Cardano Middle East & North Africa

[GENERAL] Name and surname of main applicant

[GENERAL] Are you delivering this project as an individual or as an entity (whether formally incorporated or not)

[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] Summarize your solution to the problem (200-character limit including spaces)

To foster widespread education, extensive adoption, and active participation within the MENA region, Youtube content and Interviews can be employed to effectively engage our community with Cardano.

[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] Please provide here more information on the open source status of your project outputs

Project will be fully open source.

[METADATA] SDG rating

Reduce inequalities : within and among countries.

Quality Education : Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.

No Poverty : End poverty in all its forms everywhere.

[SOLUTION] Please describe your proposed solution.

Problem Perception:

The challenge at hand is the low adoption and awareness of Cardano, specifically in the MENA region. Despite the notable usage of blockchain and cryptocurrencies in countries like the UAE, Cardano has not gained the same level of recognition and acceptance as Ethereum and Bitcoin. This lack of awareness prevents individuals from benefiting from Cardano's advanced features and potential, leading to financial losses due to high transaction fees on Ethereum and limited exposure to initiatives like Project Catalyst.

Approach and Reasons:

To tackle this problem, my proposed solution involves creating an active YouTube channel and Twitter page dedicated to MENA/ARABIA news related to Cardano. The goal is to educate, inform, and encourage the adoption of Cardano within the region. I will leverage my expertise in video editing, voice acting, and experience as an official Cardano Ambassador to produce high-quality content and interviews that highlight the potential of Cardano and its relevance to the MENA region.

Engagement:

The project aims to engage English and Arabic speakers in the MENA region who are interested in blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies. By providing informative content, engaging interviews, and localized news updates, I seek to attract and educate a wide range of audience members, including existing cryptocurrency users and those curious about the opportunities offered by Cardano.

Demonstrating Impact:

We will measure the impact of the project through various metrics, including increased awareness and adoption of Cardano in the MENA region. I will track the growth of the YouTube channel and Twitter page, monitor engagement levels such as views, likes, comments, and shares, and gather feedback from the community. Additionally, we will showcase success stories of individuals who have transitioned from Ethereum to Cardano.

Uniqueness and Benefits:

What makes the solution unique is its tailored focus on the MENA region, specifically targeting English and Arabic speakers. The UAE alone has the largest percentage of Cryptocurrency owners based on population in the world!

27.67% of the UAE's population own cryptocurrency, making them the first country with this percentage following Vietnam's 20.54%!

By providing localized news and content, we ensure that individuals in the region can access information about Cardano in their preferred language. The high-quality production value and expertise create a distinctive and engaging experience for viewers. Ultimately, the project benefits both the MENA region and the Cardano Foundation, as it raises awareness, fosters adoption, and expands Cardano's global reach and user base.

[IMPACT] Please define the positive impact your project will have on the wider Cardano community.

In what way will the Project bring value to the Cardano Community:

Cardano has been actively engaging with various regions, including the Middle East and North Africa, to promote its technology and explore potential partnerships and collaborations. It has conducted events, workshops, and educational initiatives to increase awareness and adoption, including Cardano Summit 2023 held in Dubai on the 2nd - 4th of November.

To evaluate the potential impact of this project, we can consider its ability to bring people to the community, strengthen the ecosystem, and solve key problems or issues. Here are a few points to consider:

1. Community Engagement: By providing translated videos in Arabic, the project can attract and engage Arabic-speaking individuals from the ME and NA regions. This can help grow the Cardano community in these areas and foster a sense of inclusivity.
2. Knowledge Dissemination: Educating the ME and NA communities about Cardano through videos, interviews, and meetings can contribute to a better understanding of the platform's capabilities, potential use cases, and benefits. This knowledge dissemination can help individuals make informed decisions regarding Cardano's adoption and usage.
3. Language Accessibility: By offering translated content in Arabic, the project ensures that language barriers are reduced, allowing a wider audience to access and benefit from the information. This inclusivity can lead to increased adoption and participation within the ME and NA regions.
4. Metrics: Tracking metrics such as the number of subscribers, total views, and watch time can provide insights into the reach and engagement of the content. These metrics can be used to assess the project's success and make data-driven decisions for future content strategies.

How will this Impact be measured:

This project has the potential to contribute to the adoption and growth of Cardano in the ME and NA regions by providing translated educational content and engaging the community. However, the actual impact and success of the project would depend on factors such as the quality and relevance of the content, the effectiveness of promotion and distribution, and the level of engagement from the target audience.

How will the outputs and opportunities resulting from the project be shared:

1. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): The project aims to track the total number of people watching the Cardanati YouTube channel. By monitoring this metric, the project can assess its viewership and engagement over time. Comparing the total views in January 2023 with other months can provide insights into the project's growth and impact.
2. Duration and Frequency of Videos: The project plans to publish videos with a duration of 5-15 minutes, ensuring that they are short and concise. This approach aims to cater to the audience's preferences for easily digestible content. Publishing around 4 hours of content in Arabic per month indicates a consistent effort to provide regular updates and educational material.
3. Content Availability and Auditability: The project ensures that all published video materials can be checked through the Cardanati YouTube channel. Additionally, each video will have its respective transcription and translation published on the Cardano Forum website. This availability and transparency allow stakeholders to access and review the content for credibility and accuracy.

[CAPABILITY & FEASIBILITY] 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?

