Grow Africa, Grow Cardano
It's no secret that Cardano is recognized as a blockchain with a strong focus on Africa, and formally stated as such in Cardano's strategic goals. However, as other blockchain protocols recognize the potential of crypto in Africa, without concrete sustained action, Cardano risks losing a potential $1 trillion in market share of the African market to other blockchains within the next 3 years.
- Africa's crypto market has grown by $105 billion in the last year (2020-2021). Africa is the next crypto frontier- World Economic Forum
- Alameda Research, Coinbase Ventures, Cadenza, CMT Digital, Distributed Global, GSR, Third Prime and Avon Ventures: African Crypto Exchange VALR Raises $50M in Series B Led by Pantera Capital: https://www.coindesk.com/business/2022/03/01/african-crypto-exchange-valr-raises-50m-in-series-b-led-by-pantera-capital/
In Catalyst Fund7 the combined Africa funded projects amount was almost negligible compared to those from western and developed economies. https://twitter.com/danny_cryptofay/status/1496078645319933954?s=20&t=Ohr06EIZW05vz_B4Fjk_JA
This needs to be reversed through intentional action. Otherwise smaller and smaller portions of Catalyst funding will continue to be allocated to projects focused on African and other emerging economies due to endemic barriers.
"Having a funding round that focuses on Africa is a win, win, win scenario. Africa wins by getting some backing. Commercial projects that are already building up in Africa win, because they get the signal of support from our community. Cardano holders win when there is an encouraging environment for mass adoption anywhere. Focusing on Africa is a strategy that has often been promoted and is openly pursued by IOG and Charles Hoskinson. The ROI is likely to be high because community sponsored projects are better run in young and developing economies." Greg Bell; (originator of the Grow Cardano series)
Why is it important?
We need to look at the fundamentals that are preventing Africa from being a Cardano adoption leader, rather than a perpetual follower.
How does success looks like?
Practical innovations offered on tackling the unique challenges faced by the continent. A clear roadmap that points to increased adoption.
Key Metrics to measure
- Number of proposals addressing the fundamental issues preventing Cardano adoption in Africa
- Number of proposals offering solutions to infrastructure and education concerns
- Number of new Africa-based users onboarded onto Cardano (wallets, platform sign-ups)
- Number of new Africa-based Catalyst members (proposers, voters, CAs)
- Number of new African projects seeded in 2022
- Number of African developers onboarded in 2022
- Local impact (measurable through user activity and reach)
- Local partnerships formed (size of institution + influence)
Regenerate Yem (Ethiopia)
Solution: Proof-of-concept ecovillage of young farmers and herders under expert guidance in hitherto-uninhabited lowlands; Novel NFTs to document findings, reward work, and invite Community engagement.
Proposal Writing Service
Solution: This service will provide a face-on-face Project Catalyst Proposal Writing Service, that will help to produce a starting draft proposal for the proposers.
Powerchain by Lightency
Solution: A crypto energy reserve fund governed by DAO implements energy projects.
Powerchain is an energy data tokenization platform that allows P2P energy management and renewable-energy certification.
Parcel Delivery MVP Testing
Solution: We test the dApp MVP on Cardano for a cheaper, faster and greener P2P postal delivery solution allowing anyone to deliver parcels going there anyways while making an extra income at the same time.
Outreach/Education Ghana
Solution: Hosting monthly Networking Events similar to successful F5 and F7 networking projects managed by Defi Discussions team in Paraguay, Ecuador and Ethiopia
Opportunity Summit
Solution: Organize educational events across universities in Ghana, dubbed Opportunity summit with the aim of educating and onboarding tertiary students into the cardano ecosystem
Onboarding Pikes Malawi Community
Solution: A How-To for onboarding individuals to the Cardano Ecosystem in their native language. Simple How-To, helps people create wallets, send/receive ADA, transfer funds to local exchanges and use ADA-Fiat.
Onboarding African Musicians to ADA
Solution: We are partnering up with local musicians in Nigeria, a record label in South Africa, and Universities in South Africa to teach people to mint and sell their music on Cardano with the SoundRig.io
Nurturing Roots in Africa
Solution: Funding the next level of support for new and existing Wada hubs across the continent. This will enable us to better collaborate, coordinate, educate and initiate building out local use cases.
North Africa Cardano Community Hub
Solution: Creation and animation of a community hub for the Arabic speaking community to drive awareness and adoption around Cardano in North Africa, mainly, weekly meeting, Discord server.
My Identity
Solution: My Identity
It is a web platform using blockchain to digitize education services in the Democratic Republic of Congo and provide teachers with decentralized digital identities.
Mining traceability in a war zone
Solution: Create a DApp on Cardano for the traceability of minerals through the certification of mining quarries & artisanal small-scale miners (ASM)
Mentorship moving beyond borders
Solution: Global online event during COP27 that will build peer-to-peer mentorship. Together, innovative solutions to the challenges that Africa and the Global South face will be discussed.
Medium of underrepresented Africans
Solution: A team of dedicated devs and translators will create a medium of information in French which works reliably and lightning-fast on low-tier devices and despite bad connection for the people in Africa.
Medical Records Ownership Protocol
Solution: Rights & Ownership Enforcement platform that allows users - patients, providers, & health facilities to manage & audit their medical records while making them shareable in a decentralized exchange
MCA: A Model School in SA - Part II
Solution: Use MCA, our school for vulnerable children with a 12 yr history & 120 students, as a test case for creating a model school by merging Cardano’s treasury, incentive, identity & governance systems.
Marketing Training for African SPOs Quick Pitch
Solution: Capacity building enabling pioneering SPOs in DRC + Ivory Coast to operate sustainably with training and support from network partners in entrepreneurship, social media, marketing + managerial skills.
Lokole to Grow Africa Grow Cardano Quick Pitch
Solution: We built the proven solution to Grow Africa Grow Cardano. We call it; "Box Lokole Numerique" An on/offline portable server device to bridge the digital divide. It operates on Battery and solar power.
KodiaCoin: Mbongo=>Nzimbu paradigm
Solution: Create a token that has spatial and temporal symmetry incorporated into its production process using elements of the African paradigm of the notion of money and the principle of relativity.
KemiLand MVP - The Royal Palace
Solution: Create unreal 5 gameplay simulating the Ancient Egyptian way of life by creating a luxury royal palace and showing Ancient Egyptians way of life in such palace. The MVP will be available via VR only.
Katiopa NFArt - NFCraft Marketplace
Solution: Build an NFArt marketplace where artwork can be monetized and a portion of the proceeds will go towards organisations fighting to return stolen artifacts, but ultimately towards building local museums
JUS: Decentralized Onramp + Credit
Solution: JUS makes it easy for anyone to purchase stablecoin. All that's required is their facial biometrics, phone number and mobile money payment methods.
ISIG-GOMA Cardano Hub
Solution: Launch a student hub in Goma town to inspire young developers to choose Cardano
through conferences and hackathons promoting Haskell and Plutus.
Investing in Africa
Solution: Diversity of investments in Africa offers a diversity of solutions to global food, climate, and human rights crisis. Allowing accessible access to micro-credit funding will build this diversity.