Empowering Education with Blockchain: The Journey of Blockchain na Escola
Spreading web3 technologies as tools for socioenvironmental development in underserved communities
Introduction
Blockchain na Escola (BnE) stands to promote collaboration and decentralization through blockchain education, empowering schools and students to walk the path of regeneration.
It is the first and most successful educational initiative that brings Web3 content through the Regenerative Finance (ReFi) lens to regular public schools in Brazil. This endeavor expands Web3 access to underserved communities, offering them hope and the technological tools to build a better future.
We envision a future where disseminated training in regenerative technologies in schools will transform society through a decentralized and collaborative approach. That way, innovation, and technology converge to transform traditional classrooms and empower underserved communities.
As proponents of educational empowerment, we are eager to share our journey in hopes that sharing our experience can support other educational projects in their path.
The Demand for Blockchain Education
In a world where information is abundant, yet its authenticity is often questioned, BnE rises to the occasion by addressing the demand for reliable blockchain content in public schools.
This demand becomes evident from various perspectives, including:
Legal Risks for Teachers: The necessity for official educational materials to shield teachers from legal risks associated with non-official content usage.
Crypto-assets Popularity in Brazil: With 7% of the Brazilian population (15 million people) owning crypto-assets, Brazil stands as the 6th country in terms of crypto ownership. This highlights the need for blockchain education.
Absence of Crypto-related Topics: The lack of crypto-related subjects in regular school materials underscores a gap in the conventional curriculum.
Accelerating Blockchain Adoption: Brazil’s government has been spearheading blockchain adoption, exemplified by:
the Ministry of Education (MEC) including blockchain in university’s curriculum,
the Universal Health System (SUS) vaccine database (ConecteSUS),
plans to launch a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC; Real Digital), and
the utilization of blockchain databases to enhance customs management in the Mercosul.
BnE recognized this gap and took the initiative to bridge it, providing teachers with curated and accessible educational material to teach about blockchain in the classroom.
The Early Days (Q1 2022)
The journey of BnE began with our Founder, Marcelo, going to the School Hilda Miranda in the city of Serra, Espírito Santo, to teach students about Web3 specifically focusing on its career prospects.
The interest of the students and the teachers confirmed the demand for such content, while also shedding light on the challenges of bringing blockchain technology to public schools.
The project acquired its first financial support from the Harmony Project X Grants, valued at $10K USD at the time. (We received instructions to retain the ONE 0.00%↑token instead of swapping it for a stablecoin, which unfortunately faced a steep decline in the first bump of the bear market. Within two weeks, the grant received dropped to $2K USD, then to $500.)
Before watching the grant turn to dust, Marcelo realized the need for a team and invited its friends Lucas (Dev) and Mariana (Lawyer) to join the endeavor.
Together, they created the project's website, non-permissioned online courses with NFT certification on the 101.xyz platform, and crafted the project's long-term vision.
However, as with any noble undertaking, the path to success was not without its challenges. Due to logistical reasons, the initial team had a brief existence, leading Marcelo to reevaluate the project's strategies and sustainability. But every setback was a stepping stone to greater achievements.
The Turning Point (Q4 2022)
The turning point came in the fourth quarter of 2022 when BnE's online courses achieved a significant milestone, generating 20,000 NFTs minted on the Polygon network through Open Sea.
This milestone caught the attention of Ariel, a seasoned Product Manager and TokenomicsDAO contributor, who joined forces with the project. Ariel's corporate background in prominent tech companies played a crucial role in re-imagining the project's approach toward a more scalable educational model.
Together, Ariel and Marcelo recognized the project's limitations and crafted a new proposal to apply for a grant from Prezenti, a venture capital fund associated with the Celo Foundation.
Celo, a carbon-negative, mobile-first, EVM-compatible blockchain ecosystem, has consistently demonstrated a dedication to empowering people and regions in need, aligning perfectly with BnE's mission of transforming education in public schools.
The Prezenti team provided invaluable support and information during the grant application process, propelling BnE forward with a generous $30K USD grant. Ariel assumed the role of the project’s Co-Founder and Coordinator, while Marcelo transitioned to an Advisor, and Verber joined as a Lawyer and Regional Leader for the Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais program.
