Catalyst Africa Town Hall: Bridging the Gap for Continental Expansion

[GENERAL] Name and surname of main applicant

[GENERAL] Email address of main applicant

Additional applicants

Afia Owusu, Daniel, Ubio, Richmond, Boaz

[GENERAL] Please specify how many months you expect your project to last (from 2-12 months)

[GENERAL] Please indicate if your proposal has been auto-translated into English from another language.

[GENERAL] Does your project have any dependencies on other organizations, technical or otherwise?

[GENERAL] If YES, please describe what the dependency is and why you believe it is essential for your project’s delivery. If NO, please write “No dependencies.”

No dependencies

[GENERAL] Will your project’s output/s be fully open source?

[GENERAL] If NO, please describe which outputs are not going to be open source. If YES, please write “Project will be fully open source.”

Project will be fully open source

[METADATA] Category of proposal

[METADATA] SDG rating

SDG goals:

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

Reduce inequality within and among countries

SDG subgoals:

Build and upgrade education facilities that are child, disability and gender sensitive and provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all

Promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and, by 2030, significantly raise industry’s share of employment and gross domestic product, in line with national circumstances, and double its share in least developed countries

Facilitate sustainable and resilient infrastructure development in developing countries through enhanced financial, technological and technical support to African countries, least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing States

Key Performance Indicator (KPI):

Proportion of schools offering basic services, by type of service

Manufacturing value added as a proportion of GDP and per capita

Manufacturing employment as a proportion of total employment

Total official international support (official development assistance plus other official flows) to infrastructure

Universal Human Rights Index (UHRI):

#proposertoolsdg

[IMPACT] Please describe your proposed solution.

Africa is a multifaceted continent, With around 3,000 tribes and 2,000 languages and dialects, Africa is a continent with fascination around every corner, probably one of the most diverse continents in the world out there. With this diversity comes its own uniqueness and unique challenges, the challenge of reaching out to a fragmented piece of communities effectively. As a decentralized community, we believe in the principle of inclusivity, the concept that until all these tribes are included our work is not done.

As such we need to constantly come out with strategies to expand and reach out to these communities, to achieve 2 primary goals.

(i) The expansion of CATH numerically

(ii) The representation of various communities in our meetings.

For expansion to occur effectively we will have to ensure that our meetings are a representation of the diversity and uniqueness that defines our people.

This means investing in the human resources for translation of our meetings into various languages, to capture the nuances that define us. 

The CATH expansion has a tripod approach. The first leg of the tripod is investing in translation tools and services that will help give better experience for different users, we call this approach expansion through simulated experience and better experience.

The idea behind this is that people love to resonate with their language, as such investing in tools that makes people resonate better is what we need most. This includes paying for translators, paying to use translation tools etc.

The other aspect of expansion, which is the second leg of the tripod involves actively reaching out to unreached communities, through Catalyst Africa Town hall events in remote areas and unreached areas in Africa.

Part of our focus for this CATH this year is physical engagement with unreached communities. We will be holding CATH awareness and onboarding campaigns in different regions all over Africa.

This CATH awareness and onboarding campaign will be done using the Africa onboarding map below.

The goal is to see representations in all the regions in the map. So using the map as a guide we will be going to different regions in Africa educating them about Catalyst and how and why they need to join the African town hall.

This project and approach to CATH expansion will be experimented in the next 6 months, tentatively this means expanding into 6 new countries in Africa with little to no representation and in each of the countries onboarding between 10-200 members each representing different sub communities into CATH and in extension Project Catalyst.

The project will not only check how many members we will be onboarding through this expansion mode but how long they stay when the language issue is sorted and they were onboarded through physical engagements.

The last arm of the tripod is in investing in marketing activities and promotional activities that will bring visibility to the CATH. This involves paid ads, paying local influencers to tweet, comment or make posts about us, having promotional stuffs that speak about us to anyone. This is the last arm and its goal is to make us more visible to those seeking us.

