Ethereum for the Next Billion: Announcing the EF Fellowship Program

The progress being made within the Ethereum ecosystem these days is admittedly inspiring. Whether or not you’re excited by the adoption of proof of stake (and a sooner, safer, greener Ethereum), the approaching Merge and different massive upgrades, or by a few of the many purposes and options which have the ability to vary various industries, it’s a nice time to be part of the Ethereum group.

Our evolving function

Whereas we’re all excited concerning the progress of Ethereum and the long run that our collective work will help to create, I’m additionally usually requested concerning the function of the Ethereum Basis and the way our philosophy of subtraction matches into that future.

“Society grows nice when outdated males plant bushes whose shade they know they shall by no means sit in.” – nameless Greek proverb

Once we take into consideration creating an actual and lasting affect, one which outlives all of us personally in addition to our organizations, it turns into essential for us to subtract the place we are able to in order that the ecosystem – the Ethereum backyard – can sustainably exist and thrive with out relying an excessive amount of on EF or another entity.

Nevertheless, we additionally perceive that there are numerous issues that won’t occur organically till the backyard matures. Somebody must plant seeds, others have to water them. And we maintain the weeds when issues block wholesome progress within the backyard. We care not solely about longevity, but in addition concerning the well being of the Ethereum backyard in order that Ethereum stays “Ethereum”.

Looking for alternatives inside the larger image

In pursuing the longevity and well being of the ecosystem, I all the time encourage our staff to zoom out and have a look at the larger image, as we think about which of the excellent duties solely EF can do. One of many questions I usually ask is: “Are we trying on the customers who would most profit from Ethereum?”

Growing nations at present account for over 80% of the world’s inhabitants, and of about 400,000 of infants born day by day all over the world, greater than 360,000 are born in creating nations. Folks in creating nations symbolize not solely our future as a individuals, however they could additionally symbolize the following billion lively customers of Ethereum. Meaning new generations of builders that collectively make Ethereum’s tomorrow extra resilient and stronger. As well as, Ethereum’s functionality to allow belief, transparency, effectivity, and coordination has excessive potential in creating nations the place these traits are sometimes in brief provide. It’s on this context – an overlap between alternatives, affect, and potential for Ethereum – that the Ethereum Basis Fellowship Program was created.

Meet the EF Fellowship Program

The Ethereum Foundation Fellowship Program is a pilot challenge that has been launched by Subsequent Billion, a staff at EF that focuses on in search of alternatives in rising economies. The EF Fellowship Program offers us a possibility to work with change-makers, whose tasks have excessive potential to create affect in rising economies through the use of Ethereum. This system incorporates a distinctive expertise that features mentorship, experience and entry to leaders within the Ethereum ecosystem.

How is that this completely different from common grant assist? Our imaginative and prescient just isn’t solely to assist these particular tasks, however to create a ripple impact. We hope others will be taught from the work of this cohort, and be impressed to do comparable work in their very own communities, and even to create upgraded options.

Our inaugural cohort

Benson Njuguna (Acre Africa) is working to implement blockchain options to a microinsurance product that protects hundreds of small-scale farmers in Kenya from excessive climate occasions. His challenge will take a look at and showcase Ethereum’s potential to allow the viability and sustainability of services that concentrate on the underside of the wealth pyramid.

Chuy Cepeda (OS.City) offers municipal and nationwide governments a platform to simply difficulty digital identities and blockchain-based paperwork to their residents, with a imaginative and prescient to at some point maintain government-issued paperwork (like permits and IDs) in our Ethereum wallets. Throughout the Fellowship Program, he and his staff will work with the federal government of Argentina and create methods to advance the significant adoption of blockchain within the public sector in Latin America.

Kuldeep Bandhu Aryal (BRAC) will develop a blockchain and crypto technique for BRAC, the world’s largest NGO. Based mostly in Bangladesh, BRAC serves over 100 million individuals yearly. Kuldeep’s challenge includes a number of experiments utilizing blockchain, and it might function a mannequin for different social enterprises, and for the event sector at massive.

Naroa Zurutuza (Giga) is exploring Ethereum-based options as a part of Giga’s effort to attach each college to the web. By serving to to offer at present’s most essential public good to billions of at the moment unconnected individuals, Naroa is envisioning many roles that blockchain can play, from growing the accountability of service suppliers and financing connectivity infrastructures, to an entry level to the worldwide financial system and marketplaces.

Keep knowledgeable and concerned

Whereas beginning small and as an experiment with this pilot class, this program can also be a brand new strategic avenue for EF to allocate assets to areas which might be nonetheless blue ocean for the way forward for Ethereum. The problems being centered upon have massive and long-term implications on Ethereum’s worth as one thing that may obtain public sector adoption whereas serving to to result in monetary inclusion, positively impacting the struggle towards local weather change and extra.

We’re excited to start out working with Benson, Chuy, Kuldeep and Naroa for the pilot 12 months of the Ethereum Basis Fellowship Program as they bring about Ethereum to their tasks over the approaching months. Congrats to Taira Ishikura and Serena Tan from the Subsequent Billion staff on the launch, and we’d additionally prefer to say particular thanks to those that helped us determine candidates.

We’re trying ahead to working with different group members in supporting these Fellows, and if you need to remain related with the Fellowship Program or any of the Fellows, please sign up to stay informed here, or contact the staff at fellowship@ethereum.org.