Last updated 8 months ago
There's a critical lack of Amharic and Oromifa educational content on blockchain and Cardano for children. This language barrier limits early exposure to digital and financial literacy in Ethiopia.
We'll create "Kindgarden" children's books in Amharic and Oromifa. These books will use culturally relevant fables and poems to teach blockchain concepts like decentralization and staking.
This is the total amount allocated to Cardano Children's Books in Amharic & Oromifa.
Please provide your proposal title
Cardano Children's Books in Amharic & Oromifa
Enter the amount of funding you are requesting in ADA
60000
Please specify how many months you expect your project to last
12
Please indicate if your proposal has been auto-translated
No
Original Language
en
What is the problem you want to solve?
There's a critical lack of Amharic and Oromifa educational content on blockchain and Cardano for children. This language barrier limits early exposure to digital and financial literacy in Ethiopia.
Does your project have any dependencies on other organizations, technical or otherwise?
No
Describe any dependencies or write 'No dependencies'
No dependencies
Will your project's outputs be fully open source?
Yes
License and Additional Information
The project's output will be an open source collection of childrens books in Amharic and Oromifa, published under a Creative Commons license. This allows for free sharing, printing, and adaptation, and encourages the community to translate the books into other Ethiopian languages. The finalized digital books will be freely available on a dedicated website and other platforms to create an ever growing, community driven educational resource.
Please choose the most relevant theme and tag related to the outcomes of your proposal
Education
Who you’re targeting, how you’ll reach them, and why this matters for Cardano.
The project targets children & their families in Ethiopia who speak Amharic & Oromifa, aiming to reach millions currently excluded from decentralized technology due to a language barrier. Books will be digitally distributed for free & promoted on social media channels popular in Ethiopia. Partnerships with local community centers and NGOs will also be explored for physical distribution. This is important for Cardano as it demonstrates a commitment to localization and inclusion in Africa, cultivating a new generation of users & developers and serving as a blueprint for future localized content.
Provide a list of key activities of your project?
The project's key activities include developing a detailed plan and creating a pilot story draft in Amharic. The next phase focuses on producing and publishing the final illustrated Amharic book while simultaneously completing the manuscript for the first Oromifa story. Following this, the project will produce the Oromifa book and launch both books to the public with a focused marketing campaign. The final activities involve conducting a community survey to gather feedback, creating a public report on the project's impact and financials, and drafting a plan for future books in the series.
What are your success metrics?
The project's success is measured by its ability to cultivate new Cardano users in Ethiopia and deepen African localization. Key metrics include creating high quality, open source educational content in Amharic and Oromifa, tracking book downloads, and assessing distribution partnerships with local centers and NGOs. Impact is also evaluated by how the project serves as a blueprint for similar localized content in other regions. Qualitative success is gauged through community feedback.
Please describe your proposed solution and how it addresses the problem
The proposed solution is to create a series of Kindgarden childrens books in both Amharic and Oromifa, the two most widely spoken languages in Ethiopia. These books will be specifically tailored to the cultural context of Ethiopian children, using local fables, proverbs and analogies to introduce blockchain and Cardano concepts.
Key features and approach:
Culturally Localized Content: The books will not be direct translations. Instead, they will be written from the ground up in Amharic and Oromifa by native speakers. This ensures the stories, characters, and settings are deeply relatable. For instance, a story about a trusted village elder (a smart contract) who manages a fair exchange of goods (transactions) at a local market would be far more effective than a generic western analogy.
Bilingual Development: The project will run two parallel creative tracks: one for Amharic and one for Oromifa. This ensures each language receives the dedicated attention required for high-quality, authentic storytelling.
Educational Storytelling: The books will use a variety of narrative forms to teach core concepts:
o Fables: To teach principles like decentralization (a group of animals working together to build a shared home).
o Folktales: To introduce the idea of transparency and trust in a communal setting.
o Poems: To help children remember key terms like "Ada," "staking," or "wallet" through rhythm and rhyme.
Integrated Learning Tools: Each book will include a glossary of terms and a simple guide for parents and teachers in both languages. These guides will provide a more direct explanation of the blockchain concepts.
Targeted Distribution: The books will be distributed digitally for free and promoted through social media channels popular in Ethiopia. We will also explore partnerships with local community centers and NGOs to get physical copies into the hands of children in both urban and rural areas.
