Empowering African Young Footballers through Decentralised Career Pathways on the Cardano Blockchain

[GENERAL] Name and surname of main applicant

Awura Asamoa

[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

Kwesi Yeboah

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

8

[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)

Develop decentralised educational platforms with blockchain-based certifications, providing footballers with training, and networking tools. These could significantly improve their career prospects.

[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

Since the project will be open source, all educational materials, training session content, and community-building resources will be available under License. A licence allows for free use, modification, and distribution, ensuring that other communities and educators can adapt and utilise our resources. However, In some cases for business, legal or privacy reasons some information will not be available.

[METADATA] Horizons

Education

[SOLUTION] Please describe your proposed solution

Perception of the Problem:

In Africa, young footballers face significant challenges in exploring and maximizing their career potential. Talent abounds, but systemic barriers such as limited access to global scouting networks, lack of transparency in talent representation, and financial barriers often stand in the way of their growth. Many are isolated from international markets, trapped in inefficient systems that do not offer fair opportunities for progression, training, or even financial rewards for their efforts. Unscrupulous intermediaries sometimes take advantage of these players, exploiting their lack of resources and industry knowledge.

By introducing decentralized technology, we believe these young athletes can take control of their career development, gain global exposure, and benefit from a transparent and accountable system that works in their favor.

Approach and Rationale:

Our solution is to leverage the Cardano blockchain to create a decentralized ecosystem specifically tailored to African young footballers. This platform will enable athletes to build their professional profiles, showcase their talent through verifiable data, and connect directly with clubs, agents, and sponsors. Here’s why Cardano makes sense:

• Transparency & Accountability Smart contracts will guarantee transparent interactions between athletes, agents, clubs, and sponsors, minimizing exploitation and ensuring fair contracts.
• Decentralised Talent Showcasing by allowing players to upload performance metrics and videos onto a decentralized platform, their records will be secure, immutable, and accessible to scouts, clubs, and agents globally.
• Direct Financial Support: The Cardano blockchain will enable decentralized funding mechanisms, where players can seek sponsorships or investments directly from fans, sponsors, and organizations through tokenized agreements, bypassing traditional financial barriers.
• Global Reach: The decentralized nature of blockchain will enable athletes, regardless of location, to engage with international stakeholders without being constrained by local infrastructure or biassed gatekeepers.
• Empowerment through Ownership: Players will have ownership of their data, performance records, and even career decisions, as they’ll no longer be at the mercy of intermediaries or opaque systems.

Project Engagement:

The project will actively engage:

• Young Footballers: Primarily targeting players from underserved communities who lack access to professional scouting networks.
• Clubs and Agents: Offering them a decentralized and transparent way to scout and engage with emerging talent.
• Sponsors and Fans: Providing decentralized ways to financially support players via direct sponsorships or micro-investments.
• Football Associations: Encouraging collaboration to ensure fair practices and build a pipeline of recognized talent.
• Football Academies and Mentors: Offering decentralized training programs to enhance skills and professional development.

Demonstrating Impact:

We will demonstrate the impact of our project by:

• Tracking Player Success Stories: The number of players successfully discovering opportunities through the platform, signing professional contracts, or securing sponsorships.
• Measuring Participation: The number of athletes, clubs, sponsors, and scouts using the platform will indicate its growing adoption.
• Verification through Blockchain: All engagements—whether contractual agreements or performance data uploads—will be verifiable on the Cardano blockchain, ensuring full transparency.
• Educational Outcomes: We will also track how many players complete decentralized training programs to improve their skills and marketability.
• Feedback from Stakeholders: Collecting continuous feedback from players, agents, and clubs to improve platform features and functionality.