Your reasons for approaching it in the way that you have:

I believe that the Cardano blockchain is the best solution for this problem. The blockchain is a distributed ledger technology that is designed to be secure, scalable, and efficient. This makes it ideal for hosting a digital platform that can reach people in remote areas.

The Cardano blockchain can be used to create a decentralized platform that is not reliant on any single infrastructure provider. This means that the platform will be more reliable and accessible to people in remote areas. The blockchain can also be used to implement a payment system that allows people to participate in the Town Hall discussions without having to pay high fees.

Who will your project engage:

The project will engage people in remote areas of Africa who are interested in participating in the Catalyst Africa Town Hall discussions. The project will also engage developers, entrepreneurs, and policymakers in Africa who have the potential of becoming active members and participants of the CATH and project catalyst generally.

How you will demonstrate or prove your impact:

The impact of the project will be measured by the number of people who participate in the Catalyst Africa Town Hall discussions, the number of new ideas that are generated, and the number of real-world problems that are solved. The project team will also collect feedback from users to assess the impact of the platform.

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

It will help to build a more inclusive Cardano community. By translating Catalyst meetings into different languages and holding awareness campaigns in unreached communities.

This project will help to make the Cardano community more inclusive. This will attract more people from different backgrounds to the Cardano community, which will make the community stronger and more diverse.

In terms of quantifiable impact, this project would onboard 1,000’s of new members to CATH and Cardano ecosystem. These members would generate an estimated 100,000 transactions per month. This would represent a significant increase in activity on the Cardano network and would help to strengthen the ecosystem.

This project could help to increase awareness of Cardano and Catalyst in Africa and build a more inclusive Cardano community:

• The project will translate Catalyst meetings into different languages, including French, Swahili and Hausa. This will make it easier for people from different parts of Africa to participate in Catalyst meetings and learn about Cardano.

• The project will hold awareness campaigns in unreached communities in Africa. These campaigns will educate people about Cardano and CATH and how they can participate in these projects.

• The project will serve as a platform for collaboration between different communities in Africa. This platform will allow people from different communities to share ideas and resources, and to work together on projects that benefit the Cardano ecosystem.

• The project will track the impact of Cardano-based projects in Africa. This will help to measure the impact of Cardano on Africa and to identify areas where Cardano can be used to make a greater impact.

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

The project's benefits for the Cardano ecosystem include:

• Increased awareness of Cardano and Catalyst in Africa.
• A more inclusive Cardano community.
• A platform for collaboration between different communities in Africa.
• A way to measure and track the impact of Cardano-based projects in Africa.

These benefits can be measured in a number of ways, including:

• The number of new members onboarded to CATH and Project Catalyst.
• The number of transactions generated by these new members.
• The number of languages into which Catalyst meetings are translated.
• The number of awareness campaigns held in unreached communities.
• The number of projects that are developed and implemented through collaboration between different communities in Africa.
• The impact of Cardano-based projects in Africa, as measured by qualitative factors such as user satisfaction and economic development.

These measures are realistic because they are based on the project's goals and objectives. The project aims to increase awareness of Cardano and Catalyst in Africa, to build a more inclusive Cardano community, and to provide a platform for collaboration between different communities in Africa. These are all measurable goals, and the project's team has a plan to achieve them.

The innovation will affect Cardano's productivity and growth in both the short and the long term. In the short term, the project will help to increase the number of people using Cardano Blockchain and attendance to CATH. This will lead to an increase in transactions on the Cardano network, which will boost the network's productivity.

In the long term, the project will help to build a more vibrant Cardano community. This will attract more developers and entrepreneurs to the Cardano ecosystem, which will lead to more innovation and growth.

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

Reports and Publications: Prepare comprehensive reports documenting the project objectives, methodology, findings, and recommendations. Publish these reports on relevant platforms, such as project websites, research databases, or academic journals. This helps make the project outcomes accessible to a wide audience, including researchers, policymakers, and other stakeholders.

