Builder Details In Brief:

DeFi Africa's core mission is to champion the adoption and use of decentralized finance-related technologies in Africa and contribute to the global advancement of Web3 technology. We focus on nurturing and expanding the knowledge pool in this domain through a holistic approach that includes knowledge building, hands-on experience, and community engagement. Over the years, we've grown from a small group to a thriving community with hundreds of members.

Here is the highlight of the last conference -> Ghana Crypto and DeFi Summit 2022: https://youtu.be/5PlfZDFsMvA

Project Overview: Web3 BUIDL Workshops

DeFi Africa is looking for funding in this round to keep running our Web3 BUIDL Workshops. These workshops aim to grow the community of Web3 developers in Africa and help create Web3 products that benefit society. Our first workshop, funded by GG18, was a success and we want to build on that.

The previous workshop, held on 19th and 20th October, 2023, saw enthusiastic participation from 30+ developers in the northern region of Ghana. Participants left with a stronger grasp of Web3 fundamentals, smart contract development, and dApp interface development. The positive feedback and projects that emerged demonstrate the impact of our efforts.

Some Tweets About First Workshop:

https://x.com/defiafrica/status/1714981306868634035?s=20 https://x.com/defiafrica/status/1715018797004792129?s=20 https://x.com/defiafrica/status/1714948690828206586?s=20 https://x.com/defiafrica/status/1715336176209375501?s=20 https://x.com/defiafrica/status/1714979723594338329?s=20 https://x.com/defiafrica/status/1715019382525468912?s=20

Watch the highlights from our first Web3 BUIDL Workshop: https://youtu.be/Ln_LRkegfm0?si=3_TXTIXi41ZEyvqb

Find all the pictures of the first workshop: https://photos.app.goo.gl/LMknkzWY4CuAc1Bh6

Here’s a snippet of our last event -> Web3 BUIDL Workshop #1👇🏾

Program Description

As the digital landscape evolves, transitioning from web2 to web3 becomes imperative. Recognizing this shift, DeFi Africa aims at immersing our community of developers into web3 development, enabling them to ideate, innovate, and integrate this transformation into real-world applications.

We aim to improve the knowledge of African developers with essential skills in solidity programming, forming teams, providing mentorships, incubating projects, igniting passion and creativity, and empowering them to start working on crucial projects that can make a meaningful impact.

Also, these workshops serve as a catalyst for our upcoming event, the DeFi Africa HackFest 2024. This event aims to be DeFi for All: Crafting an inclusive and sustainable decentralized financial ecosystem in Africa, It will delve into how decentralized finance can catalyze financial inclusivity, spawn economic opportunities, and engineer societal transformation for Africans.

The event will further discuss surmounting the obstacles facing DeFi's ascendancy in Africa, from regulatory concerns and educational gaps to infrastructural and scalability challenges. A call to use Web3 tech to solve some of the challenging issues on the African continent

These workshops are important for several reasons:

1. Transition to Web3: Web3 represents the next phase of the internet, characterized by decentralized protocols, blockchain technology, and cryptocurrencies. It's essential for Web2 developers in Africa to adapt to this paradigm shift.

2. Hands-On Experience: These workshops will provide practical, hands-on experience with Web3 and decentralized applications (dApps). This experience is invaluable for African developers and entrepreneurs looking to create real-world applications for social good.

3. Empowerment and Creativity: These workshops empower participants to take part in the creation of decentralized solutions. It will encourage creativity, innovation, and problem-solving within the context of Web3 technology in Africa.

4. Project Incubation: With these workshops, we aim to provide a platform for incubating localized projects. This support system can be vital for early-stage projects to receive guidance, resources, and mentorship, increasing their chances of success.

5. Showcasing Innovation: Our upcoming Hackfest will serve as a platform to showcase innovative projects developed through the Web3 BUIDL Workshops. It will provide a platform for African developers to demonstrate their solutions to a wider audience, including potential investors and partners.