Uniqueness and Benefits to Cardano:

This solution is unique because it directly addresses the challenges young African footballers face in a decentralised way, removing the need for intermediaries and creating a fair, open, and transparent ecosystem. This project has multiple benefits:

• Real-World Use Case: It showcases Cardano as a technology that can solve real-world problems, giving it further adoption and credibility, especially in sports and emerging markets.
• Increased Ecosystem Participation: Football is a global sport with immense fan bases and financial opportunities. Engaging with young footballers and fans creates an entry point for millions to be introduced to the Cardano ecosystem.
• Social Impact: Cardano prides itself on supporting solutions with social impact. By enabling underprivileged athletes to access global opportunities and take control of their careers, the project aligns with Cardano’s mission to foster inclusivity and empowerment.

Why This Is Important to Cardano:

Football, as a unifying force in Africa, has immense potential to bring diverse communities together. By providing opportunities to young footballers, this project can significantly uplift individuals and communities creating a transformative impact for African youth while promoting Cardano’s core values of decentralization, transparency, and empowerment. Cardano’s involvement in such a high-visibility, high-impact industry can also open new pathways for blockchain use cases, proving its potential in transforming global industries and personal livelihoods alike.

This project will position Cardano as the driving force behind their growth and success.

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

• Increased Adoption of Cardano Technology: By creating a decentralized platform that addresses a real-world issue, we will drive the adoption of Cardano within a previously untapped market—the sports industry. Young footballers, agents, clubs, sponsors, and fans will engage with the Cardano blockchain as they participate in career management, financial transactions, and talent showcasing, bringing more active users into the Cardano ecosystem.
• Promotion of Cardano’s Core Values: This project will highlight Cardano's strengths in transparency, security, decentralization, and community empowerment. By solving real-world problems with blockchain technology, we will showcase how Cardano can foster fairness, inclusivity, and financial empowerment, aligning with its mission to drive positive social impact globally.
• Social Good and Brand Value: As Cardano becomes the driving force behind creating life-changing opportunities for underprivileged African footballers, it will enhance its reputation as a socially responsible blockchain platform. This will attract more projects and partnerships focused on using blockchain for social impact, growing Cardano’s footprint in global development.
• New Use Cases for Cardano: By leveraging Cardano for smart contracts, talent management, and decentralized financing, we will demonstrate Cardano’s capability in diverse sectors beyond financial markets. The success of this project will encourage other developers and industries to build solutions on Cardano, driving innovation and diversity within the ecosystem.
• Building a Global Community: As football has a massive global fan base, connecting young African footballers with the world of blockchain will open opportunities to engage millions of sports enthusiasts with Cardano. This exposure will grow Cardano’s community worldwide, creating strong synergies between sports and blockchain technology.

Measuring Impact - To ensure the project’s success and value to the Cardano community, we will implement both quantitative and qualitative metrics for evaluating our progress.

Quantitative Metrics:

• Number of Users: Track the number of young footballers, scouts, clubs, sponsors, and agents actively using the platform.
• Career Progression: Measure the number of athletes who secure professional opportunities, contracts, or sponsorships through the platform.
• Funding Raised: Monitor the total value of decentralized funding and sponsorships secured via Cardano’s smart contracts.
• Engagement Growth**: Track the number of transactions, smart contracts executed, and user activity on the platform to measure ecosystem growth.
• Educational Participation**: Count the number of footballers who complete training programs, mentorship, or educational certifications on the platform.

Qualitative Metrics:

• Player Testimonials: Collect feedback from footballers on how the platform has empowered them, improved their career prospects, and given them access to new opportunities.
• Stakeholder Feedback: Gather input from scouts, agents, and clubs on the effectiveness of the platform in identifying and engaging talent.
• Community Sentiment: Monitor discussions and feedback from the wider Cardano community on social media, forums, and during events regarding the project’s contribution to Cardano’s mission and ecosystem.
• Success Stories: Document individual success stories, where players from underprivileged backgrounds have significantly improved their careers due to the platform, sharing these with the Cardano community to build a compelling narrative.