1. Official Cardano Ambassador: The fact that I am an official Cardano Ambassador signifies my involvement and commitment to the Cardano ecosystem. This designation suggests a level of knowledge and dedication to promoting Cardano's goals and principles, also in terms of managing funds properly I used the the Cardano Ambassador Program's remuneration numbers.
2. State-of-the-Art Equipment: Having state-of-the-art equipment. Having access to advanced video editing tools and high-quality recording equipment can contribute to producing professional and engaging content for the project.
3. Video Editing and Voice Acting Experience: Experience in video editing and voice acting ( Arabic and English ) indicates their proficiency in creating and refining video content. These skills are essential for producing engaging and visually appealing videos that effectively convey the project's message to the target audience.
4. Long-Term Involvement in the Cardano Ecosystem: Being involved in the Cardano ecosystem for over 4 years. This demonstrates a deep understanding of Cardano's principles, developments, and community dynamics. My extensive experience within the ecosystem can provide valuable insights and a strong foundation for executing the project effectively.
5. The use of ChatGPT in summarizing the content I post on Cardano Forum, and in assisting me to write this Fund10/11 Proposal.

As per the validation of the goals :

1. Quantitative validation:

• Monitor progress of views on your YouTube channel and track the growth in followers on Twitter. These metrics can provide insights into the reach and engagement of your content.

1. Qualitative validation:

• Evaluate user feedback and engagement to assess improvements in user experience. This could involve analyzing comments, conducting surveys, polls, or soliciting direct feedback from users.
• Assess the success of establishing an Arabic language section on the Cardano forum website by monitoring user engagement and participation in the newly created section.
• Measure people's satisfaction with the content by collecting feedback through surveys or comments.

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

As Mentioned above, aside from the Cardano ambassador Translation work that will be posted exclusively on Cardano Forum and Twitter, in the 3 months ahead,

7 Interviews per month with prominent people in the Cryptocurrencies, Fintech, Blockchain space in MENA region , will be held, and 7 dubbed videos ( Transcribed, Edited, Voice Dubbed, Published ) of highly educational, up to date content from Cardano Foundation, IOG, Emurgo, will be posted in Arabic on Youtube, and Twitter.

Concerning marketing the channel? Which obviously takes time, In this Fund11, I am planning on marketing and publicizing Organically. Twitter is a nice platform where I will start to publish and make new connections from MENA, and Arabic speakers alike. With Cardano I always think Longterm.

The number of promised videos, shall be delivered.

Our MENA community will get to know the world, and vice versa.

Not to mention the educational content that will be posted bringing forth a more Cardano savvy region.

One of the notable accomplishments accomplished prior to securing funding pertains to the inclusion of individuals from the Cardano Foundation, namely Andrew Charalambous, Denicio Bute , and Georg Wellschmied , who have joined our MENA WhatsApp community. Additionally, I have taken the initiative to feature our MENA community channel in the unofficial official channels section in Cardano Forum and incorporate updates in the biweekly Digests.

https://forum.cardano.org/t/cardano-stay-safe-series-official-community-channel-list/20046?fbclid=IwAR1EPo_CL35XHGuAnb0xsZIWhwj8SNIyhDoG4Ei8OwOgTZ_VDZJzklpL2MU

Presently, I have plans underway, albeit temporarily on hold, to display an Arabic Flag on the Cardano Forum in collaboration with Tommy. Furthermore, efforts extend to facilitating the identification of potential sponsors in the affluent city of Dubai, prior to the Summit, through shedding light on individuals who can offer support. Lastly, we diligently share comprehensive summaries and recaps of the CIP1694 Workshops conducted in the MENA region.

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

Myself.

[BUDGET & COSTS] Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources.

The proposed budget breakdown for the project is as follows:

1. Dubbed Videos:

• Average of 7 videos published per month.
• Videos sourced from IOHK, Emurgo, Cardano Foundation, and relevant YouTube channels.
• Budget based on the Ambassador Program from the Cardano Foundation, specifically the Content Creation category.
• Cost per video: $50 worth of ADA (includes transcriptions, dubbing, editing, and publishing) at Tier 3. Plus 50$ for editing.
• Total cost for 7 videos per month: 7 videos * $100 worth of ADA = $700 worth of ADA.

1. Meeting/Interview Videos:

• Additional 7 videos published per month.
• Budget based on the Ambassador Program from the Cardano Foundation, specifically the Moderation/Content Creation category.
• Cost per meeting/interview video: $50 worth of ADA. Plus editing Cost 50$.
• Total cost for 7 videos per month: 7 videos * $100 worth of ADA = $700 worth of ADA.

Thus, the total cost for both categories over a span of 3 months amounts to: $700 worth of ADA per month 3 months = $2,100 worth of ADA for the Dubbed Videos and $700 worth of ADA per month 3 months = $2,100 worth of ADA for the Meeting/Interview Videos, resulting in a combined total of $4,200 worth of ADA for the entire project duration.

Additionally, the duration of the videos is planned to be between 5 to 15 minutes, ensuring concise and focused content. To maintain auditability, all published video materials can be reviewed through the YouTube channel, while each video is accompanied by its respective transcription/translation, which is made available on the Cardano Forum website.

Note that the pricing breakdown for editing/ dubbing will be explained in details below.

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

As a resident in Greece, and knowing that half the content posted will be in Arabic, I can mention :

On average, the rates for voice actors in Greece can range from 50 euros to 150 euros per hour of recording time.

On average, the rates for video editors in Greece can range from 10 euros to 50 euros per hour of editing work.

I'd like to also mention that on hourly basis for Voice acting, in a country like Dubai the wage is between AED 500 which is approximately $136 USD and AED 2,500 which is approximately $680 USD.

And for video editing this ranges in Dubai between AED 100 which is approximately $27 USD to AED 500 which is approximately $136 USD, also on hourly basis.

Not to mention the Qualitative and Quantitative impact of MENA region when it comes to Adoption :

https://medium.com/coinmonks/crypto-adoption-middle-east-north-africa-in-2022-e7a573919ed9

[IMPORTANT NOTE] The Applicant agrees to Fund 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.