Code-Train: Women in Web 3, focusing on women in deprived communities

[GENERAL] Name and surname of main applicant

Gateway to digital technology

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

Entity (Incorporated)

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

3

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

Yes

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

Organize a seminar, featuring Cardano workshop, mentorship, and networking, to empower Ghanaian women startups businesses in deprived communities.

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

No

[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

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

Yes

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

N/A

[SOLUTION] Please describe your proposed solution.

The advent of Web 3.0 has ushered in a new era of opportunities for women entrepreneurs, empowering them with the tools and technologies to build innovative and transformative businesses. However, many women lack the knowledge and resources to fully participate in this rapidly evolving space. To address this gap, our team will partner with Gateway to Digital Technology, a non-governmental organization, to present a women empowerment seminar dubbed – Woman¬-Code Summit. The focus is to highlight the potential and opportunities available to women and women startup businesses, with the end-goal of driving women empowerment in the blockchain space and also foster women participation in entrepreneurs. The blockchain industry is a rapidly growing sector with the potential to revolutionize many industries and create new opportunities for entrepreneurs, particularly women. Africa, with its large population and youthful workforce, is well-positioned to benefit from the adoption of blockchain technology.

However, awareness of blockchain technology in Africa is still relatively low. This is particularly true of the cardano blockchain network, which is a new and an innovative platform with the potential to address many of the challenges facing the African continent. The Woman¬-Code Summit is expected to have a significant impact on women and women entrepreneurs in Ghana, providing them with the knowledge, skills, and connections they need to succeed in the Web 3.0 space. The summit will also help to raise awareness of Web 3.0 and the cardano among Ghanaian women, fostering innovation and entrepreneurship in the country.

The project will target women and women entrepreneurs in various industries, including fintech, agriculture, healthcare, and education. The goal is to equip women entrepreneurs with the necessary skills and knowledge in Web 3, required to develop and launch innovative blockchain-based solutions to the challenges facing Africa.

Project Overview

The Woman–Code summit will be a two-fold event, both in-person and online, designed to educate, empower, and connect women entrepreneurs with the Cardano and Web 3.0 ecosystem. The event will take place at the in Accra-Ghana, and will target 100 female student and student startup businesses. With partnership with Gateway to Digital Technology, we hope to host a series of workshops and training sessions quarterly on blockchain fundamentals, Cardano development, and building and deploying Web 3 into their operations.

OBJECTIVE

The main objectives of the Woman¬-Code Summit are to:

•   Increase awareness of Web 3.0 technology and Cradno network among women and women startup businesses in Ghana.

•   Provide women entrepreneurs with the skills and knowledge they need to develop and launch their own Web 3.0 businesses.

•   Connect women entrepreneurs with mentors and resources in the cardano ecosystem.

ACTIVITIES

The Woman¬-Code summit will feature a series of activities, including:

•   Keynote presentations from experts in Web 3.0 and the Cardno ecosystem.

•   Workshops on blockchain development, dApp development, and the Internet Computer.

•   Mentorship sessions with experienced women entrepreneurs in Web 3.0.

•   Networking opportunities with other women entrepreneurs and investors.

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

BENEFITS/IMPACTS TO THE CARDANO ECOSYSTEM

The project's objectives align well with the Cardano ecosystem and bring several benefits to its development and expansion. Here's an expanded development of each objective and how it positively impacts the Cardano ecosystem:

 Awareness and Onboarding

Increasing awareness about Web 3.0 technology and the benefits of the Cardano blockchain ecosystem is crucial for its growth and adoption. By creating awareness among young student entrepreneurs and businesses in Ghana, the project helps educate a key demographic about the potential of decentralized technologies and the opportunities available within the Cardano ecosystem. This increased awareness can lead to a greater understanding of the value proposition of Cardano, attracting more users and developers to the platform. Onboarding a large number of students into the ecosystem also contributes to a diverse and vibrant community that can drive innovation and contribute to the growth of Cardano.