6. Addressing Local Challenges: The workshops focus on leveraging Web3 technology to address specific challenges faced by the African continent. This includes issues related to financial inclusivity, economic opportunities, and societal transformation.

Plan Of Implementation

Target Audience:

The primary target audience includes computer science students, coders, people with IT background, and mid-career developers looking to transition from web2 into the web3 industry, particularly in the African region.

Expected Metrics:

• Workshop Attendance: our target is to host from 30 to 50 developers in each workshop.

• Project Building Success: We expect to see that at least 50% of attendees successfully deploy their smart contract projects in each workshop.

• Community Growth: We expect to increase our Web3 developer community membership with all attendees of each workshop.

Methodology

Web3 BUIDL Workshops are conducted in an interactive, hands-on format, combining theoretical knowledge with practical coding exercises. We host them in physical locations, providing participants with a conducive learning environment.

It is implemented through a structured curriculum with mentorship opportunities and resources from https://useweb3.xyz, https://learnweb3.io/, https://30daysofweb3.xyz and www.ethereum.org etc. and covers an introduction to web3, smart contract development, layer 2, beginner and intermediate Solidity programming, Web3.js, dAapp development, and final projects.

Our technical team provides participants with insights into the latest trends and developments in the Web3 industry, as well as potential career opportunities.

Finally, participants are assigned projects of their choice to demonstrate their skills and knowledge in smart contract development. The projects are developed under the guidance of our team and with the support of the wider web3 ecosystem.

By combining these elements, these workshops introduce and empower participants with the fundamental skills and knowledge necessary to become proficient Solidity developers and contribute to the growth and success of the Web3 ecosystem in Africa.

Why This Project

How can this project make a difference?

DeFi, which stands for decentralized finance, has a big potential to help Africa. Basically, it gives us a chance to improve how money works in our continent. With DeFi, we imagine a future where every African person can easily use important financial services, like borrowing, lending, trading, and investing. These services are often hard to get or very expensive in the usual financial system.

But it's not only about money. DeFi gives Africans the power to be a bigger part of the growing global economy. This means our ideas and creations can be noticed around the world. It can also help fight against problems like poverty, corruption, and unfairness, making Africa a more fair and successful place.

However, to make this promise come true, we need to fix a big problem: there aren't enough Africans involved in the Web3 world. We have a lot of young, talented people, but not many of us are part of Web3. This isn't just a small mistake; it's a big chance we're missing. Web3 isn't something extra for Africa; it's really important. It's a way to create systems that include everyone, so in the digital future, every African person has a say.

Our goal with this project is two-part: we want to make sure Africa is heard in the Web3 community, and we want to unlock the hidden talents in our continent. We're not just hoping to be included; we want to be leaders. With the right tools, training, and opportunities, we believe Africa can not only keep up in the Web3 world, but can also be at the front, showing off our special mix of new ideas, strength, and plans for the future.

How will the funds be used?

Program funds will be utilized to cover various expenses, as follows:

• Venue/Logistics Provisions: We recognize the importance of a conducive learning environment. Funds will be set aside to secure prime venues, ensuring our workshops are both accessible and comfortable, fostering optimal collaboration and learning.
• Team Compensation: Our dedicated team is our backbone. They bring invaluable insights into workshop structuring and provide unwavering support throughout the program. An allocation will ensure they're fairly compensated for their pivotal role in steering the initiative.
• Hospitality: We believe in taking care of our community. To this end, funds will be earmarked to ensure that all participants are well-fed and refreshed, allowing them to focus solely on the learning at hand.
• Outreach and Publicity: To maximize our impact, it's essential that we reach a broad audience. A segment of our budget will be dedicated to marketing and publicity, ensuring we attract a diverse and enthusiastic group of participants.
• Operational Essentials: Every grand vision is built on a foundation of meticulous planning and execution. Funds will cover the nitty-gritty: from office supplies and logistics to all the unseen but essential elements that ensure our program runs seamlessly.
• Mentorship and Facilitation: Our workshops are helmed by seasoned experts, guiding participants through the intricacies of Web3. An allocation will be reserved to support these technical facilitators, who bring depth, expertise, and mentorship to our sessions.

