Please describe your proposed solution

Empowering Youth through Cardano Education Workshops in Maryland County Schools This proposal seeks funding to organize Cardano-focused educational workshops in schools across Maryland County, Harper, Liberia. The aim is to introduce students to blockchain technology, cryptocurrency, and specifically the Cardano ecosystem, fostering early interest and understanding in emerging technologies.

Objectives:

• Educate students about blockchain technology and the Cardano platform.
• Promote STEM education and technological literacy.
• Empower youth with knowledge and skills for future opportunities.

Activities:

• Develop a tailored curriculum suitable for secondary school students.
• Conduct interactive workshops in at least 10 schools.
• Provide training for local teachers to sustain the program.

Budget Breakdown (₳80,000):

• Curriculum Development: ₳15,000
• Workshop Implementation: ₳40,000
• Teacher Training: ₳15,000
• Materials and Resources: ₳10,000

Expected Outcomes:

• Over 1,000 students educated about Cardano and blockchain technology.
• Enhanced capacity of local teachers to continue education initiatives.
• Increased interest in technology careers among Liberian youth.

Timeline:

• Months 1-2: Curriculum development and planning.
• Months 3-5: Conduct workshops and teacher training.
• Month 6: Program evaluation and reporting.

Team:

• Project Lead: Dr.Chris Gilbert
• Local Educators and Facilitators:Dr. Mercy Abiola Gilbert and Dr. Rebecca Ma Fe Gueta
• Support from Cardano Community Volunteers

Please define the positive impact your project will have on the wider Cardano community

The "Empowering Youth through Cardano Education Workshops" project will have a big impact on the Cardano community by introducing young people in Liberia to blockchain and Cardano, sparking interest in technology and careers in this space. It aims to build early familiarity with Cardano, making it easier for students to engage with blockchain in the future.

Training local teachers is a key part of the project, ensuring that this education can continue and grow even after the workshops end. This means more young people in Liberia will learn about Cardano and blockchain for years to come. By expanding Cardano’s reach to an underserved region, this project also strengthens the mission of decentralization and community-driven growth, with the added potential of inspiring Cardano-based projects and ideas locally.

What is your capability to deliver your project with high levels of trust and accountability? How do you intend to validate if your approach is feasible?

Our team is well-equipped to deliver this project responsibly. Led by Dr. Chris Gilbert, we combine expertise in education and blockchain, along with support from local educators and Cardano community volunteers. This ensures the curriculum is both high-quality and tailored to local needs. We’re also committed to transparency—our open-source approach and clear budgeting allow anyone to follow our progress and see how funds are spent, building trust with the community and stakeholders.

To ensure our approach works on the ground, we’ll start with a pilot test. By running workshops with a small group of students and teachers, we’ll gather feedback on the curriculum and teaching methods. This hands-on testing lets us make necessary adjustments early on to ensure the content is engaging, relevant, and effective. We’ll also monitor progress throughout the project, regularly evaluating how well students are learning and how prepared teachers feel, allowing us to continuously improve along the way

What are the key milestones you need to achieve in order to complete your project successfully?

Milestone 1: Milestone 1: Curriculum Development and Planning

What We’ll Achieve:

• Develop a user-friendly, engaging Cardano curriculum for students, covering blockchain, cryptocurrency basics, and Cardano.
• Prepare interactive activities and guides for both students and teachers.
• Confirm participation from at least 10 schools and train facilitators and local teachers on the curriculum.

How We’ll Know It’s Done:

• The curriculum and all activity materials are completed and adapted to local needs.
• We have written commitments from 10 schools to participate in the program.
• Facilitators and teachers feel ready and confident to deliver the curriculum, as confirmed through feedback.

Proof of Completion:

• We’ll submit the finalized curriculum and materials.
• Provide signed agreements from participating schools.
• Share feedback from facilitator training, confirming readiness.

