Monero Afghanistan Expansion Strategy

Summary

This proposal is for a strategy paper that explores how Monero adoption can be increased in Afghanistan. It will be split into three parts, that sum up to roughly 15-30 pages. The aim of the first chapter is to increase the general Afghanistan expertise in the Monero community.

Chapter 1 - Quantitative look at the Afghan market: remittances, remote work, internet availability To estimate the potential for Monero adoption in Afghanistan, we need to gather a few basic facts about the country. We assume that remote work and remittances are among the biggest opportunities for Monero adoption. Therefore it is important to understand how remittances currently work in Afghanistan. To better understand the potential for remote work, it is important to quantify internet access, English language proficiency and skills relevant for remote work.

Chapter 2 - Qualitative look at remote work potential, local cash to monero markets In the second chapter we will take a more in depth look at the barriers that currently keep Afghans from working remotely. Compared to the first chapter we seek a more qualitative approach. We assume that establishing trust with western employers is one of the biggest issues. Especially while maintaining privacy from the authorities and neighbors. Another goal of the second chapter will be to explore if there is a possibility for a local p2p monero to cash market. It would be very beneficial if the group of people that needs to transmit money abroad could be connected with the remote workers that are in need of cash. A circular economy like this could be especially helpful for areas where services like moneygram and western union aren't available.

Chapter 3 - Lowering the barrier to Monero adoption: possible solutions for the most pressing needs The third chapter will focus on solutions that need to be implemented to reduce the barriers to monero adoption in Afghanistan. We expect to build on our understanding of the most pressing needs we hope to identify in the previous chapters. The goal is to work out detailed actionable recommendations. The result of this final chapter will be a set of concrete steps that we can follow to drive Monero adoption in Afghanistan.

Expected Results

• Actionable recommendations on how we can drive Monero adoption in Afghanistan
• Prove Monero’s use case where privacy matters most
• Build a working relationship and mutual trust with Afghan remote workers

Motivation

We should focus our limited resources on the markets where the unique characteristics of Monero and its community are especially needed. Since the withdrawal, half of the population is effectively excluded from the Afghan labor market. Opening access to this currently untapped pool of human capital does not only mean opportunities for the Afghans, it also means opportunities for us. At the moment it takes a lot of initiative and knowledge of the Monero culture to join the Monero labor force. If we manage to identify and lower the barriers to entry we can deploy our capital more efficiently. Once these trust networks are established, other people with a demand for labor can tap into them as well.

There is no other community with such a strong culture around privacy, that is especially important in this case. We already established habits around establishing trust without a need for KYC and submitting CVs. The reporting around Monero currently focuses too much on darknet markets and other activities that have a negative connotation in the public eye. Expanding into the Afghan market is our chance to show that the same decentralized model of trust networks that form around darknet markets and vendor pgp keys, can also be used for unquestionably good things. We can lead by example and prove that privacy provides opportunities, while AML and KYC-rules lead to exclusion.

Authors

The paper will be written by Meena and Spirobel. Meena is a remote freelancer that is currently residing in Afghanistan. She holds a CS degree and has a deep understanding of the local circumstances. For her own safety she will remain pseudonymous in the community. Spirobel is a member of the Monero community. He creates educational material and writes monero related software.

