remains almost non-existent.

But in 2024, something small but extraordinary happened. A donation of 0.1 Bitcoin—around $9,000 USD at the time—was made to FundLife, a local NGO focused on empowering vulnerable youth through education and sport. The donation was made via The Giving Block, a platform that helps connect cryptocurrency holders with nonprofits driving social change.

What happened next was not digital speculation - it yielded real, tangible and life-altering change.

The 0.1 BTC helped 535 children across nine schools and three high-risk communities access structured, safe learning spaces for one whole year. It enabled 72 play and learning sessions covering essential topics like child rights, hygiene, and menstrual health. 36 mentorship workshops tackled issues like digital safety, substance abuse, and self-awareness—helping children build agency and decision-making skills. Local mentors trained through the project facilitated sessions on and off the field—using futsal and storytelling as tools to engage children and rebuild learning momentum after years of disrupted schooling.

The outcome? Among the 535 participants, school dropout rates dropped to less than 1%—a dramatic improvement from the average of over 30%. The BTC donation also funded community festivals that celebrated learning milestones and built pride in academic and life achievements. These gatherings may seem simple—but in communities where children rarely hear praise, they offer something deeply important: visibility, agency, and belief in education.

What makes this story even more compelling is its sustainability. The project trained six local youth mentors and introduced a peer-led model of leadership. Even after the donation had been spent, these youth continued to run activities, offer guidance, and model the value of education to younger peers.

So much of the global conversation about crypto stays at the level of speculation, wealth, and volatility. But for a group of children in post-disaster Tacloban, 0.1 BTC didn’t represent a market value—it represented a fighting chance to believe.

It helped children stay in school. It helped girls learn about their rights. It brought safety to play. And it reminded families, long overlooked by national and international systems, that they are not invisible.

Crypto can often feel intangible—pixels and code stored on a digital ledger. But when routed through trusted organisations and community-led programs, it can become something deeply human: a child choosing school over the street; a girl believing her future is worth fighting for - and inspiring others to fight with her.

Real lives have changed. One tenth of a Bitcoin at a time.