Bitcoin is great and everything; I get it; however, how can it change the world? It's not a panacea; it's not growing on trees, nor is it free, is it? You can't acquire it yourself; mining is extremely expensive and requires great knowledge; thus, the only source is by purchasing. How can it be someone's remedy in a third-world country that barely gets by? By investing? How is he going to invest if someone's barely surviving? Bitcoin is for everyone in theory, but ultimately, it's not available for everyone for a variety of reasons, such as financial, social, and topographical. Just because we're lucky that we can afford to be involved in it doesn't mean that everyone else can either.
Bitcoin is great for an average, knowledgeable person with a computer, internet access, and a job that at least provides him some sort of stability and, with some risk, is opening great opportunities for the distant future.
I know it isn't free but my friend fiat is also not free and it also doesn't grow on trees. The ones who can acquire fiat can also acquire Bitcoin and the ones who can't acquire fiat may not be able to acquire Bitcoin. Nothing in this world is free and I must say that anyone who runs after the things that are free may not get the things that he/she deserves. Bitcoin mining is expensive and I agree with you, and only someone with good financial condition may have a mining setup, but anyone who earns minimum $40 a week can at least invest in Bitcoin by following a DCA strategy.
I personally know many people from third-world countries who have their investment in Bitcoin and that's why anyone who has a little bit of extra money can purchase Bitcoin. Those who're barely surviving may not be able to invest in it but my friend Bitcoin allows international audience to send transactions and maybe in future we see some funding sites that may implement Bitcoin so the financially stable ones may help the needy ones with Bitcoin transactions. Bitcoin isn't only an asset and it is a way of payment as well. As an asset only financially stable ones can invest in it but as a payment gateway it can be used to help so many people who can't be helped with fiat due to regional restrictions.
No one implied that fiat is free either, but you still don't explain how Bitcoin can save someone who's struggling to make ends meet, and investing is out of the question. It isn't that simple, and trust me, investing $40 per week isn't going to save you in the long run. $40/week is approximately $2.000 per year; in the best-case scenario, you'll get $4.000 to $5.000 in return, and this is very optimistic speculation because that requires a stable Bitcoin purchasing price. Is it a lifesaving amount of money? Certainly not. On top of that, I stated that there are people, even on the forum as we speak, that can barely afford to pay DCA $40 per month, not on a weekly basis. How can someone like that be saved from Bitcoin?
International transactions aren't something ordinary, nor are the fees insignificant in Bitcoin. You can send and receive money with plenty of centralized services with minimal to zero fees.