Please describe your proposed solution.
The media and journalists set various agendas for legal and financial policies in different countries. However, the understanding and competence of journalists are important to set the correct tone for blockchain/cryptocurrency-based projects in Africa. The AJEOT program seeks to build the competence of African journalists by making them understand web3, blockchain solutions, dApps and DAO integrated into various policies as well as ask hard questions when engaging policymakers. <https://www.modernghana.com/news/1038298/journalists-charged-to-question-and-challenge.html>
Solution in Details
AJEOT over the years has been a credible platform inviting journalists across the African countries who travel to Ghana to undertake a 3-day intensive residential training in public policy, law and ideas for economic development. <https://ghanaiandemocrat.com/ajeot-2019-brought-global-scholars-to-ghana/>
<https://africanewsradio.com/index.php/fourth-ajeot-training-ends-on-a-high-note-with-participants-calling-for-more/>
The role of journalism is important to create and sustain freedom to trade and create wealth for prosperity. Democratically, Freedom of the press is enshrined in nearly all constitutional governments, and journalists as the 4th arm of government have had difficulties understanding their primary roles in shaping policies and driving agendas for change. The obvious function of journalists is to report the news; big events and small events. Some are boring but must be made interesting, more than the facts Renowned journalists go beyond. An important function is to ruffle feathers, dissect the policies of states, ask hard questions, and demand answers to enhance economic freedom for a prosperous society. People want to know what is going on- Reporting events of interest to create a free society for prosperity Will depend on the publication journalists work for and their understanding in economics, property rights, freedom to create wealth, and public policy frameworks.
There is a complete ignoring of emerging technologies like blockchain that has the potential to create transparency, accountability for democracy and financial inclusion. Journalists in Africa have little to no competence in blockchain technology and its overwhelming impact for development. As a result, African Journalists rarely lead conversations on blockchain and cryptocurrency adoption for Africa’s development. There are fewer to no blockchain developers in Africa, laws and legislations to drive for adoption and virtually no regular conversations in the media on the transformations of blockchain.
Through this training, journalists will be trained on the evolving blockchain technology and cryptocurrency adoption ideas and its impact to drive for policy development and legal environment for financial inclusion. The conversations initiated by journalists through their media would improve public opinion on blockchain adoption for social and economic prosperity.
It is also important to train the African journalists to understand how they could report on blockchain innovations, cryptocurrency analysis and its integration into their reportage to enhance public debate, driving for legislations and infrastructures that create the environment for blockchain funders and asset holders to operate freely.
This is a Knowledge-based and practically provocative workshop to enhance the works of journalists in Africa to lead the conversations on blockchain for policy development and legislations that allow for blockchain innovators, asset holders and enthusiasts to operate freely.
<https://thenationonlineng.net/wanted-a-prosperous-africa-via-journalism/>
Approach - The Builder Model
AJEOT uses the builder model to develop journalists’ analytical abilities to do more than just reporting. This model helps to equip journalists by developing the ability of journalists in key areas that are lacking. In Africa, most journalists set the agenda for the next election, and completely ignore the emerging future. We believe that the digital future should build readiness for journalists through training with a specific focus on blockchain, web3, and the digital future.
The builder model helps to impact and develop individuals who participate in the training for a better understanding of policies that drive blockchain adoption. Countries in Africa have put in place barriers aimed at curtailing innovation of individuals building projects on emerging technologies like the blockchain. This approach will enlighten and develop journalists' knowledge in blockchain to create the environment that accommodates blockchain technology innovations.
The AJEOT 2022
The African Journalist for Economic Opportunity training is an existing initiative that has developed journalists’ competence to better understand economics, fiscal policy, and policy framework to set the right tone for policy discourse.
This time, we seek to focus on impacting journalists and build competence to set the agenda for the digital future, blockchain, and web3. This would help journalists to ask hard questions regarding legal and financial policy that seeks to curtail innovations.
Also, AJEOT for the first time seeks to rotate the program in North, West, East, and South Africa as to scale up and develop more journalists across Africa. The proposal would focus on West Africa and subsequently rotate across the blocs in Africa.
Please describe how your proposed solution will address the Challenge that you have submitted it in.
African Journalists to report on blockchain and cryptocurrency-related news and projects. Often in Africa, journalists are fed by what regulators conclude or the negative news associated with pseudo blockchain projects or scams. The solution would build the competence of journalists to understand blockchain, its operations, and the function of cryptocurrencies so as to engage meaningfully and set the tone for inclusiveness in policy discourse creating the environment for blockchain innovators to operate freely. Journalists will report on blockchain innovations, ongoing projects, awareness and create contents that set the tone to embrace legal environments for smooth operations.
This would be helpful for blockchain projects and initiatives in Africa to become policy conversation darling for journalists who through the training would understand how blockchain technology offers quality decentralization and more democratization in every facet of our society. This would provide a better legal and financial environment to accelerate project execution with less difficulties in Africa as well as impact journalists to do their work well for the betterment of the society at large.
What are the main risks that could prevent you from delivering the project successfully and please explain how you will mitigate each risk?
The main risk associated with the training is the cost for journalists to travel from different countries and participate in the training in Ghana. We hope to mitigate this by providing a soft grant that can cushion journalists with regards to traveling expenses.