Sharing Outputs and Opportunities - We plan to share the results and outcomes of the project with the Cardano community and the broader blockchain and sports industries through several channels:

• Regular updates will be shared via Cardano forums to keep the community informed of progress and key milestones.
• Presentations at Blockchain Events: We will present the project at major blockchain and Cardano-related conferences, showcasing our impact and encouraging other developers to explore sports-related projects.
• Open Source Components: Key elements of the project, such as smart contract templates and decentralized funding mechanisms, will be made open-source to allow other developers and communities to build upon our work and adapt the model to other sectors.
• Documentation and Reporting: Create detailed reports and case studies on the impact of our project and how blockchain technology (Cardano specifically) was instrumental in achieving these outcomes. These will be published and distributed within the Cardano ecosystem and the sports industry.
• Athlete and Stakeholder Networks: As we build an active network of players, agents, and sponsors, we will encourage them to share their success stories and platform experiences with their communities, increasing visibility and trust in the project and Cardano.

By driving engagement, increasing adoption, and proving the utility of blockchain in sports, this project will create a lasting and positive impact on both the Cardano community and the world of sports, showcasing blockchain’s potential to transform lives.

[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?

Our team’s capability to deliver this project is rooted in both our experience with decentralised technologies and our commitment to community-driven initiatives. This experience in the Cardano ecosystem, particularly through the participation of previous projects aimed at promoting blockchain for transparency and accountability within professional bodies, equips us with the technical knowledge necessary to implement decentralised solutions in the sports domain

Approach Validation and Feasibility - plan to validate the feasibility of our approach through a phased implementation and continuous community engagement:

• Pilot Phase: We will start by engaging local football academies to test our decentralized platform for career exploration. This will include small-scale pilots to gather data and refine the platform according to feedback from both players and coaches. 
• Stakeholder Involvement: Throughout the project, we will involve stakeholders such as youth footballers, coaches, and sports agents, to ensure that the platform meets their specific needs. Continuous feedback will be gathered through workshops and focus group discussions.
• Partnerships and Mentorship: Partnering with industry experts in both blockchain technology and sports management will provide us with critical insights and mentorship, ensuring that our approach remains feasible and adaptable.

Existing Capabilities and Suitability

• Technical Expertise in Blockchain: Having already initiated blockchain projects within professional communities, we have the necessary expertise to integrate decentralized technologies like Cardano into sports career development in a way that fosters transparency.
• Community-Driven Mindset: Our work with underprivileged communities and young individuals, such as the upcoming educational initiative targeting orphans, proves our commitment to fostering growth in marginalised groups, making us well-suited to support young African footballers.

Processes to Manage Funds Properly - To ensure transparency and accountability in fund management, we will adhere to the following processes:

• Budget Transparency: A detailed budget will be shared with stakeholders and kept up-to-date throughout the project. All financial transactions, including expenditures and funding allocations, will be documented and made publicly available.
• Regular Financial Reporting: Monthly financial reports will be submitted to project backers and relevant stakeholders, detailing how funds are being utilized and any adjustments that may need to be made based on project needs.
• External Auditing: We will engage an independent auditor to review our financial management practices and verify that funds are being used appropriately.

This structured approach ensures transparency and builds trust with funders and stakeholders while demonstrating the team’s readiness and capability to deliver the project successfully.

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

Milestone 1: Platform Design and Initial Development

A: Milestone Outputs: 2 months

• Completion of the platform’s initial design 
• Development of core smart contracts for talent management and financial agreements.
• Creation of a user onboarding system for footballers, agents, and clubs.

B: Acceptance Criteria:

• Finalised wireframes and user journeys that outline key platform features.
• A functional smart contract for player-agent agreements and direct funding that can be demonstrated on a test network.
• Onboarding functionality that allows footballers and other stakeholders to create accounts and upload performance data.

C: Evidence of Milestone Completion:

• Screenshots of the design.
• A demo video showcasing the initial platform on a test network with core functionalities.
• Documentation of smart contract code and its deployment on a test network.

Milestone 2: Platform Testing and Feedback (Beta Version)

A: Milestone Outputs: 1month

• Beta launch of the platform for a select group of footballers, agents, and clubs to test.
• Incorporation of blockchain-based identity verification for users and contract signing.
• Collection of user feedback on platform usability, features, and smart contract interactions.

