Please describe your proposed solution.

Background

In developing economies like Ghana, the knowledge on blockchain among the young populations still remain low, with no to little interest despite the popularity of blockchain and associated cryptocurrencies. More significantly, the lack of interest, especially among the youth is driven by misperception and lack of knowledge of the blockchain ecosystem. For many, the blockchain technology is an investment platform and therefore the fear of losing their capital is the reason for their lack of interest. Aside that, the blockchain area remain a complex area of study to understand for many young people in Africa. Also, accessing and understanding information on blockchain is equally challenging for anyone new to the blockchain ecosystem. Despite the efforts in addressing the lack of interest, the misconception and the attempt in penetrating the Ghanaian communities through workshops, meetups and town hall meetings, Cardano blockchain hasn’t gain much attention in spite of its huge potential and the significant impact it could make in many startups, developers and the continent at large. Therefore, the the gateway of blockchain project is an alternative approach to addressing the misconception, the lack of interest and lack of knowledge on blockchain and the Cardano ecosystem, focusing on students as the starting point. The blockchain industry, though an emerging technology, it has a lot of potential and opportunities for the vast majority of the youth (students), especially in helping curb the unemployment deficits

Therefore, as part of educating more young people especially the young students, we intend to develop an incentivized learning platform that reward participants for learning blockchain and for learning the various concepts within the Cardano ecosystem.

Scope of Solution

The focused is to provide a well streamlined, standardized and easy to understand web-based video lessons on blockchain and the cardano ecosystem that can easily be accessed by every youth. The ownership of smartphones by a significant number of Ghanaian students makes them a viable entry point for this project. The complex nature of the blockchain space is not an easy area for new users, especially secondary school or college students, hence the lack of interest in exploring the blockchain ecosystem. By this initiative, we intend to introduce the concept of blockchain and the cardano ecosystem via a series of easy to understand, short theoretical and video-based lessons on blockchain technology to a large audience of young Ghanaians who remain new to the cardano network. This would also include a short assessment after which the completion of each lesson participants would be rewarded.

In addition to simple educational materials, we are planning to focus on more serious guides for new users, developers and start-ups which will help increase their interest in Cardano. Often, students are more stimulated by incentivized learning, hence this initiative would provide the motivations for the students not only to earn but also to invest in the cardano coin and eventually increase the holders of the cardano coin. The blockchain project presents a new way by which students can navigate the blockchain space and can earn value out of time and resource investment in knowledge acquisition via our platform. The usage of our platform provides users their own system of value that rewards them and makes it affordable for students new to blockchain to be on-boarded in the Cardan ecosystem.

Why Learn to Earn Approach

The “learn to earn” approach is an effective hand on and learning platform that focuses on simplifying the complex nature of the blockchain space via the provision of a video based learning lessons. This is an efficient incentivized way for a lasting learning experience that will help onboard students into the Cardano ecosystem. We’ll create a web based platform that will be accessible to everyone with phone and internet. The platform will aggregate blockchain information, separating them into various areas of study in theory with attached short videos for each lesson. The content of the theory and video based lessons on blockchain and the Cardano ecosystem will cover several areas (not limited to those below) such as :

• What is Blockchain?
• What’s the history of bitcoin?
• What is Cardano?
• How to create a cardano wallet?
• How does the Public Key and Private Key of the blockchain work?
• The concept of project catalyst and the various role?
• What is NFT?
• What is Smart Contract?
• What is DApp?
• What's DAO?

INCENTIVE

The project would focus on incentivizing the learning of basic areas of education for a beginner who is new to the blockchain ecosystem and more especially for a person new to the Cardano ecosystem. The incentivized program would be divided into two categories; An Education based incentive and Referral based incentive.

<u>EDUCATION BASED INCENTIVE</u>

Under the education-based incentive, we intend to provide educational lessons on ten (10) key areas of interest needed at an entry level into the Cardano ecosystem. The ten (10) areas would be a starting point, however, upon a successful implementation of this project per our milestone, we'd introduce users to more complex areas under the Cardano blockchain ecosystem. The essence is to transition our target audience into the Cardano community, on board them and eventually make them active participants of each role within the Cardano community. For each of the area of study that the project seeks to provide lessons on, an amount of $1.5 in ADA would reward to participants for the successful completion of each assessment, with the total amount summing up to $15 in ADA ($1.5 per assessment). This reward help students have a practical experience of the crypto space; and also make the platform the best option for students who are willing to learn and invest in cryptocurrency.

<u>REFERRAL BASED INCENTIVE</u>

The referral program would be designed to reward users for referring new users. As a marketing strategy, we would reward users $2 of ADA for referring one new user. This reward will be subject to term and conditions; that’s users will only be rewarded upon completion of the educational lessons and a mandatory referral of just one person. This arrangement is to ensure that users don’t focus on just the monetary value but the knowledge acquisition.

