Research project in the Wampis indigenous Nation about the uses of Blockchain to Self-governance

[GENERAL] Name and surname of main applicant

Nayap Atilio Santiago Velasquez

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

Individual

[GENERAL] Co-proposers and additional applicants

Juan David Quintero

Chuim Arnaldo Santiago Velasquez

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

5

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

No

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

We are proposing an education and research project in the Wampís Indigenous Nation to explore and learn about blockchain and its possible uses for self-governance of the territory.

[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 dependencies

[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

The entire research process will be shared in the Cardano community media (via Discord or in the Cardano LATAM telegram), as well as the results and conclusions that the study generates, in the hope that it will serve not only the Wampís nation, but any indigenous community that wants to self-govern through blockchain.

[SOLUTION] Please describe your proposed solution

The Wampís nation has more than 22 indigenous communities throughout its territory, with approximately 15,300 inhabitants. They live in the north of Peru, between the Amazon and Loreto regions. They have 1'327,760 hectares, however their sovereignty is daily disputed with a multiplicity of agents (mainly miners): national and transnational companies, governmental and non-governmental. We believe that through blockchain technology, we can find ways to work and defend the territory and finally get the respective, official and truthful land titles.

We intuit that digital government systems, and regenerative financing activities for land protection, could be possible uses of this technology for self-governance of this nation. However, we would first like to conduct research to identify what would be the most appropriate uses for the specific needs of the Wampís nation and their self-governance.

Therefore, the development of the project consists of 5 steps:

1. Introducing blockchain technology to the community (1 month, 1 class per week)

• Blockchain
• Criptomonedas
• Cardano
• Usos

2.Identify how indigenous communities around the world have used blockchain.

• Identify the urgencies and priorities of the Wampis Nation to achieve real sovereignty over their territory.
• Manifesto of the Digital System of the Wampis Nation.

3.Identify the best options according to the situation and context of the Wampis Nation (2 weeks)

• Gather uses and needs

4.Design the projects (2 months)

5.Feedback and reflection (1 month)

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

Climate change: through the millennial indigenous safeguarding of a large part of the Amazon: lungs of the world, in addition to the cultural preservation of an indigenous people and their dynamics to take care of the land.

The Cardano community is growing, with an entire indigenous nation: through Blockchain, the Wampis nation could achieve independence in its financial dynamics, managing its government digitally, without intermediaries and third parties. Organize itself internally with identity systems to consolidate itself as a nation.

Possible replication of the model in other indigenous nations and communities: If the research is successful, the opportunity for more communities and indigenous nations under construction to use blockchain for self-governance increases.

[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?

1st MILESTONE:

4 Theory tests given to representatives of the Wampis Nation after each class.

2nd MILESTONE:

Select a set of use cases from indigenous communities to be tested in the field.

Wampis Nation Digital Manifesto

3rd MILESTONE:

3 final use case proposals that have the potential to work for the Wampis Nation.

4th MILESTONE:

Design the 3 cases on paper for the community.

Do 3 experiments

5th MILESTONE:

Get feedback and consideration on which one would work better in the Nation to design in the near future, probably Fund 13.

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

Understand the concept of Blockchain and know how to use it.

Introduce blockchain technology to the community (1 per week). 

a. Online class and subsequent exam.

b. Online class, followed by exam

C. Classroom training (face to face) followed by exam (

d. Classroom lecture (face to face) followed by exam

Explore Possible Uses:

• Identify how indigenous communities around the world have used blockchain.

• Identify the urgencies and priorities of the Wampis Nation to achieve true sovereignty over their territor

• Identify the ideal uses of the Cardano Blockchain for the specific context and current situation of the Wampis Nation.

• Identify the best opportunities according to the situation and context of the Wampis Nation. 

Design of 3 blockchain projects in the community.

Feedback and reflection

To identify at least one relevant use case of the blockchain that is determinant for the self-government of the nation of Wampís.

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

Leader: Nayap Atilio Santiago Velasquez

Background and skills

• Member of the indigenous community of the Peruvian Amazon with DNI 47393403, coordinator of the Wampis youth initiative "MI BOSQUE PRODUCE".
• Law student at the Intercultural University ....

Responsibilities:

• Responsible for managing the project in the area.

Co-leaders: Chuim Arnaldo Santiago Velasquez

Background and Capacities

• Professional engineer
• Member of the indigenous community of the Peruvian Amazon with DNI 47393403, President of "mi bosque produces".

Responsibilities:

• Responsible for the management of the project in the territory.
• Representative of the Wampis Nation: Mr. Shapiom Noningo Sesen

 Background and Capacities

• Technical Director of the Autonomous Territorial Government of the Wampis Nation.

Project Manager: Juan David Quintero

Background and Capacities:

•  Professional in industrial design with a focus on material culture and co-creative work with communities.
•  Studied history from 2018-2021.
• Writing and teaching skills. Exercised for 1 year at the Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana (2020).
• Curricular creation, exercised for 1 year at the Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana.(2020).

Responsibilities:

• Responsible for following the entire project process and ensuring that each phase of the same is satisfactorily completed within the time frame.

Technical Support: Benjamin Tairea

Background and Capacities

• Proven experience as the Product Owner with Ahau since 2017.
• Strong familiarity with AtalaPrism and Cardano as the core contributor to the ssb-atalaprism module.
•  Strong understanding of decentralized identity concepts, verifiable credentials, and related technologies, serving as chair of Digital Identity NZ 2019-23 andMember of the Identity Product Advisory Group for New Zealand Government (current).
• Clear understanding of user base and product vision as Earth Defenders Toolkit Community Steward since 2022.

Responsibilities

• Deliver training on blockchain in the territory, accompany the processes of choice and implementation of the uses of the technology.
•  Evaluate the success of the implementation of the technology.

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

Milestone 1 (20%)

Milestone 2 (5%):

Milestone 3 (5%)

Milestone 4(60%)

Milestone 5 (10%)

Flights: $7600

Food and accomodation for 3 weeks: $9360

Work hours in total for everyone (hour to $45): 156h = $7020

Workshops, materials and equiment: 3800

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

When an entire nation uses the CARDANO blockchain for all of its self-government management, it means a significant circulation of capital. 65,000 ADA is not much compared to the impact that the implementation of projects built in light of this research could have on the Cardano ecosystem. In addition, if the research is funded, the resulting projects will also be built around the possibilities of this ecosystem, fostering the commitment of the Wampis nation to the Cardano ecosystem over time, not to mention the possible influence on other indigenous communities in South America that are also seeking sovereignty and independence as a nation.