The outcome will be a groundbreaking, culturally resonant educational resource that makes Cardano accessible to millions of Ethiopian children, building a foundation for future participation in the digital economy.
Please define the positive impact your project will have on the wider Cardano community
This projects impact on the Cardano community will be profound and strategic
Deepened Localization and Inclusion: By creating high quality content in Amharic and Oromifa, this project demonstrates Cardano's commitment to genuine localization and inclusion in Africa.
Expansion of the Cardano Community in Ethiopia: Ethiopia has a large and young population. By targeting children in their native languages, we are cultivating a new generation of users, developers and enthusiasts.
Fosters a New Type of Contributor: The project will inspire not just technical developers, but also a new type of creative contributor: storytellers, artists and educators who can help grow the ecosystem.
Strengthens Cardano's Brand and Mission: The creation of culturally sensitive, educational content for children aligns perfectly with Cardano's vision of using blockchain to empower the underserved.
Blueprint for Future Localization: This project can serve as a successful blueprint for creating localized educational content in other regions and languages.
In summary, this project is not just about creating books; it's about building a foundation for sustainable, community led growth in one of the world's most promising regions.
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 teams capability to deliver this project with high trust and accountability is rooted in our blend of linguistic expertise, creative talent and a commitment to transparent project management.
Capability and Trust:
Linguistic and Cultural Expertise: We have assembled a team of native Amharic and Oromifa speakers who are also experienced writers and translators.
Creative and Publishing Experience: The team includes professional illustrators and designers who understand how to create engaging childrens literature and manage the end to end process of book production.
Transparent Project Management: We will use a public project management tool to track our progress against milestones and provide regular updates to the community.
Financial Transparency: The budget is meticulously broken down. We will provide detailed reports on how funds are used for each stage of the project and make these reports publicly available.
Feasibility Validation: To validate our approach, we will take the following steps:
Pilot Story and Illustrations: We will produce a single short story in both Amharic and Oromifa, complete with illustrations. This will allow us to test the creative process and refine our workflows.
Community and Expert Feedback: We will share the pilot story with a small group of parents, local educators, and Ethiopian blockchain community members to gather feedback on the narrative, illustrations, and educational message.
Engagement Metrics: We will track initial downloads and social media engagement for the pilot story to validate that there is a genuine demand for this content.
Partnership Vetting: We will engage with local publishers or NGOs in Ethiopia to explore potential collaborations for physical distribution, which will help us validate the feasibility of reaching a wider audience.
By combining native language expertise with a community driven, transparent and iterative development process, we are confident that we can deliver a high quality project that is both feasible and highly impactful.
Milestone Title
Project Initiation & Pilot Story Development (Months 1-3)
Milestone Outputs
This initial milestone is focused on laying the foundational groundwork for the project's success over the 12 month period. The outputs include a detailed project plan that outlines the project's entire scope, timeline, and resource allocation. The team will also finalize the core concepts for the first books in both Amharic and Oromifa, ensuring they are culturally relevant and effective. A critical output is the draft manuscript for the Amharic pilot story, which will serve as a test for the creative process and a tangible starting point for content development.
Acceptance Criteria
For this milestone to be considered complete, the project plan must receive formal approval from the team, ensuring everyone is aligned on the project's direction and goals. The draft Amharic manuscript must also be fully completed and undergo an internal review by the project team. This review is essential for validating the story's effectiveness and ensuring it aligns with the project's educational and cultural objectives.
Evidence of Completion
The evidence for this milestone will be presented through two key documents. The first is a shared project plan document, providing a transparent overview of the project's strategy and timeline for all stakeholders. The second is a PDF version of the Amharic manuscript draft, which serves as a concrete and verifiable proof of the initial creative output.
Delivery Month
3
Cost
18000
Progress
20 %
Milestone Title
Amharic Book Production & Oromifa Manuscript (Months 4-6)
Milestone Outputs
This milestone centers on the production of the first Amharic book and the continued development of the second books content. Key outputs include the finalized illustrations and a complete book design for the Amharic story, which will be ready for publication. Concurrently, the team will produce a complete manuscript for the first Oromifa story, ensuring that the content is authentic and tailored by native speakers.
Acceptance Criteria
The acceptance criteria for this milestone are twofold. The first is the successful publication of the Amharic book, making it available for public download. The second is the completion of the Oromifa manuscript, which must also undergo its first review to prepare it for the subsequent production phase.
