The NEAR Foundation is ecstatic to announce the establishment of the Kenya Regional Hub in collaboration with Sankore, a Kenyan NEAR Guild. The Kenya Regional Hub will help to advance block chain technology, education, and development talent throughout Africa.
The hub will host events, operate a training school and incubator, and be a pillar of the Sankore Bounty community, overseen by Sankore creator Kevin Imani and a core staff of four employees.
Kevin Imani adds, “We are happy to be collaborating with NEAR to educate and grow brilliant individuals into world-class blockchain coders.” “Our ambition is to be at the forefront of blockchain innovation, providing answers to Africa’s most pressing issues.”
This hub empowers tomorrow’s finest developers to design custom solutions with transparency, security, and scalability.
Kickstarting the Kenyan Regional Hub
The newest Kenyan Regional Hub didn’t just appear. The Sankore-led NEAR Meets were already venues for locals learning about blockchain and the NEAR protocol. These events allowed locals and the NEAR community to network.
A NEAR-Certified Engineer recently assisted local Kenyan developers in becoming NEAR-Certified. The hub’s academic arm has so far registered 77 students for NEAR Certified Developer Seminars. Seven additional students are in NEAR Certified Analyst program, and six are NEAR developers.
Africa’s blockchain developments
As a Kenyan incubator, Sankore will help the Kenya Regional Hub get off to a fast start.
Sankore gained local popularity by backing innovative blockchain projects. A recent locust invasion in Kenya, for example, has helped Kilimo Shwari support local farmers. That’s why Kilimo Shwari’s intelligence contract-based insurance cover automatically rewards farmers in advance.
Ledja, a Sankore-backed organization, combats document forgery across Africa. Ledja is using the NEAR protocol to scan and verify credentials and legal papers.
Africa’s increasing use of crypto
Africa has experienced a rapid tech transformation during the last decade. Between July 2020 and June 2021, the continent’s crypto adoption rose 1,200 percent, the world’s quickest.
“We are thrilled by the potential pathways for blockchain solutions across Africa,” comments Marieke Flament, NEAR Foundation CEO. “This center offers a unique chance to partner with homegrown talent not only for current opportunities but also for future potential.”
Onboarding into NEAR’s quick, low-cost, and secure ecosystem is straightforward with the Kenya Regional Hub. NEAR has DeFi initiatives, NFT marketplaces, DAOs, and others. These exciting NEAR ecosystem projects will help unleash the next generation of Web3 innovation.
NEAR Foundation invests extensively in global regional centers. Kenya now joins an increasing list of hubs in China, the Balkans, China, and Ukraine. NEAR Hubs are run by brilliant local businesses and are aligned with the foundation’s vision and goals.
Induction of program users into the NEAR ecosystem is critical for building a multi-chain and open web future.
