Guild Proposal
## Guild Name:
Syzygy
Guild Location:
Cameroon
## Guild Leader:
@beet93 brzk-93444.near
Guild Council:
Glory Mafor
Guild Astro Address:
syzygy-guild.sputnik-dao.near
## Mission and Vision
Young writers, authors, and creatives in Cameroon quickly get dissuaded from following their passion because of several pain points and blocks such as:
- Stagnancy of the literary scene
- No clear support from institutions
- Lack of resources, an incentive to commit or develop their craft
- Absence of connective tissue, network, active community
- No immersive space to entirely focus on their art, creating
- Lack of mentorship and training
- Lack of familiarity with existing and developing technology and how to leverage them
- Ownership of their work. Exploitative editing houses, publishers.
For young devs and entrepreneurs - the innovators and problem solvers
- Lack of knowledge of applications of blockchain technology beyond the widespread activity of trading tokens
- Limited knowledge and expertise in Open Web, Web3 and NEAR
For girls with interest in STEM - the future
- The STEM field is largely male-dominated creating a gender disparity. As a result, more often than not, young girls are easily discouraged from pursuing careers in STEM due to lack of mentorship and guidance.
- No follow up of their interest in technology
- No knowledge of the applications of blockchain technology
- Lack of community awareness to encourage, mentor, and sustain their interest.
These pain points for the different cited groups are what drive the mission and vision of Syzygy.
### Solution
Beyond the widespread activities of trading tokens, the crypto ecosystem and blockchain technology are growing rapidly and intersecting with how we interact over the internet (shift to Open Web and decentralisation), with NEAR being a perfect snapshot of the future.
Leveraging the NEAR platform, community and resources:
- The goal is to create an immersive space for young Cameroonian authors, writers, and creatives to feel comfortable pursuing and evolving their passion.
- It will be a space for devs and entrepreneurs to learn about the Open Web, the NEAR platform, and how to push the boundaries of their innovation with future-proof apps, projects, and ideas that will live on the NEAR platform. Also, they will be able to network, and grow through organised educational events, workshops, and community.
- For young Cameroonians with special attention to girls interested in STEM, the goal will be to mentor, encourage, and grow their interest through educational events and workshops that introduce them to the Open Web, NEAR platform and blockchain technology. It will also be a space for their mentors to discuss ideas and ways forward to sustain their interests.
Starting in Cameroon, the plan is to progressively increase the volume and reach of our activities and grow the community beyond the country borders to Africa and the world. With hard work, collective effort and resources, we want these different groups to intersect down the line to create a connective and synergistic network that blends creatives, innovators, and creators/problem solvers (devs) to create a form of online co-working space, a syzygy.
We plan to achieve our goals through:
- Organising an introductory event for writers, authors, creatives, to explain the opportunities for them in the guild, NEAR platform, and crypto ecosystem (NFTs, participating in DAOs, etc).
- Subsequently organise monthly events on Twitter Spaces, Clubhouse and physically in Cameroon.
- Set up a reward/incentive fund for writers’ collectives in Cameroon such as groups, book clubs and individuals who have projects or are looking to grow their activities.
- Organise workshops/residencies for writers and creatives looking to publish, with guest speakers and mentors.
- Set up a pool of mentors, editors, and other literary contributors that will be part of the events and workshops as guest mentors and speakers.
For the Devs and entrepreneurs:
- Organise monthly educational events to talk about Open Web, the NEAR platform, blockchain technology, and opportunities.
- Organise combo workshops for devs and entrepreneurs to collaborate and build projects. We shall reward the projects and if possible forward these projects to NEAR for consideration. Whatever consideration the projects get will be entirely credited to devs and entrepreneurs.
For the young boys and girls:
- set up a pool of mentors with whom we can collaborate.
- organise educational events on the basic concepts and principles around the Open Web, NEAR platform, and the crypto ecosystem.
- organise community events such as AMAs where mentors meet the individuals, answer questions, share resources.
The activities of the guild will be in different phases, focusing on writers and creatives, the young girls in STEM in every quarter, and the developers and entrepreneurs once every two quarters.
Our year will be divided into four quarters, each lasting three months.
To this end, we will be requesting financial and technical support from NEAR, to the tune of 1,500 NEAR every quarter to achieve our goals.
## Who this guild will be for
This guild will be for:
- Young authors, writers, and storytellers from Cameroon and Africa. Also, writers’ collectives in Cameroon.
- Young Cameroonians interested in STEM.
- Developers and entrepreneurs in Cameroon.
- Experienced writers, creatives, developers, and entrepreneurs and anyone who will be happy and willing to contribute.
*Anyone with a passion for mentoring, guiding, young - You, yes you…
## Our value to the NEAR Community
The crypto ecosystem is growing past trading, and the NEAR platform is offering a unique possibility to be future-proof in the way authors and creatives can create, share, publish, and even market their craft and connect with a broader audience or community on the NEAR platform. Adding young, energetic minds to the community will drive innovation, new discussions, growth and awareness within and beyond the community/platform.
Our parents had to adjust to the new world where there are mobile phones, instant communication and technology, just as we have had to adapt to the new world of blockchain technology, the growing Open Web, etc. Likewise, those coming after us will have to grow in it. Giving them the tools, awareness and resources in terms of knowledge to be able to navigate and thrive in it is the least we can do, and the NEAR platform has the structure to achieve precisely that.
Developers and entrepreneurs will be able to contribute fresh, innovative and budding projects and ideas to NEAR or the community or contribute to existing ones. Following the Sankore guild, and NEAR Nigeria guild, this will be a third on the continent, as NEAR contributes to a more tech-savvy, Open Web-driven and developing Africa.
## Introducing myself
I am Beet (an acronym of my full name widely regarded as very long), a Cameroonian, outside-the-box creative who loves storytelling and is driven by the desire to create positive impact. I have been a freelance content writer on Fiverr, PPH, for the last five years and recently in the crypto ecosystem. I am Spartan in the face of new challenges and Padawan with new knowledge.
NEAR Forum @beet93
Discord @takezo93#0796
Telegram @takezob93