This infusion of resources revitalized the project, accelerating its growth and impact.
A New Beginning (Q1 2023)
In the initial two months, our focus was on revamping our website and crafting a new pedagogical proposal tailored for schools in Salvador (capital of Bahia state, with the largest african descendants outside of Africa).
Ariel, an outsider to both the education sector and Salvador, initially underestimated the time required to introduce our content to schools. Engaging with school teachers and principals quickly highlighted the need to adapt to the school's calendar, which could become a problem considering the deadline of conducting workshops until mid-June (before the school's São João holiday).
By mid-March, despite promising contacts with Edvaldo Brandão, Escola Parque, and Zumbi dos Palmares schools, no workshops had been scheduled.
During this time, Ariel had the pleasure of meeting Alan, a MsC in Education from Bahia, who was in the final months of his doctoral journey.
Their first face-to-face encounter occurred in a meeting with the Secretaria de Educação of Bahia (the state’s Education Secretariat), where their synergy became evident.
Although we sensed that we weren't entirely ready to engage directly with the Secretaria, this meeting opened the doors of Centro Juvenil de Ciência e Cultura (CJCC), a school operating through workshops.
In our first meeting at CJCC, while waiting to meet the principal, Alan spontaneously entered a teacher's classroom. The teacher became a great partner for our project, and that's how our first activity unfolded.
On March 29th, we set up a stand for students at CJCC's Atividade Livre (Free Activity), where we began spreading the word about web3 in Salvador’s public schools.
Partnering for Growth: the Cripto Connect Event
In April, our team welcomed valuable additions - Ane, a Financial Analyst, and Will, a Designer, who originally created the BnE logo and visual ID in the project’s early days.
Ane streamlined our payment and financial management processes, while Will took charge of producing captivating social media content. Their unique skill sets complemented the existing team, infusing the project with fresh perspectives and expertise.
Shortly after, we formed a partnership with the Cripto Connect event, the largest web3 event in Northeast Brazil. This opportunity allowed us to connect with numerous projects within the ecosystem, leaving us brimming with excitement.
The exposure to the vibrant web3 community and the kind words from all participants invigorated us to continue pursuing space in public schools for our workshops.
The Cripto Connect event also marked our encounter with Thaisa Barros, who became our first ambassador. Thaisa, a digital influencer and tenured teacher, was genuinely amazed by our approach to education and has been instrumental in opening doors with impact entrepreneurs and public institutions in Bahia.
We ended the event on a very positive note by inviting some of our partner teachers to the event’s happy hour. We had a great time getting the community together for the first time.
Enthusiastic Progress
On April 29th, we were again presenting blockchain technology at a stand for students, this time during the Festival for Invention and Creativity (FIC). The festival, organized by Instituto Anísio Teixeira (IAT), focused on teacher’s continuous formation in the state of Bahia.
This was another amazing experience, where we connected with a lot of students, explaining how web3 works while fostering an important partner network.
During FIC, we had the pleasure of meeting Bahia’s vice-governor, Geraldinho, who showed a positive impression of the project. Ariel found a breach to speak with the vice-governor by handing him a crypto wallet’s secret phrase storage and saying “make sure to keep your crypto assets safe!” This encounter led to an unexpected invitation for Ariel and Thaisa to take a picture with him.
The Power of Community
Building Partnerships
The strong partnership we built with Junior Achievement Bahia played a pivotal role in opening doors to public schools in Salvador.
In May, BnE witnessed a transformation as things began falling into place. Our workshops flourished in various schools, sparking students' curiosity and enthusiasm for blockchain technology.
During the semester, we provided 19 workshops in Salvador and Lauro de Freitas, reaching over 400 students and 20 teachers across 6 schools.
The workshops received positive feedback, measured through an NPS of 56 and a workshop satisfaction evaluation of 79 (Top2Box). The Net Promoter Score (NPS) measured students’ likelihood to recommend BnE to their friends and family, whereas the Top2Box satisfaction measured the rate of promoters (respondents that evaluated our workshop with a 9 and 10) across surveyed students.
Blcktopia and Recicla Kids
Ariel and Alan were making a significant impact in local schools in the bustling city of Salvador. Meanwhile, our dedicated Lawyer and Regional Leader, Verber, was also busy making a difference in his hometown of Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais.