MARKETING STRATEGY

• As part of reaching a large audience with this project, we’ll collaborate with the Opportunity summit, a platform that seeks to educate the Ghanaian student population on the Cardano Network. Under this collaboration, we’ll market our platform to the students at each event organized by the group. This will be done alongside our regular marketing both online and offline.
• We would also advertise the project via tbe various social media channels. Additionally, we'll create help centres in the form of social media channels, with links to joining the channels on the website. A place where people with different forms of enquires, questions are addressed. This will also provide access to valuable sources of information and assistance on difficult to understand blockchain concepts on our website. The platform would be a community driven one, where people can freely share their ideas, thoughts and concerns.

Please describe how your proposed solution will address the Challenge that you have submitted it in.

The focused is to provide a well streamlined, standardized and easy to understand web based video lessons on blockchain and the cardano ecosystem that can easily be accessed by every youth. The ownership of smartphones by a significant number of Ghanaian students makes them a viable entry point for this project. The complex nature of the blockchain space is not an easy area for new users, especially secondary school or college students, hence the lack of interest in exploring the blockchain ecosystem. By this initiative, we intend to introduce the concept of blockchain and the cardano ecosystem via a series of easy to understand, short theoretical and video based lessons on blockchain technology to a large audience of young Ghanaians who remain new to the cardano network. This would also include a short assessment after which the completion of each lesson participants would be rewarded.

VISION

Short term goals

In the short term, we intend achieving the following goals;

• We strive to represent the entry point for many young Africans into the Cardano community.
• Create more awareness on the cardano blockchain Network, highlighting the potentials and the opportunities within the cardano ecosystem.
• Onboard more students into the Cardano community, by providing a general knowledge of the Cardano ecosystem so that each member can decide where to get involved and contribute, as a PA, VPA, voter,Drep or a proposer.
• Lastly, the platform will create a new career opportunity for those who want to advocate for the blockchain industry, and especially the Cardano ecosystem.

Long term goals

As part of our long term goal, we consider that beginners need a simple guidelines to become a Cardano developers. Therefore, the platform aims to introduce more developers into the Cardano community and ultimately develop and enhance their skills.

• By this initiative we intend providing digital certification after attending and passing all online training.
• Encourage the adoption of teaching material in STEM classes or extra curricular activities, a new approach to learning

What are the main risks that could prevent you from delivering the project successfully and please explain how you will mitigate each risk?

Main challenge

• The main challenge is the creation of multiple accounts by existing users. As part of ensuring the security of our platform, there would be a KYC requirement to help avert the incidence of users exploiting the system by creating multiple account. The platform would require a cardano address to which incentive payment would be made.
• The other challenge for this project is the issue of funding for the project. In that regard, we consider that because this project is solely towards the advancement of the growth of the Cardano ecosystem, hence, project catalyst will be our primary source of funding. However, we'll also apply for funding from organization that share in our vision of providing education on blockchain to the a large group of the African population. Aside that, we'll also welcome donations from benevolent individuals willing to help, by providing crypto addresses on our website.

Please provide a detailed plan, including timeline and key milestones for delivering your proposal.

Timeline and Roadmap

The project implementation would last for a 1 and the execution of the project would be undertaken in 3 phases, starting with phases 1. We intend to initiate the first phase of our project upon the receipt of funding. This first phase is mainly research based. Hence structuring our budget in that regard accordingly. The aim is to help ascertain a clear overview of our project, possible challenges to help us adjust our project accordingly. Based on the feedback from the first phase, it help us know the things to incorporate into the project, whether or not a redesign will be required and to know how to design the next phase of our project timelines and our budget.

Phase 1 (1-2 month)

<u>Drafting and Documentation of registration processes (website) and Legal experts (2 weeks)</u>— this includes a formal drafting and documentation of registration processes of the business in line with the laws of our country. The legal fees includes the services of solicitors to draft the terms and conditions for using the platform and also covers any future litigations.

<u>Research on contents and target audience (3 weeks)</u> — this phase would focus on gathering information on the appropriate resources and materials on the educational contents that will suit our target audience. This phase will also include data collection on our target audience and how to reach them when the project is officially launched.

<u>Website design (2 week)</u>

We anticipate that, based on our research on the type of content we need for our platform, we'll collect the required information to help undertake a preliminary design of the website of our site.

<u>Partnership formation (1 week)</u>

At this phase, we intend to negotiate and liaise with crypto educational platforms including the Cardano network to help with the required appropriate educational lessons and resources that help sustain the project.

Please provide a detailed budget breakdown.

The project implementation would last for a year andthe execution of the project would be undertaken in 3 phases, starting with phases 1. We intend to initiate the first phase of our project upon the receipt of funding. This first phase is mainly research based. Hence structuring our budget in that regard accordingly. The aim is to help ascertain a clear overview of our project, possible challenges to help us adjust our project accordingly. The most important part of this phase of our project is the partnership we seek to establish which will be the backbone of this project. Based on the feedback from the first phase,The aim is to help ascertain a clear overview of our project, possible challenges to help us adjust our project accordingly. Based on the feedback from the first phase, it help us know the things to incorporate into the project, whether or not a redesign will be required and to know how to design the next phase of our project timelines and our budget.

