Please describe your proposed solution.

According to UN forecasts, Africa is expected to double its population by 2050, from 1 billion to nearly 2.4 billion inhabitants. Half of that population will be less than 25 years old.

World Bank figures show that young people represent 60% of the unemployed population in Africa. Among those who do have a job, the majority work in the informal economy. A report published in 2018, by the International Labour Organization (ILO) on the topic, indicated that 94.9% of people between the ages of 15 and 24 in Africa work in the informal economy. In West Africa this figure is as high as 97.9%.

DRC has the 7th youngest country in the world according to the UN. This presents a unique mix of challenges and opportunities.

With blockchain being the number 1 in demand hard skill of 2020, our proposal seeks to inform, catalyse, cultivate and encourage the burgeoning interest amongst the African youth that holds architects and entrepreneurs of the future in blockchain and related technologies in the digital economy.

These onboarding workshops have started in 2020 in an educational institution in DRC, the Goma wada hub has been holding sessions with students. We’d like though Project catalyst to enlarge this onboarding program to other hundreds of young students in universities.

Technology education and skills development should not be the preserve of the affluent in our society, it must be decentralized and accessible by all.

This proposal will have a positive impact on the lives of about 300 youth in Congo in the following ways listed below:

• Bring together young people to learn blockchain and bring out great ideas such as information technology unique talents which they did not know existed.

• Great ideas that can turn into business and jobs after getting knowledge in Project Catalyst through workshops.

• Anticipated youth impacted - 300 aged 18-25

• Train young people in marketable skills to boost their chances of escaping poverty.

• Blockchain education will lead to reduction of dependence on government for job after school education.

It is expected that within three months, three workshops will be held, the youth that will be attending will have in-depth knowledge about Foundamentals of blockchain, Cardano, project catalyst which will include proposal writing where their unique ideas are discussed and how they can turn them into real life solutions through catalyst.

How does your proposed solution address the challenge and what benefits will this bring to the Cardano ecosystem?

**The challenge question states like “**How can we support student blockchain startups through Catalyst? And how can I increase the number of student Catalyst proposers and blockchain engineers? »

• 3 workshops will be held and gather in total about 300 students from different universities
• Exposure to Cardano blockchain for students who can use decentralized financial institutions, become pioneers and entrepreneurs on cardano
• Learning opportunities for future developers, ada holders, and Cardano members, about 300 wallets will be created and charged of some Ada as rewards for participation to the workshops.

How do you intend to measure the success of your project?

The Goma onboarding program has introduced cardano to +800 students and some of them are participating as Proposers, Proposal assessors (now Community Reviewers) and others enjoying some opportunities here and there in the Ecosystem.

Thanks to these workshops we enlarge the community with new minds who can drive innovation, become entrepreneurs and use tools built on cardano, while opening young people to a new experience and opportunity.

• A website will be designed and the workshops marketed on social media and in selected universities.
• 300 students will take part in these workshops, possibly they can share information to their friends and familly
• 300 wallets will be created and charged of 10 Ada each

Please describe your plans to share the outputs and results of your project?

The following will be shared with the community:

1. The website as being designed
2. The registration form for booking places to the workshops will be shared
3. List of students participating in the workshops
4. Videos and photos can be watched on our social media
5. Testimonials of participants
6. Number of students requesting a one-to-one monitoring
7. Hashes of the transactions sent to participants wallets.

What is your capability to deliver your project with high levels of trust and accountability?

Goma Wada Hub:

• Onboarding Program (Production of educational content on Cardano and Project Catalyst since 2020), Watch here.
• Weekly meet-ups to promote Cardano and plan the hub's activities
• Goma monthly since feb 2023, see here.
• Regular Haskell and Plutus training since Sep 2020
• Goma Cardano Stake Pool running in Goma
• Hosting cardano summit 2021 and 2022, watch here.
• 4 developpers and technical professional
• Converting Ada to local currency
• Plutus and Atala-Prism Project based learning, see it here.
• See here our Fund 8 achieved project
• and 2 other projects are ongoing

What are the main goals for the project and how will you validate if your approach is feasible?

The main goal for this project, is that we want to increase Goma youth (students) participation in Cardano blockchain and project catalyst.

And specially we'd like to:

GOAL 1: Design a web site for the Onboarding program, where people can find everything about the onboarding activities.

GOAL 2: Maximaze participation to workshops, 300 students are the target for these workshop, we'll reach them via students organizations and publicizing the activities on various plantforms.

GOAL 3: Hold three workshops, with students from 3 different universities in Goma, and developp all the topics as planned in the project.

GOAL 4: to have at least 150 youth, ready to participate in project catalyst, as proposers or Community reviewers in following funds.

