CBRS Podcast Episode 40 | A Journey with Hive and Clean Water in Ghana

Hello Hive ❤️

Hey everyone, welcome back to the CBRS #Podcast! We’re thrilled to share Episode 40 with you—a milestone for us and a special one at that. This time, we had an incredible guest, @MyNewLife, who joined us to talk about his journey with the Hive blockchain, his filmmaking passion, and an inspiring documentary he created about the McSams initiative in #Ghana. Buckle up, because this episode is packed with stories, ideas, and a whole lot of heart!

Kicking Off with a Milestone

Episode 40 feels like a big deal for us. Every time we hit a new number, it’s a reminder of how far we’ve come, building this podcast as a space to share stories, spark creativity, and connect with the Hive community. We love how it’s become a beacon for Hive news, a platform for unintentional promotions, and a way to shine a light on projects that matter. This episode, recorded in our cozy Cold Beetroot Soup Studio, is no exception.

Our guest, @MyNewLife, brought so much energy to the table. He’s a #photographer and #filmmaker who’s been part of the Hive community since its early days on Steem back in 2017. His story is a testament to how Hive can be a place where you find your niche, grow your skills, and connect with like-minded people who inspire you to do more.

MyNewLife’s Hive Journey

MyNewLife stumbled upon Hive (back when it was Steem) while researching projects on #CoinMarketCap. He was drawn to the community’s unique vibe—a place where people with different mindsets come together to create, share, and grow. His first real dive into the community was at a Steem#HiveFest in Lisbon, where he showed up to film the event, not because it was a paid gig, but because he genuinely wanted to capture the spirit of the community. That’s the beauty of Hive, no one’s telling you what to do. You’re free to create what you love, and the #community supports you.

Since then, MyNewLife has been a regular at HiveFests, each one deepening his connection to the platform. He’s found his place, using his filmmaking skills to tell stories that matter. From #vlogs to #documentaries, he’s shown how Hive lets you hone your talents, get honest feedback, and connect with real people who share your passion. It’s not just about earning rewards, it’s about finding a space where you can grow and contribute.

The McSams Initiative: Bringing Water to Ghana

The heart of this episode was MyNewLife’s documentary, #WaterDirect, which shines a spotlight on the @McSamm's initiative in Ghana. This project, powered by the Hive community, builds #boreholes to provide clean water to villages. When MyNewLife filmed the documentary in March last year, the initiative had already built 14 boreholes. By now, that number’s up to 21—an incredible achievement in just 15-16 months!

MyNewLife’s journey to Ghana was a whirlwind. It all started with a nudge from a Hive community member, @Starkerz, who suggested he make a documentary about the project. Within a month, MyNewLife was on a plane to Accra, navigating visa challenges and even a confiscated drone at the airport (don’t worry, he got it back!). He spent a week #filming, capturing the impact of the boreholes and the warmth of the Ghanaian communities. The result is a powerful film that’s less about promoting Hive and more about showing how a community can come together to make a real difference.

But the #documentary faced some hurdles. Film #festivals often saw it as an “advert” for Hive, which MyNewLife insists it’s not. It’s a story about people helping people, with Hive as the tool that makes it possible. We’re working on sharing it with #organizations and #foundations, hoping to inspire more support for projects like this. If you know any groups that might be interested, let us know—we’d love to add them to our outreach list!

More Than Just Water: Building Opportunities

One big takeaway from our chat was the need for retention in these communities. Providing clean water is life-changing, but we want to do more. Each borehole costs about $7,000-$8,000, and we started brainstorming ways to add just a little more—maybe $500-$1,000—to bring internet access, computers, or even a #Starlink connection to these villages. Imagine the possibilities: locals could join Hive, share their stories, and learn new skills. A community leader or a school could post updates about how the borehole has changed lives, creating a ripple effect of connection and opportunity.

We also talked about creating a “#HiveAcademy” of sorts—online classes where Hive community members teach skills like blogging, storytelling, or even science. It’s not just about blockchain; it’s about empowering people to find their niche, just like MyNewLife did. In Ghana, where opportunities are scarce and inflation eats away at savings, Hive could be a game-changer. Even earning $5 from a post could mean a lot, and it’s a chance to build something sustainable.

Rumors and New Ideas

We touched on rumors that the @McSamm's project might be paused and we think it is due to its high cost and lack of direct marketing returns for Hive. While we get that marketing is important, we believe the project’s value goes beyond that. It’s about showing the world what a decentralized community can do. To keep it going, we’re exploring collaborations with other blockchains like @dashpay and @digibytecoin, and even #Monero, which has a strong community focus on helping others. Imagine three or four blockchains teaming up to fund boreholes and spread the word—that’s the kind of impact we’re dreaming of!

We also discussed how Hive’s #ecosystem is evolving. From the #HiveHub to trading cards and new payment systems, the possibilities are endless. MyNewLife is already thinking about his next project, possibly a documentary about living off HBD in places like Krakow, where you can pay for everything from accommodation to Uber rides with crypto. We’re excited to see where that goes!

The Power of Hive’s Community

What makes Hive special is the real connections you build. MyNewLife shared a wild story about discovering a Hive community hub just 150 meters from his home in Poland—after years on the platform! It’s a small world on Hive, where you can meet people from all over, like @Starkerz traveling through the Netherlands or friends from Ukraine finding a new home. @HiveFest's are like family reunions, where you see familiar faces and make new friends who share your vision.

We wrapped up the episode with a call to action: seek your dreams on Hive. Whether it’s filmmaking, writing, or something else entirely, Hive is a place where you can invest your time, grow your skills, and get rewarded—not just with crypto, but with real feedback and community support. It’s about finding your place and making a difference, whether that’s building boreholes in Ghana or creating content that inspires others.

Hive-Echo Wheel of Names

Many of you who entered the @Hive-Echo CTA week 25 are waiting for the resuls and so here are the 5 winners winning 10 HIVE each, supported by @threespeak ❤️

@bhattg

@angeluxx

@patienceakpan

@palabras1

@michupa

https://youtu.be/gxvVkDcIyY0

CBRS Hive Updates

We decided to stop with #TheDappList, because we think that we can use our time and skills to promote Hive in new and differen ways so we’re diving into #Intract, a bounty-based platform with 1.3 million users, to bring Hive into the mix. Imagine Hive dApps creating campaigns where users can earn rewards for tasks like posting on Hive or following on X. It’s a huge opportunity to grow the community and show the world what Hive can do.

Big thanks to the @skatehive community for their incredible work. It's amazing to see how much they've built and how quickly they're rolling out new updates and driving growth. We've decided to delegate 500 HP to Skatehive. It's not a huge amount, but we want to show our support. Also, their Bounty idea is fantastic, and we'll be creating some exciting bounties soon.

It's great to see @vsc.network building and upgrading. Their latest update list is impressive, and we can't wait to see what's next.

If you haven't heard, Hive is now listed on two new exchanges. You can trade HIVE on #Coinoswap and #LCX. Over 400K HIVE has already been traded on LCX, though this initiative cost Hive 20K HIVE.

That's enough writing for now—there's more in the podcast, so stop reading and check it out!

Catch you in the next episode of the CBRS Podcast!