As we survey our surroundings, it becomes apparent that individual lives are increasingly sidelined in the grand narratives that unfold before us on our screens. The compelling stories that resonate with the average person often seem to exist on a scale that transcends any one individual’s influence — The vast tales of economies, nations, and corporations can sometimes feel overwhelming, or too immense for a single person to effect real change. However, this viewpoint does not reflect the authentic story of the world, nor does it encapsulate our potential as individuals.
Many readers of this blog are likely to believe in the pivotal (possibly even transformative) role that the Ethereum protocol can play in those grand narratives. If this is the case, we must question: Who are the protagonists in our story?
We strive to comprehend Ethereum through the perspectives of the individuals who use it as a tool for collaboration. By uncovering the context and subtleties of human experiences, we can realign ourselves toward a shared vision of the future and better equip ourselves to achieve it.
Today, we’re excited to introduce five individuals with unique stories who will be embarking on their Next Billion Fellowship at the Ethereum Foundation. These remarkable individuals are exceptionally qualified, yet they represent merely a fraction of the talented people working to address some of humanity’s most pressing coordination challenges. We hope their journeys will reflect the true essence of the Ethereum community and inspire how this open protocol could potentially transform the lives of billions.
Fellows Cohort #3
Brian
Brian Limiardi champions financial inclusion in Indonesia as a co-founder of Copra Finance. While personal loans may be accessible through traditional banks, numerous scenarios exist where the only source for business loans is informal lenders (often akin to loan sharks). For individuals opting to work and invoice in cryptocurrency, obtaining even basic legacy financial instruments like personal or small business loans can be challenging. During his Fellowship, Brian aims to investigate the needs and realities of the expanding demographic of workers and small enterprises utilizing crypto for invoicing and bookkeeping.
Devansh
Devansh Mehta, co-founder of VoiceDeck, is keen on charting the public good impact landscape. While impact methodologies and markets connected to environmental use cases are well-explored, the concept of ‘impact’ can veer into more subjective areas: Take investigative journalism, which undeniably constitutes a public good. How can the genuine contributions of journalists be recorded and valued to fit within appropriate funding frameworks? Devansh intends to collaborate with citizen journalism newsrooms to delve into impact documentation methodologies using the hypercerts standard, aiming to establish a viable retroactive funding mechanism for positive social results.
Masa
Masahiro “Masa” Fukuhara aspires to instill the philosophy of ONGAESHI, (恩返し, “To return a favor”) within the education sector. ONGAESHI DAO is investigating methods of retroactive solidarity payments in education and employment. During his Fellowship, Masa and fellow ONGAESHI DAO team members will draw insights from pilot initiatives where contributors to educational public goods—such as funders and teachers—are rewarded when businesses hire their graduates.
Mulenga
Mulenga Kapwepwe co-founded the Women’s History Museum of Zambia. Numerous African artifacts reside in museums globally, yet seldom do these items establish a genuine connection with the communities and peoples who created them. For her Fellowship, Mulenga is collaborating with the Zambian web3 community to develop a tokenized artifact registry, experimenting with museum revenue-sharing models for community documentation of art, customs, and crafting practices still embraced by the descendants of those represented in museums worldwide. Although the artifacts may not return to their homelands shortly, this represents a small but significant step toward closing a centuries-old gap of ownership.
Valeriia
Valeriia “Ria” Panina is an expert in user experience and serves as an advisor to Ukraine’s Ministry of Digital Transformation. The ongoing war in Ukraine has highlighted that creativity and resilience in human coordination are crucial. When recognizing the potential of protocols like Ethereum during such turbulent times, a practical approach proves essential. Throughout her Fellowship, Ria will investigate the actual drivers and barriers to cryptocurrency adoption and other decentralized applications among everyday users in order to map emerging use cases and user behaviors in Ukraine.
(dev)Connect with Fellows
In the coming six months, each fellow will advance a small project that aligns with broader objectives in their narrative. Their Fellowship stories will be unveiled over 2023 on this blog, but there will be additional chances to engage and discover more about their projects. If you, esteemed reader, are keen to learn about the fellows and their endeavors, consider joining us at devconnect in Istanbul, particularly at the Next Billion World Café event, and meet us in person!
To the numerous applicants of the Next Billion Fellowship cohort 3 who were not selected, we appreciate your willingness to share your stories, and we’re grateful to know you’re out there innovating, constructing, researching, and shaping the future of human coordination.
Subscribe for updates about the Next Billion Fellowship here!
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