Under the name of his visionary project, Blcktopia, Verber formed a fruitful partnership with "Eu Amo Minha Quebrada," a commendable social initiative founded by Community Leader Julio "Fessô." This project was dedicated to providing education and various other beneficial programs for the community residing in the Morro do Papagaio favela.
Throughout the semester, Verber conducted a 4-class workshop, engaging a group of enthusiastic students from the community. In these sessions, he delved into the realms of the creator economy, decentralized finance (DeFi), and regenerative finance (ReFi), opening up new horizons of knowledge for the students.
Not stopping there, Verber took it upon himself to make a positive impact during the Environment Week. Through Blcktopia's partnership with Detrash, he sponsored the "Recicla Kids" recycling initiative. This was no ordinary recycling event; it was a unique opportunity for the children to learn about ReFi through practical engagement.
By utilizing the cRECY token, the kids were incentivized to collect plastic bottles and solid waste from their neighborhood. In return, they earned tokens that were later converted into funds to support the outstanding initiatives of "Eu Amo Minha Quebrada" in Morro do Papagaio.
Connecting with the Global Community
Amidst the whirlwind, we participated in our first Gitcoin round, extending the project's outreach beyond national borders and engaging with the global community.
The connections we made with projects worldwide were invaluable. We hosted two Twitter Spaces sessions from the SolarPunk Guild’s community radio, while also leading the exclusive “Web3 Social Brasil” for the Brazilian community.
Collaborating with diverse projects worldwide enriched BnE's offerings and fostered a vibrant exchange of ideas and perspectives. The campaign brought us an unexpected invitation to participate in the Hack On Chain hackathon, organized by a Warsaw-based company specialized in the field.
Securing a venue and rallying students proved to be hurdles, but with determination we formed an exceptional team that tackled the challenge of building a BnE DAO to democratize access to blockchain knowledge. This was the first hackathon these students participated in, and they were immensely grateful for the opportunity.
We had only 8 hours to build our solution, but despite the limited time, were able to build an interesting framework and you can see our pitch here. We’re also about to launch some making-of videos from the hackathon, so stay tuned to our Twitter and Instagram if you’re interested in knowing more about students’ experiences at the event.
Amidst the diligent efforts of our local team in Brazil, our Founder and Advisor, Marcelo Silva, embarked on a mission to spread the word far and wide, igniting enthusiasm for BnE at numerous events across Brazil, Latin America, and Europe.
Leveraging his position as the Co-Founder of ReFi Spring, Marcelo viewed these events as perfect opportunities to engage potential key partners and discuss the potential of BnE.
Marcelo journeyed from the vibrant Rio Crypto Hub in Brazil to the Ethereum SP event (Brazil) and Blockchain In Rio, and further to the enlightening ReFi Barichara in Colombia.
Taking his passion for BnE to Bogotá (Colombia), he attended the DevCon and Sustainable Blockchain Summit, The DAOist (Colombia), Gnosis (Lisbon), Solar Punk WoW (Austria), and Collaborative Finance (Austria).
These ventures served as invaluable platforms for forging connections that could pave the way for our project's international expansion and seamless integration into the thriving ReFi ecosystem.
As he traveled, Marcelo bonded with like-minded enthusiasts, experts, and visionaries worldwide, creating bridges that united us in a shared commitment to effecting positive change in the world.
The Journey Continues
Throughout our journey, we had the privilege of connecting with influential figures in education, further strengthening the project's vision and determination to remain at the forefront of blockchain education.
Alan was invited as a speaker for the Bahia Expo event, organized by the Brazilian Support Service to Micro and Small Companies (SEBRAE), a private company that fosters business development initiatives. This was a big milestone in our project’s reach.
An important connection emerged with Fernando Didier, a director of the Industry’s Social Service (SESI) Bahia, a school that specializes in technical workshops.
Fernando introduced us to his friend and director of Sustainability at the Industrial Portuary Complex of Suape, Pernambuco, Carlos “Cacá” Cavalcanti. This connection led to an engaging presentation on the topic of Regenerative Economies during the Environment Week event at the complex.
It comprises 17K hectares across industrial, portuary, services, cultural preservation and ecological preservation zones. There are over 80 companies within the complex, accounting for 18K jobs and R$75 Billion Reais (~$15B USD) in private investments.