Our Team

Meet the dedicated individuals steering DeFi Africa's journey over the years.

Sahabia Yakubu: Role: Managing Director Bio: Sahabia is a skilled dApp Interface developer and event organizer. He's passionate about Web3 technology. He studied development planning at the University for Development Studies in Ghana. Since 2017, he's been actively involved in the blockchain world, with a special interest in promoting DeFi tech in Africa. He's connected with influential leaders in Web3 and spoken at major blockchain conferences in Africa like the Cryptofest 2020, BEN Africa Conference, BitcoinKe Meetup 2020, Crypto Opportunity Meetup 2021, and GCDSummit 2022. Email: sahabia@defiafrica.net LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/realsahabia GitHub: https://github.com/realsahabia Twitter: @realsahabia Telegram: @realsahabia

Habib Maltiba Role: Dep. Managing Director Bio: Habib is the co-founder of DeFi-Africa and serves as its strategic planner. He's been advocating for blockchain technology since 2017. Habib holds a bachelor's degree in planning from the University for Development Studies, Ghana. He played a significant role in the Center for Liberty and Entrepreneurship team, which popularized blockchain through events in Ghana. He's deeply passionate about blockchain, cryptocurrency, and the broader decentralized finance space. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/habib-maltiba-436981165 Twitter: @MaltibaGH Telegram: @Maltiba Discord: Maltiba#8590 Email: maltiba@defiafrica.net

Likem Dzokoto Role: Technical Lead Bio: Likem is a blockchain developer deeply passionate about blockchain infrastructure, zero-knowledge technology, and machine learning. Currently pursuing a degree in computer science at the Central University of Ghana, Likem has been actively contributing to the Web3 space since 2021. He's taken on roles as a hacker, open-source contributor, and educator. He also serves as the Community Lead of Graph Ghana. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/likemdzokoto GitHub: https://github.com/LikemDzokoto Twitter: @likemdzokoto Telegram: @Likem_GraphGH

Essiel Prince Justice Role: Technical Instructor Bio: Essiel is a software developer, Web3 philosopher, and serves humanity with code. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/essiel-justice GitHub: https://github.com/JUSTICEESSIELP Twitter: @sena_justice Telegram: @CodeJT

George Appiah Role: Programs Manager Bio: George is a cloud engineer, project manager and Web3 advocate since 2018. He holds a Bachelor's of Arts in Political Science with Economics from the University of Education, Winneba. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-appiah-8a9491166 Twitter: @iamgeorgepro Telegram: @GeorgePro1

Alhassan Yakubu Role: Content Creator Bio: Yakubu is a professional teacher and an accountant with two years experience in banking. He Studied Statistics at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. Following his background in banking, Jakob became curious about Blockchain and DeFi in 2019 and has since been an active member in the space. Jakob specializes in content creation and he is also an expert in Machine Learning (ML). Telegram: @Jay_crypt

Richard Miller Role: Graphics Designer Bio: Richard is a content creator, graphics designer, videographer, editor and Web3 enthusiast. Richard has his own state of the art studio. Richard has been the graphics designer for DeFi Africa since 2020. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-t-miller-41585559 Telegram: @afrogenuis

Anthony Kumaku: Role: Community/Communication Manager Bio: Anthony Kumaku is a sales professional, Web3 advocate, community builder and a student of banking and finance degree. Anthony has deep experience in content creation (articles) related to DeFi and Web3 in general. Anthony has produced some interesting contents/articles about the space which can be found via https://substack.com/@blockfina
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-kumako-207388247 Twitter: @blockfinaa Telegram: @billwatty1