<u>Drafting and Documentation of registration processes and Legal fees</u> ($1,000)— this includes a formal registration of the business as required by the laws of our country. The legal fees includes the services of solicitors to draft the terms and conditions of the platform and also covers any future litigations.

<u>Team Research </u> ($550)— this phase would focus on gathering information on the appropriate resources and materials on the educational contents that will suit our target audience.

Website Design ($1,500) — This is the stage where we'll initiate the development of the website. This will include incorporating all the educational resources and content.

Miscellaneous —($400)

Partnership formation**(500)**— this is the stage to find partnership for the content for our platform. This will involve finding the right partnership, engaging in over the phone negotiations, letters exchanges and meetings.

Team Fee (**$500) —**administrative cost

Total — $4450

Please provide details of the people who will work on the project.

Team members and Roles for the project

Davide Mensah - Teacher

Kingsley Mensah- Developer

Innocent Norvinu - Finance and marketing manager

Background of team members

David Mensah

A young trained graduate, in the field of Education and industrial sector ,with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Social Studies And Economics Education. I am highly elated and open to jobs in the fields of

Education,social work/services,enumeration as well as research and development.

As a socio-economist and educationist, I am quiet familiar and experienced in my area of expertise. I had the opportunity to practice my profession through attachments, internships and national service, as well as a pre-working experience in warehouse and security services, before my university education. Then after, the opportunity of having being the social studies teacher,a research assistant, an enumerator and a coacoa purchasing clerk at PBC Ltd.has given me a host of experience in a broad spectrum of both managerial, human relations and social services which forms the basis of the framework in every institution.

A Fund 8 community Advisors and a member of WADA.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-a-mensah-426848226

Email: [email protected]

Kingsley Mensah

He holds a Msc. in Computer Science & Technology. Founder of web-hosting company, Kingscel Technologies. He has proven skills in web designing, software developing, computer networking and security, Javascript, Plutus, and CSS and loves ideas for a free society. He was awarded the Star of Innovation Award in 2019 by Hubei University of Technology (China). He also received the Young Achievers Award at the Pride of Africa Awards (Asia) 2020 by Appreciate Africa Network (Asia).

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kingsley-mensah/

Innocent Norvinu

He is a cryptocurrency enthusiast with a degree in Banking and Finance from the University of Professional Studies in Ghana. His over 7 years of experience within the finance industry as a risk and compliance officer has been key in ensuring that Unique Step Microfinance survive financial sanctions emanating from lack of regulatory compliance and also helping banks and microfinance institutions survive various financial clean-up exercise in Ghana. Fund 7 and Fund 8 community Advisor, with an already funded proposal in fund 8 and an active member of WADA

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/innocent-norvinu-a096931a9

Email: [email protected]

If you are funded, will you return to Catalyst in a later round for further funding? Please explain why / why not.

Yes; because this is just the first phase of the project. Hence to complete the entire phase of our project, additional funds will be needed.

Please describe what you will measure to track your project's progress, and how will you measure these?

Milestone

And at the end of a successful implementation of this project, we’ll measure the success of this event by;

• The number of student trainees
• The number of students who visit the page
• The number of students on boarded
• The number of new cardano wallet account created.
• The number of students with great ideas who will be mentored and trained.

Key metrics

Based on these key performance indicators, we anticipate that, a successful implementation of the project will help achieve the following milestones;

• At least train 30 students
• Expected number of students who view the page - 50
• At least on board 10 students into the Cardano community
• Create Cardano wallet accounts for at least 10 students.
• Create a cardano social media community (WhatsApp, Telegram and YouTube) with at least 20 active followers.

As indicated above, the targets for each indicator would be adjusted upon a review of the report on our milestone. As part of our transparency to the cardano community, we would make these report available to the cardano social media channels (telegram and discord) for their perusal. Additionally, we would also make the report available on the official social media channels and our online pages.

What does success for this project look like?

SUCCESS

Short term goals

In the short term, we intend achieving the following goals;

• We strive to represent the entry point for many young Africans into the Cardano community.
• Create more awareness on the cardano blockchain Network, highlighting the potentials and the opportunities within the cardano ecosystem.
• Onboard more students into the Cardano community, by providing a general knowledge of the Cardano ecosystem so that each member can decide where to get involved and contribute, as a PA, VPA, voter,Drep or a proposer.
• Lastly, the platform will create a new career opportunity for those who want to advocate for the blockchain industry, and especially the Cardano ecosystem.

Long term goals

As part of our long term goal, we consider that beginners need a simple guidelines to become a Cardano developers. Therefore, the platform aims to introduce more developers into the Cardano community and ultimately develop and enhance their skills.

• By this initiative we intend providing digital certification after attending and passing all online training.
• Encourage the adoption of teaching material in STEM classes or extra curricular activities, a new approach to learning

Please provide information on whether this proposal is a continuation of a previously funded project in Catalyst or an entirely new one.

This is an entirely new project