Please describe your proposed solution.

Background:

• Disparity exists between African-based block producers and relay stakepools on the Cardano blockchain.
• Out of over 3000 relays on the Cardano blockchain, less than 10 are located in Africa (source: https://cexplorer.io/relays?lat=-1.67472&long=29.23438). Similarly, of the 25 billion ADA staked, only 45 million ADA is delegated to Africa-based stakepools.
• Limited number of relays and ADA delegation to Africa-based stakepools.
• Majority of Africa-focused stakepools have servers located outside of Africa.
• WADA Stakepool, despite being Africa-focused, has its block producer situated in Europe.

Our Solution:

• Seek Catalyst funding to address challenges faced by African stakepool operators.
• Objectives:
• Increase utilization of Africa-based VPS infrastructure and invest in bare metal servers.
• Augment the number of African-based relays.
• Engage Cardano stakeholders for delegation support.
• Provide resources and training to African stakepool operators.
• Establish a sustainable ecosystem for block production in Africa.
• Benefits:
• Mitigate concentration risk, enhance security, decentralization, and global participation.
• Demonstrate impact through increased block production, viable African stakepools, and broader representation in the Cardano community.
• Implementation:
• Relocate WADA Stakepool's block producer from Europe to Accra, Ghana.
• Identify and migrate three additional stakepools to Africa-based infrastructure.
• Leveraging Existing Assets:
• Allocate budget for conducting a thorough gap analysis and tailoring program delivery to selected SPOs.

Reallocating Block Producer to the Continent:

• Relocate WADA Stakepool's block producer from Europe to Accra, Ghana.
• Identify and migrate three additional stakepools to Africa-based infrastructure.

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

Proposed Solution and Benefits to the Cardano Ecosystem:

• Increased Block Production in Africa: By leveraging Africa-based VPS infrastructure, investing in bare metal servers, and relocating block producers to Africa, our project directly addresses the challenge of limited African-based block producers and relay stakepools. This will result in a more distributed network and enhanced decentralization.
• Stronger SPO Community: The project enables the formation of a stronger Stake Pool Operator (SPO) community in Africa. By providing resources, training, and support, we empower African SPOs to establish sustainable businesses. This will foster collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and growth within the community.
• Improved Representation and Participation: The project will attract new participants to the Cardano community, particularly from Africa, thereby increasing diversity and bringing fresh perspectives. It will strengthen the overall representation of the African continent within the Cardano ecosystem.
• Enhanced Security and Resilience: By mitigating concentration risk and increasing block production in Africa, the project enhances the security and resilience of the Cardano blockchain. This benefits the entire ecosystem and ensures its stability.
• Quantifiable Impact: The project will result in a significant increase in the number of African-based relays, ADA delegated to Africa-based stakepools, and blocks minted in Africa. These measurable outcomes will demonstrate the project's impact and its contribution to the growth and strength of the Cardano ecosystem.

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

Measuring Project Success:

• Increased Block Production: Success will be measured by tracking the growth in the number of African-based relays and the corresponding increase in block production in Africa. This will demonstrate the project's effectiveness in mitigating concentration risk and enhancing network decentralization.
• ADA Delegation to African SPOs: The success of the project will be measured by monitoring the increase in ADA delegated to Africa-based stakepools. This will signify the trust and confidence placed in African SPOs and their ability to generate rewards for delegators.
• Sustainability of African SPOs: Success will be measured by evaluating the long-term sustainability and viability of African SPOs within the Cardano ecosystem. This includes assessing their financial stability, ongoing participation, and contributions to the network.
• Growth of the SPO Community: The project's success will be reflected in the growth of the SPO community in Africa. This can be measured by tracking the number of new African SPOs, their active participation, and their contributions to the ecosystem.
• Enhanced Security and Resilience: Success will be measured by evaluating the project's impact on network security and resilience. This includes monitoring any reduction in concentration risk and potential improvements in the network's resistance to attacks.

