In 2022, Ray partnered with Bitcoin Magazine to raise funds at that year’s Bitcoin Conference in Miami for a cause close to his heart. “I had a lot of success in 2021, and a big part of that was due to Nigeria. The people there really embraced crypto, and they also embraced my business. I have to give back to Nigeria; I have to do whatever I can to help them succeed.”
One of the projects Ray chose to implement was a clean water system for Igbaruku, located in the Kogi state of Nigeria, about halfway between the major cities of Lagos and Abuja. Before Ray and his team went to work, the 1000 villagers around Igbaruku had to travel long distances to get water. The distances often meant that children were late for school. The water they accessed was also not always hygienic. It was regularly contaminated and the waterborne impurities and bacteria frequently caused sickness among the villagers.
The new water system made a huge difference to the community. “It’s not just about water, although that is important,” Ray said after the project was completed. “When we build a clean water project, sure, people are less likely to get sick, but we also make an impact in other ways. The kids get to school on time, instead of wasting time each morning walking for miles to get water. The villagers now have a clean water supply right on their doorstep. They can use the water to grow their crops. They have more time to do other things, and they have peace of mind that they won’t get sick.”
“Lots of people around the world take the simple things in life – like water, for granted – but for some people it’s a life-changer, even a life-saver.”