Noelle Oyunga

We, BuildaDAO [BaD], are proposing "The First Hundred," a continental initiative to unearth and cultivate 100 student builders across African universities. It's more than a short-lived event; it's a dedicated, long-term commitment to fostering local talent, with community at its core.Through on-campus hubs we call BuildaLabs, we'll offer mentorship, practical training, small grants, and project opportunities that translate decentralized technologies into real-world solutions. By placing ownership and hands-on experimentation directly with students, we're aiming to unlock scalable pathways for inclusive innovation, grounded in the realities of Africa.BuildaDAO [BaD], an African-born collective, is the driving force behind this project, acting as a bridge between Web2 and Web3 by providing education, community support, and infrastructure for builders on the ground. The Hurdles We're TacklingAfrica boasts a wealth of untapped talent, yet most blockchain initiatives remain superficial—focusing on passive onboarding, speculative tokens, or pilot projects detached from local needs.We see:<ul><li>A gap between real-world needs and the blockchain use cases taught to students.</li><li>Limited access to mentorship and funding, hindering young African builders from moving beyond mere ideas.</li><li>A lack of coordinated infrastructure to guide students from inspiration to implementation.</li><li>A vast chasm between curiosity and capability, particularly in areas with uneven connectivity, curriculum, and community support.</li></ul>The First Hundred aims to flip this narrative by offering a fresh blueprint for education, empowerment, and ecosystem development—one that champions decentralized experimentation, trust, and local ownership. Our Vision: A Continent of Builder-LeadersWe envision a continent where African students are:<ul><li>Spearheading blockchain projects tailored to their communities.</li><li>Establishing decentralized research labs on their campuses.</li><li>Crafting open-source solutions for issues like voter transparency, school funding, local commerce, or food tracking.</li><li>Launching their own DAOs and dApps, and mentoring others to follow suit.</li></ul>The First Hundred is about identifying these students, equipping them with the necessary tools, and helping them build public goods that can scale, replicate, and inspire. Our Approach: A Step-by-Step Build<ul><li>Campus Partnerships: We'll start by partnering with 10 pilot universities across East, West, and Southern Africa. Each university will nominate 5–10 students, forming our initial cohort of 100 builders. We're prioritizing schools with active developer clubs, design programs, or existing tech entrepreneurship interest. Local community leads will be our on-the-ground anchors.</li><li>BuildaLabs Launch: Each school will host a BuildaLab, a low-resource innovation hub designed for hands-on learning and collaboration. These labs require space, structure, and mentorship access, not expensive equipment.</li><li class="ql-indent-1">They'll include open-source learning modules, weekly group sessions, on-demand office hours, and peer feedback circles.</li><li>Micro-Project Funding: Students will move from theory to practice by proposing and building small prototypes. These could range from DAO tools for student government to blockchain-powered ID systems for exam verification. Micro-grants, typically $100 to $500, will support this experimentation.</li><li>Showcase and Sustainability: At the end of each lab cycle, we'll host demo weeks for students to present their projects and connect with potential collaborators. Graduates will join an alumni DAO, continuing to build and mentor future cohorts.</li></ul> Our Long-Term GoalsWe aim to:<ul><li>Expand to 50+ campuses by 2026.</li><li>Create an open-source BuildaLab toolkit for replication.</li><li>Launch an Africa-wide builder network.</li><li>Develop open-source tools from student work.</li></ul>Ultimately, we envision students from The First Hundred leading Africa's digital public goods infrastructure. Why This Matters NowAfrica's youth are digitally native and eager to build. Without empowering pathways, we risk losing this momentum. This initiative empowers builders where they are. What We Need Funding ForWe're seeking funding from Giveth for:<ul><li>Micro-grants for student projects.</li><li>BuildaLab setup stipends.</li><li>Learning content creation.</li><li>Demo day logistics.</li><li>Program coordination and mentor stipends.</li><li>Translation of learning modules.</li></ul>An initial grant of $25,000–$50,000 would cover Phase 1. Our Impact Goals (Year 1)<ul><li>100 student builders trained.</li><li>10+ working prototypes built.</li><li>30% of students continuing to build or mentor.</li><li>5+ projects adopted beyond their university.</li><li>Open-source curriculum published in 3 languages.</li></ul> Our Sustainability PlanWe're committed to sustainability through:<ul><li>Talent-to-income pathways, reinvesting a portion of student earnings.</li><li>Open-source public goods with Giveth attribution.</li><li>Curriculum monetization and institutional partnerships.</li><li>Referral network for builders, partners, and donors.</li><li>Potential tokenized value model.</li></ul> Closing ThoughtsThe First Hundred is about building trust and transforming narratives. By supporting this initiative, Giveth invests in local leadership and the future of African open-source innovation. Let's build the first hundred, so they can build the next thousand.

The First Hundred BaD African Student Developers
Noelle Oyunga

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The First Hundred BaD African Student Developers Noelle Oyunga

Donate first & lead the way!

Be the first to give!

Scan to connect with our mobile app

Coinbase Wallet app

Or try the Coinbase Wallet browser extension

The First Hundred BaD African Student Developers
Noelle Oyunga