Benefits to the Cardano Ecosystem:

• Increased Decentralization: The project will contribute to the decentralization of the Cardano network by expanding block production and increasing the participation of African stakeholders. This enhances network security, resilience, and trust.
• Global Participation: The project fosters global participation by attracting new participants from Africa to the Cardano ecosystem. This increases diversity, expands the user base, and brings new perspectives and ideas to drive innovation and growth.
• Long-Term Productivity and Growth: The innovation brought by the project will have both short-term and long-term impacts on Cardano's productivity and growth. In the short term, it will lead to an immediate increase in block production and active participation. In the long term, it will foster the development of a sustainable and vibrant SPO community, driving continued growth and innovation.
• Sustainable Ecosystem: The project's focus on supporting African SPOs and enhancing their financial sustainability ensures the long-term viability of the Cardano ecosystem. This creates a robust foundation for future growth, development, and widespread adoption.

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

Measuring Project Success:

• Increased Block Production: Success will be measured by tracking the growth in the number of African-based relays and the corresponding increase in block production in Africa. This will demonstrate the project's effectiveness in mitigating concentration risk and enhancing network decentralization.
• ADA Delegation to African SPOs: The success of the project will be measured by monitoring the increase in ADA delegated to Africa-based stakepools. This will signify the trust and confidence placed in African SPOs and their ability to generate rewards for delegators.
• Sustainability of African SPOs: Success will be measured by evaluating the long-term sustainability and viability of African SPOs within the Cardano ecosystem. This includes assessing their financial stability, ongoing participation, and contributions to the network.
• Growth of the SPO Community: The project's success will be reflected in the growth of the SPO community in Africa. This can be measured by tracking the number of new African SPOs, their active participation, and their contributions to the ecosystem.
• Enhanced Security and Resilience: Success will be measured by evaluating the project's impact on network security and resilience. This includes monitoring any reduction in concentration risk and potential improvements in the network's resistance to attacks.

Benefits to the Cardano Ecosystem:

• Increased Decentralization: The project will contribute to the decentralization of the Cardano network by expanding block production and increasing the participation of African stakeholders. This enhances network security, resilience, and trust.
• Global Participation: The project fosters global participation by attracting new participants from Africa to the Cardano ecosystem. This increases diversity, expands the user base, and brings new perspectives and ideas to drive innovation and growth.
• Long-Term Productivity and Growth: The innovation brought by the project will have both short-term and long-term impacts on Cardano's productivity and growth. In the short term, it will lead to an immediate increase in block production and active participation. In the long term, it will foster the development of a sustainable and vibrant SPO community, driving continued growth and innovation.
• Sustainable Ecosystem: The project's focus on supporting African SPOs and enhancing their financial sustainability ensures the long-term viability of the Cardano ecosystem. This creates a robust foundation for future growth, development, and widespread adoption.

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

Wada is a Cardano-based community network of 35+ professionals focused on connecting the world to Africa using blockchain and AI. 30+ completed catalyst proposals with strong partnerships within the Catalyst ecosystem. A trusted source for both Africa-based projects and wider ecosystem contributions.

• Existing Capabilities
• Experienced Team: With a proven track record in the Cardano ecosystem, including successful running of the WADA stakepool in-house and seasoned project managers.
• Established Network: Hubs in Cameroon, Ghana, DRC, Côte D’Ivoire, Sierra Leone, and Senegal with local expertise and reach.
• Robust Partnership: Collaborating with skilled SPOs, who are well-respected entities in the Cardano ecosystem with a strong track records.
• Trust and Fund Management
• Transparent Budgeting: Detailed budget and milestone-based disbursements linked to clear deliverables.
• Regular Reporting: Periodic reports on project progress and fund usage, shared with the Cardano community through Catalyst reporting platforms.