Presentations and Conferences: Organize presentations or workshops to share the project results with interested parties. Consider participating in relevant conferences, seminars, or events related to the project's focus area. This provides an opportunity to engage directly with the audience, answer questions, and receive feedback.

Online Platforms and Social Media: Utilize online platforms, such as project websites, blogs, or social media channels, to share project updates, insights, and key findings. Create engaging content, such as articles, infographics, or videos, to reach a broader audience and encourage sharing and discussion.

Community Engagement and Local Outreach: Organize community events or public forums to engage directly with the communities involved in the project. Share the project outcomes, listen to their perspectives, and discuss how the results can benefit them. This helps build trust, gather feedback, and ensure that the project's outputs are relevant and accessible to the communities it aims to serve.

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] What is your capability to deliver your project with high levels of trust and accountability?

Industry Knowledge: Our team's understanding of the Cardano ecosystem ensures that we are well-versed in the project's context, technology, and potential challenges. This expertise enables us to make informed decisions and deliver outcomes aligned with the goals of the project.

Community Engagement: The presence of Cardano Ambassadors and Community Advocators within our team indicates a commitment to engaging and involving the community. This approach fosters trust and inclusivity by actively seeking input, addressing concerns, and ensuring that the project meets the needs of the community it serves.

Networking and Collaboration: As Cardano Ambassadors and Educators, Our team members likely have established connections within the Cardano community and beyond. This network can be leveraged to form partnerships, access additional resources, and promote collaboration, which enhances the project's credibility and effectiveness.

Track Record: Having successfully run the Catalyst Africa Town Hall for the past 24 months demonstrates our team's ability to manage and deliver projects over an extended period. This track record instills confidence in stakeholders, as they can see tangible evidence of your team's commitment, reliability, and ability to execute projects effectively.

Project Management Skills: The combination of Cardano Ambassadors, Community Advocators, and Cardano Educators brings a diverse set of skills and perspectives to the project. These skills can include project management, community engagement, communication, and education, all of which contribute to effective project execution and accountability.

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] What are the main goals for the project and how will you validate if your approach is feasible?

The main goals of the project are to:

• Expand the Catalyst Africa Town Hall (CATH) to reach more communities in Africa.
• Ensure that the CATH is representative of the diversity of Africa, including its languages and cultures.
• Demonstrate the value of the CATH to African communities and policymakers.

The project will validate its approach by measuring the following:

• The number of people who participate in the CATH discussions.
• The number of new ideas that are generated.
• The number of real-world problems that are solved.
• The feedback from users about the platform.

The project will use a tripod approach to expansion:

• Investing in translation tools and services to make the CATH more accessible to people who speak different languages.
• Holding CATH awareness and onboarding campaigns in remote areas of Africa.
• Investing in marketing activities and promotional activities to raise awareness of the CATH.

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] 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 1: Identify underserved African communities.

• Research African communities with limited access to internet and other resources.
• Contact community leaders to gauge interest in CATH.

Timeline: 1-2 months

Tasks:

• Conduct a survey of African communities to assess their access to internet and other resources.
• Identify community leaders who are interested in CATH and can help to promote it in their communities.
• Organize meetings with community leaders to discuss CATH and how it can benefit their communities.

Milestone 2: Establish partnerships with local organizations.

• Identify local organizations that can help CATH reach underserved communities.
• Negotiate partnerships with local organizations to provide support for CATH, such as space, equipment, and volunteers.

Timeline: 2-3 months

Tasks:

• Research local organizations that are working in underserved communities.
• Contact local organizations to discuss potential partnerships with CATH.
• Negotiate agreements with local organizations that outline the terms of the partnership, such as the scope of work, financial support, and duration of the partnership.

Milestone 3: Launch CATH in underserved communities.

• Train local facilitators to run CATH sessions.
• Provide resources to local facilitators, such as training materials, equipment, and stipends.
• Launch CATH sessions in underserved communities.

