INTRODUCTION
My name is Adebanjo.
My educational background as a computer scientist, engineer and teacher has enabled me to contribute in small bits to improving the computer literacy of the people in my community.
I run a computer literacy and training outfit called the New Hope Community Training Center where I help people acquire training in computer literacy for free. I teach over 30 students weekly, and the number keeps growing.
The New Hope Community Training Center occupies a strategic position in my community, as it serves to alleviate computer illiteracy by providing practical, hands-on training in productivity software, presentation software, graphics design, database management, digital marketing, etc.
In line with NEAR’s vision of leveraging Web 3 for social good, I believe that a computer literacy project built in one of the world’s poorest economies with one of the lowest computer literacy index [per NBS data] is a huge statement from NEAR and a major publicity boost. This will reinforce NEAR’s position as a community deliberate about using technology for social good.
I hope to help build the future of a Nation with a teeming youth population, a massive talent pool, and a vast potential for highly productive work. Web 3 and Computer technology is the future and NEAR can help bring our people aboard this moving train.
WHAT’S IN IT FOR NEAR?
- We will be creating a dedicated and unique social media hashtag for the duration of our 2months course. * Every student enrolled on the program will take a selfie in front of our stylized NEAR banner and post this picture with the unique hashtag, stating that they have begun the NEAR-funded 2 months course.
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Relevant and appropriate NEAR social media handles will be tagged on every post made on all social media platforms.
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We will catalogue our activities by posting pictures of every session on social media. We will encourage students to document and post using only the unique hashtag.
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Our objective here is to pile on the hashtag until it makes it to the trend tables of several social media platforms. This is meant to be both a documentation process and a publicity campaign for NEAR and the project.
- At the end of our 2months course, every set will be encouraged to carry out a small community project. We will visit the community council office to share and discuss this community project while also using the meeting as an avenue to educate the local council members about NEAR. This event too will be documented and posted on social media using the dedicated hashtags.
- We plan on also educating them about the benefits of Web 3 and also encourage conversations about incorporating some of the resources available on the NEAR platform into local governance.
- Still on NEAR’s dedication to social good; there is a gender deficit in computer literacy in Nigeria, per NBS data. Only 45.1% of Nigerians between the ages 15-35 are computer literate, of this percentage only about 18% are female. We plan on placing emphasis on computer education for females without hampering male entry. So, we will be creating a special subprogram targeted at encouraging Nigerian females to learn computer skills as this section of the population is traditionally excluded from skills acquisition programs like this. We hope to achieve a milestone of equal representation for all genders.
- Expansion of Near’s Education Initiative:
NEAR’s dedication to Web 3 education is, as far I know, second to none. This initiative could ultimately become an in-person, on-site annex of Near’s Education outfit.
VISION
It is my dream to improve computer literacy in my country up to the point where every adult can avail themselves of the opportunities that abound in our increasingly digitised world. This vision of mine will greatly mitigate several social ills including unemployment, underdevelopment, and poverty.
MISSION
Since joining NEAR, I have been thrilled by the massive mobilization to close the Web 3 educational deficit around the world, especially in my country, through the deployment of several training solutions. This has inspired me to seek help and support with formalising, expanding and increasing the efficiency of The New Hope Community Training Center.
So I propose a standard Near Techhub, where New Hope Community Training Center will incorporate Web 3 training and education into its basic curriculum
MODALITIES
As I explained above, our Center already offers training in productivity software, presentation software, graphics design, digital marketing, but starting soon, we want to incorporate the following into our staple digital educational training:
- Basic Cryptocurrency education
- Basic NFTs Orientation
- Basic Metaverse Classes
- Basic orientation on Smart Contracts
We will begin to offer 2 month-long courses after which learners will earn an NFT certificate.
In the nearest future, we hope to get Rust, Assembly Script and Java instructors to use materials available on Near University amongst others to teach students how to build dApps and deploy smart Contracts on Near.
Registration of all prospective students into the New Hope Community Training Center’s NEAR-powered Digital Hub will be via Near Wallets.
We will launch a store where unique 1 of 1 NFT certificates will be minted by graduands after completing our courses.
We have grown the number of our students from 5 (when we first began) to about 30 per week basically through word of mouth and referrals. Not one flier, handbill or poster has been made for publicity. We would like to change that by publicity & awareness campaigns using fliers, handbills & posters, etc.
CONTENT
We have developed a hybrid curriculum where we teach basic and advanced courses on computer literacy side by side with basic Web 3 studies.
I have attached a copy of our intended curriculum showing the topics to be taught.
CHALLENGES
We are currently experiencing several shortages. Our 3 computers are incapable of handling the needs of our over 30 (and steadily growing) students.
MILESTONES
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Training at least 50 students in computer literacy and basic Web 3 studies (with NEAR Protocol as reference)
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Engaging up to 5000 people on all social media platforms by publicising the Educational Initiatives of NEAR, particularly this collaboration.
BUDGET
PUBLICITY - $500
Breakdown
Fliers, Banners, - $200
Social Media Outreach, Online Ads (2 Months) - $300
OPERATIONAL COSTS - $2850
Breakdown
2 Extra Instructors - @150/month x 2 - $600
4 Extra Computers - $500 each - $2000
Power - $150
Internet - $100
Airdrop (for wallet activation)
$200
Total:$3550
Wallet ID: adebanjo.near
Attached is a [Copy of intended curriculum]( NEW HOPE COMMUNITY TRANING CENTRE.pdf (53.5 KB))
Here are some Random pictures of a class in session.