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

Project Goals, Capability & Feasibility

• Increase Block Production in Africa:
• Validate feasibility by monitoring and tracking the growth in the number of African-based relays and the corresponding increase in block production.
• Measure the achievement of this goal by comparing the baseline block production in Africa before the project to the post-project block production levels.
• Enhance Decentralization and Participation:
• Validate feasibility by assessing the growth of the SPO community in Africa, including the number of new African SPOs and their active participation.
• Measure the achievement of this goal by tracking the percentage increase in the participation of African stakeholders within the Cardano ecosystem.
• Improve Financial Sustainability for African SPOs:
• Validate feasibility by evaluating the financial stability and viability of African SPOs, including their ability to generate rewards for delegators.
• Measure the achievement of this goal by monitoring the increase in ADA delegated to Africa-based stakepools and the overall sustainability of African SPOs.
• Strengthen Network Security and Resilience:
• Validate feasibility by analyzing the impact of increased block production in Africa on network security and resistance to attacks.
• Measure the achievement of this goal by assessing any reduction in concentration risk and the overall improvement in network security.
• Foster Innovation and Growth:
• Validate feasibility by assessing the level of innovation and growth within the African SPO community, including the development of new tools, platforms, and initiatives.
• Measure the achievement of this goal by tracking the number of new projects, tools, and services created by African SPOs within the Cardano ecosystem.

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.

• Milestone: Needs Assessment for Business Capacity Building
• Tasks/Activities:
• Conduct interviews and surveys with African SPOs to identify capacity building needs.
• Analyze the data collected and perform a gap analysis.
• Develop a report outlining the key findings and recommendations.
• Timeline: 1 month
• Projected Cost: 30,000 ADA
• Milestone: Relocation of WADA Stakepool's Block Producer to Accra, Ghana
• Tasks/Activities:
• Plan the relocation process, including logistics and infrastructure setup in Accra.
• Coordinate with relevant stakeholders to ensure a smooth transition.
• Migrate the block producer to the VPS infrastructure in Accra.
• Timeline: 2 months
• Projected Cost: 60,000 ADA
• Milestone: Migration of Additional Africa-focused Stakepools
• Tasks/Activities:
• Identify three Africa-focused stakepools for migration to Africa-based infrastructure.
• Set up bare metal servers and/or relays for the identified stakepools.
• Coordinate with the stakeholders to facilitate the migration process.
• Timeline: 3 months
• Projected Cost: 150,000 ADA
• Milestone: Increased Delegation Support to Africa Stakepools
• Tasks/Activities:
• Develop a communication and outreach strategy to engage Cardano stakeholders.
• Promote Africa-based stakepools and encourage increased ADA delegation.
• Provide educational resources and support to stakeholders on the benefits of delegation to Africa-based stakepools.
• Timeline: 4 months
• Projected Cost: 100,000 ADA
• Milestone: Block Production Expansion in Africa
• Tasks/Activities:
• Monitor and analyze the block production performance of the relocated WADA Stakepool and the migrated stakepools.
• Identify areas for improvement and implement measures to enhance block production.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to ensure the smooth operation and growth of Africa-based block production.
• Timeline: 2 months
• Projected Cost: 60,000 ADA

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

• Milestone: Needs Assessment for Business Capacity Building
• Tasks/Activities:
• Conduct interviews and surveys with African SPOs to identify capacity building needs.
• Analyze the data collected and perform a gap analysis.
• Develop a report outlining the key findings and recommendations.
• Timeline: 1 month
• Success Criteria: Completion of the needs assessment report.
• Projected Cost: 30,000 ADA
• Milestone: Relocation of WADA Stakepool's Block Producer to Accra, Ghana
• Tasks/Activities:
• Plan the relocation process, including logistics and infrastructure setup in Accra.
• Coordinate with relevant stakeholders to ensure a smooth transition.
• Migrate the block producer to the VPS infrastructure in Accra.
• Timeline: 2 months
• Success Criteria: Successful relocation of WADA Stakepool's block producer to Accra.
• Projected Cost: 60,000 ADA
• Milestone: Migration of Additional Africa-focused Stakepools
• Tasks/Activities:
• Identify three Africa-focused stakepools for migration to Africa-based infrastructure.
• Set up bare metal servers and/or relays for the identified stakepools.
• Coordinate with the stakeholders to facilitate the migration process.
• Timeline: 3 months
• Success Criteria: Successful migration of three additional stakepools to Africa-based infrastructure.
• Projected Cost: 150,000 ADA
• Milestone: Increased Delegation Support to Africa Stakepools
• Tasks/Activities:
• Develop a communication and outreach strategy to engage Cardano stakeholders.
• Promote Africa-based stakepools and encourage increased ADA delegation.
• Provide educational resources and support to stakeholders on the benefits of delegation to Africa-based stakepools.
• Timeline: 4 months
• Success Criteria: Significant increase in ADA delegation to Africa-based stakepools.
• Projected Cost: 100,000 ADA
• Milestone: Block Production Expansion in Africa
• Tasks/Activities:
• Monitor and analyze the block production performance of the relocated WADA Stakepool and the migrated stakepools.
• Identify areas for improvement and implement measures to enhance block production.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to ensure the smooth operation and growth of Africa-based block production.
• Timeline: 2 months
• Success Criteria: Increased block production in Africa and improved performance of Africa-based stakepools.
• Projected Cost: 60,000 ADA