Timeline: 3-4 months

Tasks:

• Develop a training program for local facilitators.
• Train local facilitators on how to run CATH sessions.
• Provide local facilitators with the resources they need to run CATH sessions, such as training materials, equipment, and stipends.
• Launch CATH sessions in underserved communities.

Expected Timeline: 6 months

[CAPABILITY/ FEASIBILITY] Please describe the deliverables, outputs and intended outcomes of each milestone.

Milestone 1: Invest in translation tools and services

• Deliverables: A list of translation tools and services that have been evaluated, along with a recommendation for the best tool or service to use.
• Outputs: A translation budget and a timeline for implementing the translation tools and services.
• Intended outcomes: The CATH will be more accessible to people who speak different languages.

Milestone 2: Hold CATH awareness and onboarding campaigns

• Deliverables: A plan for holding CATH awareness and onboarding campaigns in remote areas of Africa.
• Outputs: A list of communities that have been reached by the awareness campaigns, along with the number of people who have been onboarded to the CATH.
• Intended outcomes: The CATH will be more representative of the diversity of Africa, including its languages and cultures.

Milestone 3: Invest in marketing activities and promotional activities

• Deliverables: A plan for investing in marketing activities and promotional activities to raise awareness of the CATH.
• Outputs: A list of marketing channels that have been used, along with the number of people who have been reached by the marketing campaigns.
• Intended outcomes: The CATH will be more well-known to African communities and policymakers.

[RESOURCES & VALUE FOR MONEY] Please provide a detailed budget breakdown of the proposed work and resources.

 Launch CATH in underserved communities = (12,000 Ada)

• Training program development
• Training resources
• Launching CATH sessions
• Negotiation and legal support: 

Identify and reach out to African communities that are currently not represented in CATH = (4000 Ada)

• Create a list of African communities that are not currently represented in CATH. 
• Research each community to learn more about their needs and interests. 
• Develop a communication plan to reach out to each community. 
• Send out outreach messages to each community. 
• Follow up with communities that express interest in participating in CATH.

Create localized versions of CATH materials and resources (16,000 Ada)

• Identify the languages that are spoken by the communities that you are targeting. 
• Hire translators to translate CATH materials and resources into the identified languages. 
• Create content that is tailored to the specific needs of each community. 
• Distribute localized materials and resources to the communities.

Organize local CATH events and meetups (20,000)

• Identify locations that are convenient for the communities that you are targeting.
• Schedule events and meetups at regular intervals. 
• Promote events and meetups through online and offline channels. 
• Facilitate events and meetups.

Contingency fund (for unforeseen expenses): (8000 Ada)

Administrative cost = (15,000 Ada)

Total Requested funds in Ada 75,000

[RESOURCES & VALUE FOR MONEY] How does the cost of the project represent value for money for the Cardano ecosystem?

The cost of the project is justified because it will generate significant value for the Cardano ecosystem. The project will help to expand the reach of the CATH, make the CATH more representative of the diversity of Africa, and demonstrate the value of the CATH to African communities and policymakers. These benefits will help to increase the adoption of Cardano in Africa and make the Cardano ecosystem more valuable to everyone involved.

• Increased adoption: By expanding the reach of the CATH, the project will help to increase the adoption of Cardano in Africa. This will lead to more people using Cardano, which will increase the value of the ecosystem.
• Improved reputation: By making the CATH more representative of the diversity of Africa, the project will improve the reputation of Cardano in Africa. This will make Cardano more attractive to African businesses and governments, which will further increase the value of the ecosystem.
• New partnerships: By demonstrating the value of the CATH to African communities and policymakers, the project will help to generate new partnerships for Cardano in Africa. These partnerships will lead to new opportunities for Cardano, which will further increase the value of the ecosystem.

[IMPORTANT NOTE] The Applicant agreed to Fund10 rules and also that data in the Submission Form and other data provided by the project team during the course of the project will be publicly available.