time estimation

4-8 weeks

afghanistan-expansion-strategy.md

+---
+layout: fr
+title: Monero Afghanistan Expansion Strategy
+author: Meena and Spirobel
+date: January 29, 2022
+amount: 15 XMR
+milestones:
+  - name: Chapter 1 - Quantitative look at the Afghan market: remittances, remote work, internet availability
+    funds: 4
+    done:
+    status: unfinished
+  - name: Chapter 2 - Qualitative look at remote work potential, local cash to monero markets 
+    funds: 5
+    done:
+    status: unfinished
+  - name: Chapter 3 - Lowering the barrier to Monero adoption: possible solutions for the most pressing needs
+    funds: 6
+    done:
+    status: unfinished
+payouts:
+  - date:
+    amount:
+  - date:
+    amount:
+  - date:
+    amount:
+---
+# Summary
+
+This proposal is for a strategy paper that explores how Monero adoption can be increased in Afghanistan. It will be split into three parts, that sum up to roughly 15-30 pages. The aim of the first chapter is to increase the general Afghanistan expertise in the Monero community. 
+
+**Chapter 1 - Quantitative look at the Afghan market: remittances, remote work, internet availability**
+To estimate the potential for Monero adoption in Afghanistan, we need to gather a few basic facts about the country. We assume that remote work and remittances are among the biggest opportunities for Monero adoption. Therefore it is important to understand how remittances currently work in Afghanistan. To better understand the potential for remote work, it is important to quantify internet access, English language proficiency and skills relevant for remote work.
+
+**Chapter 2 - Qualitative look at remote work potential, local cash to monero markets**
+In the second chapter we will take a more in depth look at the barriers that currently keep Afghans from working remotely. Compared to the first chapter we seek a more qualitative approach. We assume that establishing trust with western employers is one of the biggest issues. Especially while maintaining privacy from the authorities and neighbors.
+Another goal of the second chapter will be to explore if there is a possibility for a local p2p monero to cash market. It would be very beneficial if the group of people that needs to transmit money abroad could be connected with the remote workers that are in need of cash.
+A circular economy like this could be especially helpful for areas where services like moneygram and western union aren't available.
+
+**Chapter 3 - Lowering the barrier to Monero adoption: possible solutions for the most pressing needs**
+The third chapter will focus on solutions that need to be implemented to reduce the barriers to monero adoption in Afghanistan. We expect to build on our understanding of the most pressing needs we hope to identify in the previous chapters. The goal is to work out detailed actionable recommendations. The result of this final chapter will be a set of concrete steps that we can follow to drive Monero adoption in Afghanistan.
+
+# Expected Results
+
+* Actionable recommendations on how we can drive Monero adoption in Afghanistan 
+* Prove Monero’s use case where privacy matters most
+* Build a working relationship and mutual trust with Afghan remote workers
+
+# Motivation
+
+We should focus our limited resources on the markets where the unique characteristics of Monero and its community are especially needed. Since the withdrawal, half of the population is effectively excluded from the Afghan labor market.
+Opening access to this currently untapped pool of human capital does not only mean opportunities for the Afghans, it also means opportunities for us. At the moment it takes a lot of initiative and knowledge of the Monero culture to join the Monero labor force.
+If we manage to identify and lower the barriers to entry we can deploy our capital more efficiently.
+Once these trust networks are established, other people with a demand for labor can tap into them as well.
+
+There is no other community with such a strong culture around privacy, that is especially important in this case. We already established habits around establishing trust without a need for KYC and submitting CVs.
+The reporting around Monero currently focuses too much on darknet markets and other activities that have a negative connotation in the public eye.
+Expanding into the Afghan market is our chance to show that the same decentralized model of trust networks that form around darknet markets and vendor pgp keys, can also be used for unquestionably good things. 
+We can lead by example and prove that privacy provides opportunities, while AML and KYC-rules lead to exclusion.
+
+# Authors
+
+The paper will be written by Meena and Spirobel. Meena is a remote freelancer that is currently residing in Afghanistan. She holds a CS degree and has a deep understanding of the local circumstances. For her own safety she will remain pseudonymous in the community.
+Spirobel is a member of the Monero community. He creates educational material and writes monero related software.  
+The funds will be split like this:
+- Chapter 1 - Quantitative look at the Afghan market: remittances, remote work, internet availability
+  funds: 3 Meena 1 Spirobel
+
+- Chapter 2 - Qualitative look at remote work potential, local cash to monero markets 
+  funds: 3 Meena 2 Spirobel
+
+- Chapter 3 - Lowering the barrier to Monero adoption: possible solutions for the most pressing needs
+  funds: 3 Meena 3 Spirobel
+
+    
+# time estimation
+4-8 weeks