Drive Adoption and Mentorship

Facilitating adoption and integration of the Cardano Web 3.0 infrastructure through mentorship programs is an effective strategy to drive usage and expansion. By providing mentorship to individuals and entrepreneurs in Ghana, the project empowers them to explore and leverage the capabilities of Cardano for their own ventures. This mentorship can include technical guidance, best practices, and knowledge sharing on building decentralized applications (dApps) on Cardano. By fostering adoption among entrepreneurs, the project contributes to the overall growth of the Cardano ecosystem, expanding its user base and encouraging the development of innovative solutions on the platform. Furthermore, by specifically highlighting Project Catalyst, the initiative encourages student entrepreneurs to actively participate in the democratic governance of Cardano and contribute their ideas for improving the ecosystem.

 Expand the Cardano Community in Africa

Fostering the onboarding of young student entrepreneurs into the Cardano ecosystem in Africa has significant long-term benefits for both the region and Cardano itself. By actively engaging with the student community in Ghana, the project aims to expand the Cardano community in Africa, tapping into a pool of talent, creativity, and entrepreneurial spirit. This expansion helps create a more diverse and inclusive ecosystem, with different perspectives and expertise contributing to the development and growth of Cardano. Additionally, as the Cardano community expands in Africa, it opens up opportunities for collaboration, partnerships, and localized solutions tailored to the needs of the continent. The increased presence and participation in Africa also align with Cardano's mission of promoting financial inclusion, economic empowerment, and sustainable development in emerging markets.

The success of the project can be measured using various key performance indicators (KPIs) that align with the objectives and goals. Here are some potential metrics to assess the project's success:

Awareness and Onboarding:

Number of participants: Measure the number of students, entrepreneurs, and businesses that attended the awareness events or onboarding sessions.

Feedback and engagement: Collect feedback from participants to gauge their understanding of Web 3.0 technology and the benefits of the Cardano ecosystem.

Social media reach: Track the project's online presence and engagement on social media platforms, such as the number of followers, likes, comments, and shares.

Adoption and Mentorship:

Number of projects developed: Measure the number of projects or decentralized applications (dApps) created by participants after receiving mentorship and guidance.

Integration with Cardano: Assess the level of integration of these projects with the Cardano Web 3.0 infrastructure.

User activity: Monitor the number of active users and transactions on the projects or dApps built by participants.

Testimonials and success stories: Gather testimonials and success stories from participants who have successfully adopted and integrated Cardano into their ventures.

 Cardano Community Expansion in Africa:

Number of new community members: Track the growth in the number of individuals joining the Cardano community from Ghana and other African countries.

Community engagement: Measure the level of engagement and participation of community members from Africa in Cardano's online forums, social media groups, and governance processes.

Local initiatives: Assess the number of local initiatives, meetups, or projects initiated by the community in Africa that contribute to the growth and development of Cardano.

Given these specific metrics it's important to establish specific targets or benchmarks for each KPI and track progress over time. By evaluating and analyzing the data collected will provide insights into the project's impact and help identify the success of the program and areas for improvement. Additionally, qualitative feedback and testimonials from participants can provide valuable anecdotal evidence of the project's success in achieving its objectives. The end goal here is that, after a successful implementation of this project, we seek to achieve the following milestone targets after the event;

To secure minimum of 75 student for the event.

Provide training, guidance and mentorship to a minimum of three (3) student startups on how to access funding for their projects from the catalyst community.  

Collect feedback from at least 50 students to evaluate the impact of the event on their knowledge, skills, and motivation.

Establish an online community or forum for at least 50 students to connect with peers and industry professionals after the event (via social media platform)

[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?

Output of the results from the project.

The feasibility of our approach depends on two legs:

Partnership and

community accountability.

PARTNERSHIP : Our team will establish a Partnership with Gateway to digital technology. Gateway to digital technology, is a Non governmental organization which focuses on providing education and mentorship on digital technology to deprived groups. With these partners onboard, we'll leverage on their vast experience and expertise to advance the cardano dream in Africa.

COMMUNITY ACCOUNTABILITY

Our team have been active in the catalyst ecosystem since fund 7. Our has been active proposers, community reviewers and voters, with one assisting as a challenge team member in fund 10 in the development and infrasture challenge. Our team can boast of three community funded, executed and completed projects. From these credentials, it’s worth noting that our contribution to the ecosystem has been immerse especially in spearheading the community goal of catalyst. Therefore these confirms our capacity and credibility to deliver on this project with accountability.