Please provide a detailed breakdown of your project’s milestones and each of the main tasks or activities to reach the milestone plus the expected timeline for the delivery.

Timeline<u>:</u>

The expected five months of delivery will be as follows:

• Milestone 1: from November-December 2023 – designing the website, reach out to students organizations and publicity of the program on the website and social media- twitter, WhatsApp, telegram, Facebook

• Milestone 2: Workshops taking place

January 2024 - 1st Workshop in a conference center to accommodate 100 participants in person. Online participation will also be set up.

February 2024 - 2nd Workshop for another set of 100 participants - both in person and online.

March 2024 – 3rd Workshop for another set of 100 participants - both in person and online.

The one-to-one monitoring continues for desiring participants at Goma Wada hub.

These workshops will involve 3 different universities.

Please describe the deliverables, outputs and intended outcomes of each milestone.

Deliverables

Milestone 1:

1. Design of the program website
2. Publicize the onboarding program for students on social media and educational institutions though student’s organization and display valves.
3. Launch registrations: via a google form

Milestone 2:

Holding the three workshops, for each session fellowing topics will be discussed:

• Who we are (Wada global and Goma Wada Hub)
• Introduction to blockchain technology (what is a blockchain, Fundamentals, types, applications, utility…)
• Cardano Blockchain
• Project catalyst (process, roles, funds…)
• Opening and management of Wallet
• Spread the 10 Ada Gift for participation

Mentoring activities, including one-to-one relationship building and tutoring,

These topics appear to much to digest for a full day of workshop, so they still have possibilities to join us if needed and participate in our weekly meetups to go deep in some stuff.

Please provide a detailed budget breakdown of the proposed work and resources.

The total budget requested is 39200ADA

The breakdown is as follows:

Rate of 0.25

1 dev to design the website : 3000ADA

Hiring of Conference Center for 3 sessions: 2000 per center per session- Total 6000ADA

Resource persons- Blockchain Educators (4)- 600ADA/session/person =2400ADA/session - Total 7200/3sessions

Equipment hiring for 3 sessions 400 per day -Total 1200ADA

Ada to charge Participants wallets, 10 Ada per Participant – total 3000ADA for a total of 300 participants

Materials and stationery (blocknotes and pens for participants) 2200ADA

Internet to set the online participation and connect participants (opening wallets, and receiving their participation gift) :1200ADA

Media coverage & design :2400ADA

Marketing, publicity :1600ADA

Refreshments for participants (sandwich and non alcohol drink) :6000ADA

Transport and logistics :800ADA

Project managment :4000ADA

Misc :600ADA

TOTAL : 39200ADA

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

Martin Musagara : Proposal lead, Graduating student at ISDR/GL(www.isdrgl.org) Martin is a Blockchain fan and educator, he holds trainings for local students at Goma Wada Hub,( Project catalyst, PAs trainings), he leads the marketing team of Goma stake pool. (https://twitter.com/martin_musagara)

) (<https://www.linkedin.com/in/martin-musagara-m-b0139422a/> )

Bandu Balume Boaz: Graduating student at ISDR/GL(www.isdrgl.org), Boaz is the Hub manager and blockchain educator he coordinates meetups for Haskell and Plutus learning. Boaz has completed several training modules on Cardano and is aiming to develop blockchain applications in the field of sustainable development. He will act as an educator.

Akilimali Cizungu Innocent: is a technical analyst within ISDR/GL (www.isdrgl.org) and holds a degree in computer science from ISIG (<https://www.isig.ac.cd/>). Akilimali is also the technician supporting the Goma Stake Pool. Akilimali has experience in front-end, back-end developments, web design. https://www.linkedin.com/mwlite/in/akili-innocent-7649951a8 https://github.com/Innocent-Akim He'll participate as a Dev and technician

Paul Mupenda: Graduating student at ISIG, Paul holds a license degree in Computer Science. An avid blockchain trainer and promising blockchain developer, Paul has completed several Haskell and Plutus learning modules, Paul is a Cardano Blockchain Certified Associate (CBCA) Alpha Program. <https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-mupenda> <https://github.com/paulmupenda>, he'll participate as an educator and assistant to the Dev.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pUh8d4CJ-o&t=2s

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

The costs are based on industry standards, the complexity of tasks, and local market rates, to provide a reasonable budget.

The project team is skilled and experienced with creation of educational content, project management and web designinig, this reflects the costs in the budget.

Contingency Plan: We introduced a miscelous amount of 600ADA as It is prudent to allocate a portion of the budget for contingency planning. Unforeseen events, such as changes in requirements, or fluctuation of Ada, delays, or unforeseen challenges, can impact the project's timeline and budget. Having a contingency fund provides a safety net, enabling us to address unexpected circumstances without hindering project progress or compromising quality of the outcomes.