Milestone 2: Milestone 2: Workshop Implementation and Teacher Training

What We’ll Achieve:

• Deliver engaging workshops to over 1,000 students in 10 Maryland County schools.
• Run teacher training sessions to ensure local educators can continue the program independently.
• Provide all necessary learning materials, including workbooks, visual aids, and digital resources, to each school.

How We’ll Know It’s Done:

• Workshops are completed in each school, and students show high levels of interest and participation.
• Teachers report feeling prepared and equipped to sustain the program long-term.
• Each school has received its full set of educational resources.

Proof of Completion:

• We’ll provide attendance records, feedback from students, and workshop photos.
• Share teacher evaluations confirming their confidence in teaching the material.
• Receipts or photos confirming that schools received all materials.

Final Milestone: Final Milestone: Project Wrap-Up Report and Video

What We’ll Achieve:

• Compile a complete report that summarizes our results, successes, challenges, and lessons learned.
• Produce a video that highlights the project’s impact on students, teachers, and the wider community, including interviews and footage from the workshops.

How We’ll Know It’s Done:

• The report clearly shows we’ve met our objectives, and the video captures the positive impact of the program.

Proof of Completion:

• Submission of the final project report and video.
• Positive responses from the Cardano community, which will be included in the report as feedback.

Who is in the project team and what are their roles?

1. Chris Gilbert/[email protected] (https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=qK6BQOwAAAAJ&hl=en&authuser=2/https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Chris-Gilbert-8)
2. Mercy Abiola Gilbert /[email protected](https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mercy-Gilbert)
3. Dr. Rebecca Ma Fe Gueta/ [email protected](https://qa.linkedin.com/in/tereza-woolgar-ma-phd-93050432/https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Maria-Fe-Gueta/research)
4. Dr. Isaac Adetunde, [email protected] (https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Isaac-Adetunde)
5. Dr. Samuel olabisi, [email protected] (https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=v4r-D2YAAAAJ&hl=en/https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Adebayo-Olabisi-2)
6. Malik Kone, [email protected] (https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Malik-Kone)

1.Dr. Chris Gilbert (Computer Science)

• Role: Chris will oversee the entire project, making sure everything stays on track, from timelines to budget.
• Responsibilities: He’ll coordinate the team, manage relationships with schools, and ensure we meet Cardano’s educational goals. Chris will also supervise the final report and video that showcase the project’s impact.

2. Dr. Mercy Abiola Gilbert (Counseling) - Student Engagement and Wellbeing Advisor

• Role: Mercy will design ways to engage students and create a welcoming environment for learning.
• Responsibilities: She’ll work on activities and materials that make students feel supported and excited to learn, as well as offer guidance to workshop facilitators on fostering an inclusive atmosphere.

3. Dr. Rebecca Ma Fe Gueta (Mathematics Education) - Curriculum Specialist

• Role: Rebecca will take the lead on developing the curriculum to make it interactive, engaging, and accessible.
• Responsibilities: She’ll design lesson plans and activities, especially those that involve math or problem-solving, ensuring the materials are suitable for students of all ages.

4. Dr. Isaac Adetunde (Applied Mathematics) - Content Developer and Curriculum Evaluator

• Role: Isaac will assist in creating and refining content, ensuring accuracy, especially in math and blockchain-related topics.
• Responsibilities: He’ll work closely with Rebecca on curriculum design, focusing on data analysis and other quantitative sections, and help develop assessment tools to measure the curriculum’s effectiveness.

5. Dr. Samuel Olabisi (Mechanical Engineering) - Workshop Logistics and Equipment Coordinator

• Role: Samuel will manage all the practical and logistical aspects of the workshops, including transportation and equipment.
• Responsibilities: He’ll handle procuring and distributing workshop materials (like projectors and laptops) and ensure all the equipment is set up and ready to go at each workshop.

6. Dr. Malik Kone (Computer Science) - Technology and Blockchain Specialist

• Role: Malik will bring his blockchain expertise to the project, ensuring the technical content is accurate and engaging.
• Responsibilities: He’ll help design the hands-on blockchain and Cardano modules, train facilitators on technical concepts, and support the workshops with any tech-related needs.

Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources

1. Curriculum Development and Planning (Months 1-2) - Total Cost: ₳15,000

We’ll focus on developing a well-rounded, locally relevant curriculum that includes engaging content, visual aids, and interactive activities.

• Content Creation & Research: ₳6,000
• Hiring experts to build age-appropriate, culturally relevant content.
• Instructional Design: ₳3,000
• Collaborating with consultants to create effective teaching strategies.
• Multimedia Content (Visuals & Videos): ₳3,000
• Producing infographics, videos, and presentations to simplify complex concepts.
• Testing & Refining Curriculum: ₳1,500
• Conducting pilot tests with feedback sessions to improve the material.
• Printing & Initial Distribution: ₳1,500
• Printing handouts and guides for facilitators and teachers.

2. Workshop Implementation and Teacher Training (Months 3-5) - Total Cost: ₳38,000

This phase includes running workshops for students, training teachers, and ensuring all resources are in place.

• Workshop Coordination: ₳5,000
• Hiring a coordinator for managing schedules and school communication.
• Facilitator Fees and Training: ₳15,000
• Compensating facilitators and conducting training sessions.
• Transportation & Logistics: ₳8,000
• Arranging reliable transport and accommodations for facilitators and materials.
• Materials and Equipment: ₳6,000
• Printing student workbooks, renting laptops, and purchasing basic equipment like projectors.
• Teacher Training Program: ₳3,000
• Training teachers to continue the program independently, including providing resources.
• Monitoring and Evaluation: ₳1,000
• Creating and analyzing pre-and post-workshop surveys to track progress.

3. Teacher Training and Resource Materials (Month 3) - Total Cost: ₳10,000

This budget allows us to prepare teachers and set up sustainable, easy-to-access resources.

• Training Materials (Guides & USBs): ₳2,000
• Preparing guides and digital materials for teachers.
• Training Facilitators: ₳3,000
• Compensation for facilitators conducting the training.
• Venue & Logistics: ₳2,500
• Venue rental, projectors, and seating for the teacher training sessions.
• Meals and Refreshments: ₳1,500
• Food and refreshments for teachers attending training.
• Ongoing Support: ₳1,000
• Monthly virtual check-ins with teachers for continued guidance.

4. Materials and Resource Distribution (Month 3) - Total Cost: ₳10,000

We’ll provide all necessary learning materials to each school, ensuring they have what’s needed to deliver the program.

• Student Workbooks & Handouts: ₳3,000
• Printing 1,000 copies for students.
• Teacher Manuals: ₳1,000
• Teacher guides to help navigate the curriculum.
• Visual Aids & Posters: ₳1,000
• Posters and infographics for classrooms.
• Digital Resources: ₳1,000
• USB drives with additional content.
• Projectors & Speakers: ₳3,000
• Purchasing projectors and speakers to use during workshops.
• Stationery Supplies: ₳500
• Basics like markers, notebooks, and charts.
• Contingency: ₳500
• To cover any unexpected material costs.

5. Monitoring, Reporting, and Community Engagement (Month 6) - Total Cost: ₳5,000

We’ll collect feedback, document results, and share our findings with the community and stakeholders.

• Data Collection and Analysis: ₳1,500
• Developing and analyzing feedback and assessments.
• Final Report & Documentation: ₳1,500
• Writing a comprehensive project report to capture lessons learned.
• Community Outreach & Final Video: ₳2,000
• Producing a video to showcase the project’s impact and engage the community.

6. Publicity and Community Engagement (Throughout Project) - Total Cost: ₳2,000

We’ll promote the project within the community to ensure local awareness and support.

• Marketing Materials (Flyers, Social Media): ₳1,000
• Creating awareness through flyers and social media.
• Community Sessions: ₳1,000
• Hosting information sessions to involve parents and community leaders.