Apart from our active involvement in the catalyst space, our team brings not only extensive experience but also a profound level of engagement in the Cardano Catalyst space, specifically in terms of project implementation. We have led several initiatives that received funding from the Catalyst community. Through our active involvement in the Catalyst community, we have successfully executed three major projects, all of which are open source and available for community verification. By making these projects transparent, the community can verify our capacity to deliver on the current project. For reference, below are links to our projects:

https://cardano.ideascale.com/c/idea/62263

https://cardano.ideascale.com/c/idea/64358

https://cardano.ideascale.com/c/idea/64441

Again, our milestones provide specific quantity-based targets to measure the impact of the event on students and ensure that a significant number of students are reached, educated, and empowered through the Web 3.0 summit. In ensuring our team’s accountability and transparency to the cardano ecosystem, all the needed documentation from start to finish of the event will be presented to the community including video recordings where necessary. These documentations will be presented, in addition to our monthly report to the catalyst community. The documents will be posted on all catalyst affiliate social media platforms.

finally, In accordance with the project completion procedures for Project Catalyst, we always submit a report for community verification, allowing the community to validate the outcomes of our projects. We are dedicated to scaling up the advancement of the Catalyst goal, and our commitment to credibility has consistently been paramount throughout our past project completions. Our ultimate aim is to create a meaningful impact within the Catalyst space.

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

• Selection and reservation of a suitable event space

Milestone Outcome

• Confirmed the reservation of event venue.

Criteria for Acceptance

• Evidence of confirmed venue

Milestone 2:

• To register participants
• To create banner

• To document event activities (Pictures/images of event).

Milestones Outcomes

• To get participants registered with the exact number of participants
• Obtain flyers for publicity
• Document events Execution (Pictures/images of event)

Milestones Acceptance Criteria

• Document of participants with at least 20 people

• Images flyers

• pictures/images of event execution

Final Milestone:

• Provide a close out report
• Provide a close out report video

Milestones outcomes

• Provide a close out report
• Provide a close out report video

Milestone acceptance Criteria

• To provide close out report
• To provide close out video

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

Team members and Roles for the project

Our team members have varied level of experience across various field which is well-cut out for the project. Based on the expertise the team presents, we’re convinced that our team have the capacity to implement the project. However, there will be a few areas where we’ll outsource the services of expertise via collaboration. Below are our team members with their accompanying roles:

IDEA FACTOR UPSA – Partners

Gateway to digital technology –Partner

Kingsley Mensah- Developer

David Mensah – organizing Officer

Innocent Norvinu - Project Manager

Asare Emmanuel - Student

Background of team members

PARTNERSHIP

IDEA FACTOR UNIVERSITY OF PROOFESSIONAL STUDIES

IDEA FACTOR UPSA (IFU) is a dynamic campus-based organization dedicated to nurturing and empowering students and young individuals in the fields of Leadership, Entrepreneurship, and Governance. With a passion for cultivating the potential within each student, IFU provides a supportive platform for personal and professional development, equipping young people with the skills and knowledge necessary to excel in their chosen paths. Driven by the belief that the future belongs to those who actively engage in shaping it, IFU fosters a vibrant community that encourages active participation and innovative thinking. Through various programs, workshops, and mentorship initiatives, IFU strives to instill a strong entrepreneurial mindset, promoting creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills among its members.

Kingsley Mensah 

Kingsley Mensah is a blockchain enthusiast and his contributions to the field have been widely recognized. Kingsley is also the C.E.O of Kingscel and the Cofounder & CEO of Speso. In 2019, he was honored with the prestigious Star of Innovation Award by Hubei University of Technology in China for his groundbreaking work. The following year, he received the Young Achievers Award at the Pride of Africa Awards in Asia, presented by the Appreciate Africa Network, highlighting his remarkable accomplishments. He has also acquired a Master's degree in Computer Science & Technology. Kingsley combines his technical expertise with a passion for ideas that promote a free society, making him a prominent figure in the blockchain community.

