Semi-Professional Soccer in the rural mountains of Honduras

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 Atletico Aurali is a semi-professional soccer team in the Pedro Nufio League in Danli, Honduras.

The team is comprised of young men emerging from generational poverty. They work in cigar factories. They work in restaurants. They work in fields. They harvest coffee, peppers, tomatoes, and onions. They are humble. They are hard workers.

But in the evenings and on the weekends, they play futbol. It is their passion.

bitcoin is not just for the wealthy

It offers opportunity for those with limited resources.

Atletico Aurali pays all of its players in Bitcoin.

This is not a massive payday for these young men. The current rate for Atletico Aurali is $40 per game, which is about .00066 Bitcoin. But it’s a huge benefit to them and their families They now have access to a growing digital currency that could one day give them the ability to change the course of their own lives, as well as the lives of their families.

“I’d play for free,” said Lesther, the Atletico Aurali team captain. “But it’s an amazing thing to be able to do what we love and at the same time have hope for the future.”

The team was given educational training on what Bitcoin is and how it can be used. They were then set up with individual wallets. They receive their Bitcoin disbursement after each game. Most of the players have elected to save their payments, but those with young children often utilize the bitcoin for necessities.

“I use it just like I would cash,” said Jorge. “There’s a Bitcoin ATM in the capital when I need to exchange it for Lempira.”

Bitcoin is a completely new idea for those with limited resources, but because it is relatively simple to understand, the team has picked up the concepts quickly. Bitcoin, to these young men, presents an alternative to the developing world economy that has often failed them. Many of the players are learning about the successes of El Salvador and want to see the same opportunities emerge in Honduras.

“It’s fun to be a part of something so new with so much potential,” said Ricardo. “It gives me a lot of hope.”