In addition to the project milestones, the project will include dedicated milestones for project management, financial management, and reporting, ensuring effective governance and oversight throughout the project duration.

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

The rate used for this budget is 1ADA to .25USD. We will change to stablecoins as much as possible and depending on how prices fluctuate at time of project implementation we will be able to do more or scale down project goals

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

Josh Fielding - Project Lead + Global Lead @ Wada

In charge of the WADA Stakepool.

Has a combined 10+ years’ experience in fintech and startups, focused on banking, payments and lending across Europe, APAC and African continents. He brings his years of project management and team leadership experience, running teams for Start Up Bootcamp and as an organizer for a Danish enterprise accelerator.

As an active member of Catalyst since Fund 2 and previously-funded audit proposer, Josh has the experience and capability to deliver on the goals of the proposal, alongside the team at Wada.

<https://linkedin.com/in/joshfielding>

Frédéric Samvura (Genty)

Business Developer

Frédéric Samvura is an accomplished individual with a diverse range of experiences and skills. With an M.A. in Economics, he has a strong background in banking and public policy. As an entrepreneur, Frédéric has taken on leadership roles such as Wada Business Initiatives Lead and DRC Wada Coordinator. He has completed well-known programs like Plutus Pioneer and Atala Prism Pioneer, establishing himself as a skilled smart contract developer. Frédéric also serves as a Haskell and Plutus trainer in Wada and Gimbalabs Education programs. His passion lies in promoting equality of opportunities and financial inclusion for disadvantaged individuals, aiming to provide life-changing opportunities for all.

(<https://www.linkedin.com/in/fr%C3%A9d%C3%A9ric-samvura-907aa53b>)

Ezekiel Donkor - Software Developer @ Wada

Has a Bachelor of Science in Animal Biology and Conservation Science from the University of Ghana. Currently works as a software developer at Wada. Loves to challenge himself to work on new emerging technologies and tools, including blockchain and web3. Currently exploring the Cardano blockchain and all the possible applications in order to build tools and products to contribute to the community at large.

<https://github.com/yaw595>

Wada Ivory Coast: Malik Koné is a Phd professor who is passionate about educating the next generation of Ivorians in blockchain technology. He was born and raised in France but chose to move back to Ivory Coast in order to set up a business, teach a national calculus center (CNCCI) and help build through education.

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

The requested funding for this project represents significant value for money for the Cardano ecosystem due to the following key factors:

• Increased Block Production in Africa to reduce over dependence on Europe and North American servers.
• This enhances Cardano's decentralization, global participation, and network security.
• Strengthened Representation and Participation
• Economic Opportunities and Sustainability for Africa based SPO communities
• Value for Catalyst Funding

Our project directly addresses the challenge of limited African-based block producers and relay stakepools by leveraging Africa-based infrastructure and relocating block producers to Africa. This enhances decentralization and promotes a more distributed network. We strengthen the African SPO community through resources, training, and support, fostering collaboration and financial sustainability. The project attracts new participants, strengthens African representation, and enhances security. Measurable outcomes include increased relays, ADA delegation, and blocks minted in Africa, demonstrating the project's impact on the Cardano ecosystem's growth and strength.