B: Acceptance Criteria:

• Successful onboarding of at least 50 footballers and 5 agents/clubs for testing the platform.
• Completion of test contracts and at least 5 tokenized sponsorship or funding events.
• Documented feedback from users and stakeholders on functionality, user experience, and suggested improvements.

C: Evidence of Milestone Completion:

• A report summarizing the feedback from beta testers.
• Screenshots and logs of test contracts executed on the blockchain.
• User activity analytics showcasing engagement with key features.

Milestone 3: Platform Launch and Marketing

A: Milestone Outputs: 1 month

• Full-scale launch of the platform for the public, including young footballers, agents, clubs, and sponsors.
• A marketing campaign targeting key regions in Africa to raise awareness and drive platform usage.
• Establishment of partnerships with at least 3 local football academies or organizations to onboard players and mentors.

B: Acceptance Criteria:

• Platform is live, and users are able to sign up, create profiles, and use smart contracts.
• Partnerships established with at least 5 football-related organizations.
• Execution of a digital marketing campaign with measurable engagement metrics (e.g., number of sign-ups, social media reach).

C: Evidence of Milestone Completion:

• Screenshots and reports from the platform's analytics dashboard showing user registrations, contract executions, and engagement.
• Partnership agreements or documentation with football academies/organizations.
• Campaign performance metrics including impressions, sign-ups, and social media engagement.

Milestone 4: Expansion and Scalability

A: Milestone Outputs: 1 month

• Expansion of the platform’s reach to other African countries, focusing on scaling user adoption and increasing club participation.
• Additional features such as talent marketplace integration, decentralized finance (DeFi) modules for micro-investments in players, and expanded sponsorship opportunities.

B: Acceptance Criteria:

• Increase platform registrations from initial launch numbers.
• Implementation of DeFi-based sponsorship or investment mechanisms for athletes.
• Active participation of at least 5 football clubs and/or agents across multiple African countries.

C: Evidence of Milestone Completion:

• User growth and platform activity reports demonstrating the increased number of users, clubs, and transactions.
• Demonstrations of new features, including DeFi sponsorship opportunities.

Milestone 5: Educational and Mentorship Integration

A: Milestone Outputs: 2 months

• Integration of decentralized educational modules focused on career development, financial literacy, and personal branding for young footballers.
• Creation of a mentorship program that allows successful athletes and industry professionals to connect with young players.

B: Acceptance Criteria:

• Launch of educational content and certification programs on the platform
• Onboarding of at least 5 mentors to provide guidance to footballers on the platform.

C: Evidence of Milestone Completion:

• Participation data showing how many users have completed educational modules.
• Testimonials and case studies from mentors and mentees on their platform experience.

Final Milestone: Project Close-Out Report and Video

A: Milestone Outputs: 1 month

• Completion of a final project report, detailing the achievements, challenges, lessons learned, and overall impact of the project.
• Production of a video summarizing the project journey, showcasing key successes, and sharing the impact on African footballers and the Cardano community.

B: Acceptance Criteria:

• Submission of a comprehensive project report with metrics and analysis on user adoption, contract executions, partnerships, and community engagement.
• A professionally produced video summarizing the project’s outcomes and key milestones, shared with the Cardano community and stakeholders.

C: Evidence of Milestone Completion:

• Completed project close-out report submitted to Project Catalyst.
• Video uploaded to relevant platforms with links provided.
• Testimonials from stakeholders and end-users included in both the report and video.

These milestones provide a structured path for the project, ensuring key phases like platform development, testing, launch, and scalability are well-documented and achievable. They also include mechanisms for measuring progress and demonstrating the project's success to both the Cardano community and other stakeholders.