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

David Mensah

David Mensah is a highly motivated professional with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Social Studies and Economics Education from the university of Education, Winneba. He has worked as a social studies teacher, research assistant, enumerator, and cocoa purchasing clerk at PBC Ltd. This diverse experience, along with the extensive knowledge of blockchain technology have shaped the foundation of my professional framework and allowed me to approach blockchain advocacy from a holistic perspective. Additionally, I am a member of WADA, an NGO spearheading innovative digital technology and blockchain advocacy in Africa. He is currently the Co-founder of Gateway to Blockchain, an online incentivized learning platform for blockchain technology. My passion lies in advocating for blockchain technology and its potential impact on various industries. My strong background in education and social services has provided me with the necessary skills to effectively communicate and educate others about the benefits of blockchain.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-a-mensah-42684822

Innocent Norvinu 

A marketing expect with over 4 years of experience as a marketing and communication director at Young Africans for Opportunities (YAFO), a nonprofit organization. is a cryptocurrency enthusiast with a degree in Banking and Finance from the University of Professional Studies in Ghana. He is the Cofounder of gateway to blockchain. A former marketing specialist at Tech markets solutions. 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 micro-finance institutions survive various financial clean-up exercise in Ghana. He is a fund 7, 8 and 9 community Advisor, a voter and a proponent with two community funded and executed project. He also a fund 10 challenge team member.

Email: jessejunior6448@gmail.com

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

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

• - Venue rental: 1000
• - Audiovisual equipment setup: 400

Speaker Expenses (Two speakers):

• - Travel expenses for speakers: 500
• - Accommodation for speakers: 500
• - Incentives for Speakers: 2000

Event Promotion:

• - Printing of flyers and posters: 500

Catering and Refreshments:

• - Snacks and beverages 50(ADA)*75: 3750
• Event Materials and Supplies:
• - T shirts printing for participants – 50(ADA)*75– 3750
• - Stationery and printing materials: 225

Incentives for Team and participants

• - Organization –475
• - incentive for participants – 25(ADA)*75– 1875
• Miscellaneous:
• - Unexpected expenses contingency: 1000

Total Event Subtotal: 15970 ADA.

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

COST OF THE PROJECT

Ensuring cost-effectiveness and maximizing value for the Cardano ecosystem is at the forefront of our project proposal. With meticulous consideration of prevailing market prices, our budget breakdown reflects an accurate representation of the resources required. We understand the inherent volatility of ADA prices and have factored in this fluctuation when devising our budget, guaranteeing its adaptability to changes in the price levels of ADA. By incorporating strategies that are mindful of cryptocurrency market dynamics, we have pegged our allocated budget amount to a price between 0.15 and 0.2. Therefore, we believe the budget remains resilient and capable of supporting the successful implementation of our project, regardless of any variations in the price levels of the Cardano coin. 

Beyond financial considerations, our project offers substantial value to the Cardano ecosystem. By harnessing the transformative potential of blockchain technology and the Cardano platform, our project aims to deliver sustainable and long-lasting benefits, creating a positive ripple effect for the Cardano community and its stakeholders. We are confident that the value generated by our project surpasses the allocated budget, representing a compelling proposition for the Cardano ecosystem."

INHERENT VALUE ADDITION TO THE CARDANO ECOSYSTEM

Overall, the cost of the project represents value for money by promoting education, awareness, and active participation in the Cardano ecosystem. It aims to create a knowledgeable and engaged community that can contribute to the ecosystem's growth and long-term success. The cost of the project represents value for money for the Cardano ecosystem in the following ways:

The cost of the project allocated in the proposal represents value for money for the Cardano ecosystem in the following ways:

- It will increase awareness of Cardano blockchain technology among students and student entrepreneurs in Ghana. 

This is a key goal of the project, and it is essential for the long-term growth of the Cardano ecosystem. By educating students about Cardano, the project will help to create a new generation of Cardano users and developers.

- It will help to onboard student entrepreneurs into the Cardano community. 

The project will provide students with the knowledge and resources they need to start and grow their businesses on Cardano. This will help to create a more vibrant and sustainable Cardano ecosystem.

- It will foster collaboration between students and Cardano experts. 

The project will bring together students and Cardano experts to share knowledge and ideas. This will help to accelerate the development of new Cardano applications and services.

- It will help to attract new users to the Cardano catalyst space

By educating students about Cardano, the project will help to create a new generation of Cardano users. This will help to increase the size and activity of the Cardano community.

[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.

I Accept