This playbook documents how Hack4Freedom hackathons are designed, run, and sustained.
Hack4Freedom is operated by Evento, with programs delivered across multiple cities in the Africa and Brazil. All hackathons follow the same structure, standards, and operating model.
Hack4Freedom is a women-focused hackathon series building open-source freedom technology using Bitcoin, Lightning, Nostr, and ecash.
Programs take place across multiple cities, but all Hack4Freedom hackathons are run by a single organizing team.
👉 Hack4Freedom GitHub Organization:
https://github.com/hack-4-freedom
Hack4Freedom is organized and operated by Evento.
Evento is responsible for:
- Program design and curriculum
- Operations and logistics across all cities
- Participant selection and onboarding
- Mentor and speaker coordination
- Sponsorships and partnerships
- Documentation and reporting
Sekinah
Program Manager, Hack4Freedom (Evento)
📧 sekinah@evento.so
All operational, partnership, and program-related inquiries should be directed to Sekinah.
Before logistics, these principles guide every decision:
-
Open-source by default
All work happens in public repositories. -
Education before acceleration
Learning and skill-building come before speed or demos. -
Local context, shared standards
Each city has its own context, but all programs follow the same structure and quality bar. -
Women-led spaces matter
Hack4Freedom is intentionally women-focused to reduce barriers and increase participation. -
Build for after the hackathon
Projects are designed to continue beyond Demo Day.
Each Hack4Freedom program runs for two weeks and follows the same structure across all cities.
Goals
- Build technical confidence
- Introduce freedom tech concepts
- Form teams around real problems
Activities
- In-person kickoff
- Technical workshops (Bitcoin, Lightning, Nostr, ecash)
- Problem discovery and ideation
- Team formation
- Introduction to open-source workflows (GitHub, issues, PRs)
Goals
- Ship working open-source prototypes
- Collaborate in public repositories
- Receive hands-on technical feedback
Activities
- Daily stand-ups
- Mentor office hours
- Focused technical sessions
- In-person co-working days
- Demo preparation
Objectives
- Present working prototypes
- Celebrate progress, not perfection
- Publish code and documentation publicly
Deliverables
- Public project repositories
- README and basic documentation
- Clear next steps for continuation
Applications are submitted via a Google Form managed by Evento.
👉 Hacker Application Form:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeYOoBEv6K0O-QAqWQnoZ1a4QyQQADbP4CtjRZBtbC2lwBEwA/viewform
Applicants are reviewed and accepted into the relevant city cohort by the Evento organizing team.
Hack4Freedom welcomes experienced builders, educators, and contributors to support participants.
👉 Mentor & Speaker Interest Form:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeKCOG2W7lfLQX3LDX6qYMWqMUuFgG2YgWLNnl2_4XeG9KPsw/viewform
Mentors and speakers are coordinated and assigned to city programs as needed.
Hack4Freedom partners with organizations aligned with open-source, freedom technology, and inclusion.
👉 Sponsor Interest Form:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeqmHxemYnkaa8X3GCLXyjo5IHyFKIXA3sV1CeSoC_OeQ4Kuw/viewform
Sponsorships support education, infrastructure, prizes, and long-term participant growth.
- Teams form around shared interests and skills
- Ideal team size: 1-3 participants
- All projects must:
- Be open-source
- Be developed in public repositories
- Include a clear README
Each city repository tracks teams and projects under a /projects directory.
Hack4Freedom maintains a shared, open education repository.
👉 https://github.com/hack-4-freedom
- Anyone in the Bitcoin ecosystem can submit resources
- Contributions are made via pull requests
- Materials are reviewed and curated by Evento
- Resources are organized by topic and difficulty
This keeps learning materials open, current, and community-driven.
Each hackathon produces:
- Public links to all project repositories
- Demo Day summaries or recordings
- Photos and written documentation
This documentation supports transparency, accountability, and sustainability.
Hack4Freedom is designed as a long-term pipeline.
Post-program goals include:
- Supporting continued open-source project development
- Helping participants pursue grants for open-source work
- Connecting participants to jobs in the Bitcoin and freedom tech industry
- Encouraging sustained contribution to Bitcoin FOSS projects
- Maintaining a global alumni network
This playbook is a living document.
- Updates are made via pull requests
- Feedback from participants, mentors, and partners is encouraged
- Lessons learned are applied across future programs
Hack4Freedom grows by building — and learning — in public.