Total Project Cost: ₳80,000

As a professor at William VS Tubman University involved in the "Empowering Youth through Cardano Education Workshops" project, I can see how deeply connected the university is with this initiative. Here's how the university depends on and contributes to the project:

1.Enhancing Education: The project introduces blockchain technology and the Cardano ecosystem to secondary school students in Maryland Count

2. Faculty Involvement: University professors, including myself, are actively participating in developing the curriculum and training local teachers. This collaboration allows us to apply our expertise, stay updated with the latest technological advancements, and contribute meaningfully to community education.

3. Student Engagement: Our university students have opportunities to get involved as volunteers or assistants in the workshops. This hands-on experience is invaluable for them, especially those studying education or technology-related fields, enhancing their learning and future career prospects.

4. Resource Sharing: The university provides essential resources such as classrooms, laboratories, and equipment needed for the workshops and training sessions. This support is crucial for the smooth execution of the project.

5. Community Outreach: By participating in this project, the university strengthens its relationship with local schools and the broader community. It demonstrates our commitment to improving education and fostering technological literacy in the region.

6. Research Opportunities: The project offers a platform for academic research into the impact of blockchain education on youth. Faculty and students can conduct studies, publish findings, and contribute to the academic community's understanding of technology education.

7. Sustainability and Growth: Training local teachers and involving university staff ensures the project's sustainability. The skills and knowledge imparted will continue to benefit students even after the project's initial phase, and the university can play a role in expanding the program to other regions.

In Summary: The collaboration between William VS Tubman University and the "Empowering Youth through Cardano Education Workshops" project is a symbiotic relationship. The university depends on the project to enhance its educational offerings, engage faculty and students, and fulfill its mission of community service. In turn, the project relies on the university's resources, expertise, and infrastructure to achieve its goals.

By working together, we're not only empowering the youth of Maryland County with valuable technological skills but also positioning our university as a leader in innovative education. This partnership has the potential to make a lasting positive impact on our community and the future of education in Liberia.

How does the cost of the project represent value for money for the Cardano ecosystem?

1. Value for Cardano’s Ecosystem

Our project helps Cardano’s mission to expand globally by providing blockchain education in underserved communities. By training over 1,000 students and 20 teachers in Maryland County, Liberia, we’re fostering a new generation of blockchain enthusiasts and potential developers who can actively contribute to the Cardano community.

We’ve structured each part of our budget to maximize the project’s reach and sustainability:

• Investing in a Strong Curriculum: Developing a high-quality, culturally relevant curriculum helps students and teachers grasp complex blockchain concepts. This is a foundation that ensures real understanding and long-term interest in blockchain.
• Empowering Local Teachers: Training teachers means they can run workshops independently in the future, creating ongoing value even after this project ends. Each trained teacher can reach hundreds of students annually, so the project’s impact continues to grow over time.

2. Understanding the Costs

While some costs might seem high at first, they’re necessary for delivering this project successfully in Maryland County:

• Fair Rates for Facilitators and Teachers: Quality blockchain training requires skilled instructors, so we’re paying rates that attract and retain qualified professionals in the area. Our rates are aligned with local standards, ensuring we get knowledgeable facilitators while being fair and budget-conscious.
• Materials that Make Learning Engaging: Items like projectors, laptops, and printed workbooks might add to the budget, but they’re essential for interactive learning. By making complex topics engaging, we help students connect with the content, creating lasting interest in blockchain.

3. Justifying Our Budget

• Competitive Local Rates: Our facilitator compensation aligns with the going rates for experienced educators in Liberia, ensuring we get top-quality instruction without overspending.
• Benchmarking Costs: For example, ₳1,000 per workshop per facilitator, including training, is competitive compared to similar programs in Africa, where specialized training often commands higher fees.

4. Smart Spending for Long-term Impact

• Affordable Outreach: Our community engagement costs are modest (₳2,000 for marketing and information sessions), and we’ll use local vendors and digital platforms to reach as many people as possible without going over budget.
• Resources for Continued Use: The projectors, posters, and teacher manuals we’re buying aren’t just for this project; they’ll stay with the schools for future classes, helping to keep blockchain education alive long-term.