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

• Awura Asamoa is the lead proposer and main speaker for the workshop on Cardano ecosystem and Project Catalyst opportunities. Speaker on blockchain technology. Active member of Cardano Ecosystem and hence has extensive knowledge about catalyst and its opportunities. She works as a claims and billing officer in a hospital, which fueled her desire to educate young football players about Cardano and how it may assist better their lives and career paths. She actively participates in Town Hall meetings on a regular basis. Contact: awuraadwoa402@gmail.com, and twitter @awura_asamoa
• Kwaku Owusu is a football scout in Ghana. He has assisted in recruiting over 40 players in various football institutions in the country. He is also a blockchain enthusiast and is very knowledgeable and vested in the things of the Cardano community. He has assisted some cardano hubs in Ghana, in the delivery of some of their onboarding projects and has some level of experience in the Cardano community. With this experience, he will help in facilitating the education of these young footballers in the field. He will again help with event organization and logistics support. He will also be in charge of educating the participants about crypto wallets and opening of wallets, particularly the Yoroi wallet.
• Kwesi Yeboah is an experienced and talented footballer of the Charity Football club. His interest in Cardano played a great deal in the putting in of this proposal and he is charismatic in bringing his team onboard. With the little he has learned; he seeks to bring more people like him on board to know more about the Cardano communities and the opportunities it brings. Contact him on telegram @Danny123 and on twitter @Kwesi175566
• The Accra Resource Center (ARC) is a Cardano-based community of professionals focused on connecting the world to Africa using blockchain and AI. A trusted source for both Africa-based projects and wider ecosystem contributions. ARC boasts of a variety of knowledge base professionals and this project will fall on it for support in areas of development of platforms and other technical support.

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

1. Platform Design and Initial Development 

-Development Team (Smart Contract & Front-end)  

• Lead Blockchain Developer (Smart contract development) - 10,000
• Full-stack Developer (Web platform and back-end integration) - 10,000
• UX/UI Designer (Wireframes, user journeys, and platform design) - 10,000
• QA Tester (Testing the platform) - 2,000  

  Subtotal 32,000

-Infrastructure Costs  

• Cloud Hosting (for Beta version) - 2,000
• API and Middleware Costs- 1,000  

  Subtotal: 3,000  

2. Platform Testing and Feedback (Beta Version)

•  Beta Testing Program (Incentives for testers, test data collection, etc.) - 1,500
• User Support/Feedback Management Tool - 1,000  

  Subtotal: 2,500

3. Platform Launch and Marketing 

- Marketing Campaign 

•   Digital Marketing (Social media ads, influencer partnerships, content creation) - 8,500   
• Community Engagement & PR (Webinars, podcasts, press releases) - 4,000   

Subtotal: 12,500  

- Partnership Development  

•   Travel and Partnership Meetings (With football academies, sponsors, and clubs) - 4,000  

 Subtotal: 4,000  

4. Expansion and Scalability 

- Additional Platform Features Development 

•   DeFi Module for Sponsorship/Investment Integration - 15,000  
• Talent Marketplace Development- 7,000 

Subtotal: 22,000  

-Scalability Costs 

•   Server and Hosting Upgrades (to accommodate growth) - 4,000  

 Subtotal 4,000  

5. Educational and Mentorship Integration 

- Educational Content Creation  

•   Course Creation (Developing football career development and financial literacy modules) - 5,000  
• Video Production (For educational materials) - 1,000  

 Subtotal: 6,000

-Mentorship Program Development 

• Mentorship Portal Development (Connecting mentors with footballers) - 5,000  
• Incentives for Mentors and Participants - 1,500  

 Subtotal: 6,500  

6. Final Milestone: Project Close-out Report and Video

- Project Reporting

•   Data Collection and Analysis (Gathering metrics, success stories, and reporting) - 2,000 
• Final Report and Documentation - 1,500  

  Subtotal: 3,500

- Final Project Video  

•   Video Production (Project summary, success stories, and platform demo) - 3,000  

Subtotal: 3,000  

7. Other Costs and Services

- Legal and Accounting Services 

•   Legal Review (Contracts, partnerships, and compliance) - 1,500  
• Accounting and Financial Management - 1,500  

Subtotal: 3,000  

Total Estimated Cost Breakdown:

1. Platform Design and Initial Development: 35,000

2. Platform Testing and Feedback: 2,500

3. Platform Launch and Marketing: 16,500

4. Expansion and Scalability: 26,000

5. Educational and Mentorship Integration: 11,500

6. Final Milestone (Report and Video): 6,500

7. Other Costs (Legal, Accounting, Contingency): 2,000

Grand Total: 100,000

Third-party Products and Services:

- Cloud Hosting: AWS or Google Cloud for platform infrastructure.