Evidence of Completion
Evidence for the completion of this milestone will be a link to the published Amharic digital book, confirming its availability to the public. Additionally, a document containing the complete Oromifa manuscript will be provided as proof of progress on the second book.
Delivery Month
6
Cost
18000
Progress
50 %
Milestone Title
Oromifa Book Production and Community Launch (Months 7-9)
Milestone Outputs
This milestone focuses on completing the second book and officially launching the entire project to the public. The outputs include finalized illustrations and a complete book design for the Oromifa story, ensuring a high-quality visual experience. The project will also be officially launched to the public with a targeted marketing campaign designed to maximize reach and engagement within the Ethiopian community.
Acceptance Criteria
For this milestone to be achieved, the Oromifa book must be published and made available for download. A launch report must also be created, detailing the reach and engagement of the marketing campaign through social media metrics and download numbers, demonstrating the project's initial impact.
Evidence of Completion
The evidence will include a link to the published Oromifa digital book, confirming that the second book is live and accessible to the public. A report with social media metrics and download numbers will also be provided to substantiate the project's outreach efforts and initial success.
Delivery Month
9
Cost
15000
Progress
80 %
Milestone Title
Evaluation and Future Planning (Months 10-12)
Milestone Outputs
The final milestone is dedicated to evaluating the project's impact and charting its future course. The outputs include a community survey to gather feedback on both books, providing valuable insights into their reception. A public report will be created to summarize the project's impact, financial transparency, and the community feedback received. Finally, a plan for the next books in the series will be drafted, outlining concepts and a creative direction for future content based on the project's findings.
Acceptance Criteria
To complete this milestone, the community survey must receive a minimum of 50 responses to ensure a meaningful data sample. The public report must be shared across all project channels, demonstrating accountability and transparency to the community. A new plan for future content must also be drafted, showing a clear path for the project's continued growth and development.
Evidence of Completion
The evidence for this final milestone will be a report summarizing the results of the community survey, which will analyze the feedback and insights gathered. A link to the publicly accessible project report will also be provided, serving as a comprehensive and transparent final document for the entire project.
Delivery Month
12
Cost
9000
Progress
90 %
Please provide a cost breakdown of the proposed work and resources
This is a detailed breakdown for a two-book series, with each book produced in both Amharic and Oromifa, adjusted to a maximum of 60,000 ADA.
o Author's Compensation (Amharic): 8,000 ADA
o Author's Compensation (Oromifa): 8,000 ADA
o Illustrator's Fee: 25,000 ADA
o Translators/Editors: 3,000 ADA
o Book Layout & Design Software: 1,500 ADA
o Print-on-Demand Setup: 500 ADA
o Social Media Campaigns: 5,000 ADA
o Website/Hosting: 1,000 ADA
o Community Outreach: 3,000 ADA
o Project Management & Coordination: 3,000 ADA
o Contingency Fund: 2,000 ADA
Grand Total: 60,000 ADA
How does the cost of the project represent value for the Cardano ecosystem?
The cost of this project represents exceptional value for money for the Cardano ecosystem, especially given its focus on Amharic and Oromifa:
This project is a powerful and strategic use of funds that not only delivers on Cardano's mission of financial inclusion but also creates a lasting, positive legacy in a critical part of the world.
Terms and Conditions:
Yes
The team is designed to handle the specific needs of a bilingual project:
o Role: Manages the entire project, writes the primary stories in Amharic, and oversees the Amharic creative process.
o Experience: Experience in children's literature, fluency in Amharic, and a solid understanding of Cardano.
o Role: A native Oromifa speaker responsible for writing the stories and content specifically for the Oromifa books, ensuring cultural and linguistic authenticity.
o Experience: A published author or writer in Oromifa, with an understanding of Cardano concepts.
o Role: Creates all visual assets for both books, including character designs, covers, and illustrations.
o Experience: Professional experience in children's book illustration, with a portfolio that demonstrates an ability to create appealing and culturally sensitive art.
o Role: Ensures the Parent/Educator guides and all supplementary materials are accurately translated and edited for both languages.
o Experience: Professional translation and editing skills in Amharic and Oromifa.
o Role: Manages all social media and community engagement, promoting the books and gathering feedback.
o Experience: Experience in digital marketing and community management in the Ethiopian context.