We were thrilled to have the opportunity to provide our speech after some heavyweight academics and consultants in climate matters. We received a lot of compliments for bringing hope by presenting creative blockchain solutions to create regenerative systems. This event provided exciting possibilities for the future.
Expanding to Rio de Janeiro’s Morro do Chapadão
To wrap up the semester, we expanded our content to Rio de Janeiro’s Morro do Chapadão through our partnership with Educar+, a social movement focused on education in this favela.
This marked the first expansion of our workshops to another state with partner teachers, and the Educar+ team provided valuable feedback for content improvement and adaptation to social movement audiences.
Ekonavi: Tokenizing to Regenerate
In June, BnE participated in the launch event of the Ekonavi token within the Agroecological Circuit. This remarkable asset will serve as the driving force behind financing and catalyzing impactful environmental regeneration projects.
In Belo Horizonte, Verber actively participated in organizing the 2nd Edition of the Agroecological Circuit, held at Horta da Baixada in the vibrant Taquaril community. This unique urban garden serves as a haven for cultivating not only fresh, nutritious food but also an array of medicinal herbs and delightful seasonings.
Enthusiasm and engagement ran high during the events, as attendees participated in informative workshops and took part in planting seedlings. The potential of real-world assets’ tokenization was brilliantly explained by Ekonavi, showcasing how innovation could drive environmental impact in a number of ways.
As we look forward, our next mission is to extend these valuable initiatives to the school community. By involving them in workshops, planting activities, and enlightening discussions, we hope to unlock the true environmental potential that lies within blockchain technology. Together, we strive for a greener, sustainable future that benefits all.
Next Steps: Catalyst Teachers and Experimentalism
After a busy semester, we took some time to breathe and regroup. In July, we had our first in-person offsite, where we discussed a new governance framework to start decentralizing our organization.
During our conversations, we recognized the critical role of teachers as catalysts for change. By nurturing the idea of "Docente Catalisador" (Catalyst Teacher), we plan to leverage local talent to minimize costs and adapt the project to diverse communities.
We also have very ambitious plans for the second semester, but those will be subject to another article. What we can assure is that we’ll keep on experimenting to find educational models that can benefit students all across Brazil and, eventually, the Global South.
Conclusion
As the journey of Blockchain na Escola unfolds, it becomes evident that our impact is not limited to a single domain. BnE is not just changing the way blockchain is taught; it is changing the way students perceive and engage with technology. Our experience so far demonstrates the immense potential of blockchain technology in education.
With each passing day, BnE continues to inspire and gather momentum, touching the lives of countless students and educators. We’re super excited to be reaching beyond state borders and gaining recognition in the web3 ecosystem and the broader educational community.
By embracing challenges and forging partnerships, we believe BnE is cementing its position as a pioneering force in the realm of blockchain education.
A Shout Out to Our Partners
We don’t build anything alone and want to extend a big shout out to our ecosystem of partners, who have been instrumental to BnE’s success:
Prezenti (especially our main points of contact: Maya Richardson-Brown, Wade Abel and Aaron Boyd)
Celo Foundation (Camila Rioja, Head of LATAM, and Ewerton Lopes, Dev Advocate)
Monet du Plessis and Lawrence Koh for providing us with an Impact Gift (a personal gift from a member of the Ethereum Foundation)
Educar+ (Ana Caroline, President and CEO, Nilomar Jr., Economist and Teacher, Adalberto, teacher)
Lucas Pacheco, self-taught full-stack dev and creator of BnE’s original website
Thaísa Barros, BnE Ambassador and digital influencer
Detrash (Philipp Von Hauenschild, Founder)
Play4Change (Henrique Aragon, Co-founder)
Cripto Connect Community (David Costa, Founder)
Ekonavi (Breno, Founder)
AgroflorestDAO (Diogo, Founder)
Junior Achievement Bahia (Vinícius Santos, Education Lead, and Tainã Neves, Program Manager)
ReFaz (Co-Founders: Paulo Almeida, Founder of Stunning Green, Luísa Calixto, Cultural Director at Studio Krya, and Dayane Gonçalves, Founder of the Criptada newsletter)
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