- Smart Contract Audit: 3rd-party blockchain auditing firm for smart contract review.

- Marketing Tools: Facebook, Twitter, and Google AdWords for digital marketing.

- User Support Tool: Tools like Zendesk or Freshdesk for feedback management during the beta testing phase.

- Legal and Accounting Services: Professional services for contract management, compliance, and financial auditing.

Publicity and Community Engagement:

We have allocated a lot towards digital marketing, PR, and community engagement efforts to ensure we create awareness, build a user base, and share opportunities with the wider community. These efforts will include webinars, podcasts, social media outreach, and strategic partnerships with football and blockchain communities.

This detailed cost breakdown ensures that all essential elements of the project are accounted for, including platform development, marketing, legal requirements, and community engagement. We have also incorporated a contingency fund to handle any unexpected challenges.

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

1. Strategic Investment in a New Use Case for Cardano - This project is an innovative application of Cardano’s technology in an industry that has seen limited blockchain penetration—the sports sector. By enabling young African footballers to manage their careers and financial interactions through a decentralized platform, we are creating a compelling real-world use case for Cardano that could easily be replicated in other regions or sports. This initiative will showcase the broad utility of the Cardano blockchain, making it a highly strategic investment.
2. Potential User Base Growth: Football has a massive following across Africa and globally. By engaging footballers, clubs, agents, and sponsors, we will drive the adoption of Cardano by thousands of users in the sports sector, increasing the ecosystem’s value and reach.
3. Global Visibility: Blockchain adoption in sports will garner attention beyond just the Cardano community, providing exposure to millions of football fans globally, which has long-term value for Cardano.
4. Comparative Marketing Costs: Considering the global scope of this project, the budget is modest. Running digital campaigns across multiple social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) and partnering with football influencers in Africa requires substantial resources. However, for the global exposure and the potential number of users this project can engage, the cost is well-justified.
5. Support for Long-term Adoption and Scalability - Additional funds are dedicated to expansion and scalability, which includes developing advanced platform features, upgrading infrastructure, and implementing a decentralized finance (DeFi) module for sponsorships and investments. These features are crucial for creating a robust, scalable platform that can handle increasing numbers of users and transactions as the project grows. Investing in scalable infrastructure early on ensures long-term value and reduces the need for expensive upgrades later.
6. Social Impact and Alignment with Cardano’s Mission - This project has a strong social impact component, aiming to empower young, underprivileged footballers in Africa. It directly aligns with Cardano’s mission of fostering inclusivity and decentralization, particularly in regions with limited access to resources. The social and economic benefits that this project brings to local communities, alongside its use of Cardano technology, significantly enhance the project’s value for money.
7. Building Trust in Cardano: As the project provides tangible benefits—such as career opportunities and financial empowerment to young footballers—it will strengthen trust in the Cardano blockchain as a platform for real-world, impactful solutions. This aligns with the ecosystem’s ethos of promoting transparency, fairness, and decentralization.

Conclusion: Value for the Cardano Ecosystem

The budget represents excellent value for money for the Cardano community for several reasons: 

• Innovation: The project introduces an entirely new use case for blockchain, driving adoption within the sports sector.
• Sustainability: By building a scalable platform with decentralized finance features and partnerships, the project can sustain itself and grow without significant recurring costs.
• Social Impact: The project will have a lasting positive impact on young African footballers, empowering them while promoting Cardano’s core principles.
• User Growth and Visibility: The exposure and adoption this project will generate, both locally and globally, will drive new users to the Cardano ecosystem, creating long-term value.