The History of WAfrica Smart Media Community (@wafrica) - by @surfyogi Mar 2019

The History of WAfrica Smart Media Community (@wafrica)

• by Surfyogi (@surfyogi Mar 2019 on Steem Blockchain)

INSPIRATIONS -

Thanks goes out to everyone that talked to me about Steem in 2017 and early 2018, encouraging me to be more active on the Steem blockchain. The bull run was in full swing; it was a lot to take in, and I felt I could start to put some money down and share with others that could really make a difference, anywhere in the world.

@ackza had describe some brothers in Ghana that had many good ideas about advertising Steem, and I was considering that as one option, but I knew the whole thing was still very experimental and not ready yet for that big of a hurdle. On-ramping to Steem at that time was so bad, sometimes taking weeks, and was in many ways the ultimate barrier to mass adoption.

Then I met @prettyjules158 when Zach pointed out she was doing Great Works, giving out food to refugees of civil war in Nigeria. I was really stunned. We don’t see things like this on western television, we don’t see African refugees living on the streets, begging for food, living at shelters at the Mission in Benin City.

I had been talking to @gloglo and considering what a blockchain NGO would look like; and why it would be so much more trusted than any kind of charity we work with today. With an open ledger, and publishing the Proofs of their Works with donations given, it seemed to me a new opportunity to help Africans aid their own self, and bootstrap a whole new world of creative possibilities.

In exchange we could pitch for Steem community support; with big donors lining up to finally have a good place to see their extra coin be put toward saving lives. Living in the USA, I know for a fact there are many that die without inheritors, and it would be great to see them thinking about blockchain NGOs as their first choice to leave it all to...

GOALS -

It seemed most of the people I was meeting living in Africa lived in either Ghana or Nigeria, looking over a map I realized this is West Africa, not near Kenya (which I was more familiar with, as well as Egypt). West Africans from these countries speak English, and the people I was meeting have strong schooling in the main city areas, thus excellent communication skills. I was curios about everything, including why their internet connections are not better in Lagos, and what kinds of phones and computers whey were using.

But mostly I was curious about the women I was meeting. Strong, beautiful, proud, excellent conversations, when their phones worked correctly!

For a fellow Steemian, no price seemed too much if they are participating so strongly; I would occasionally take profits from my upvote bidbot (@edensgarden) and buy an African person a phone, or a PC. Completely unsolicited, I considered this a scholarship fund (if a person was in school still) or an Entrepreneurial Boost, if the person was looking to start their own business.

1. Scholarships - invite only, show us what you got!
2. Entrepreneurial Boost - Pitch your idea after following @wafrica and use the #wafrica tag
3. Charitable Acts - see below
4. Best content out of WAfrica -
5. Onboard new Steem users, as well as other social media DAPPs

Feeding the hungry, schooling the poor, housing the orphans. All these things have come up since, and a year later, we find ourselves concerned and working with these agencies, looking for ways we can integrate these goals with our other mission, to make a living for ourselves while helping others publish great content, and assisting the networks to grow.

The mechanisms to do so independently are still not organized and I hope we have a new push in 2019 to make other’s aware: Steem is a great blockchain, there are numerous ways you can make a difference on Steem.

At the same time, we can span across any number of social media accounts, and make our presence known to the world in no uncertain terms, on many blockchain social media coming into existence now.

Thanks goes out to @fundition, @fatherfaith and @steemhelpinghand whom we have so graciously worked with in the past, we look forward to a new year and a great uptick in the markets soon 😉

SMART MEDIA COMMUNITY (SMC) -

What does SMC mean exactly?
Using the core principles of the DAC/DAO, we assume we can govern ourselves pragmatically and literally. Jobs are taken and assumed, rather than being auditioned or applied for via Resumes.

An SMC is a publishing body, that also uses a governance model where by all actions are by volunteers, and we join hands together to create a new social entity where we create the rules and do not leave this to others. Unlimited by any one blockchain, it is paramount that a vision be followed that allows growth across tools, across blockchains, across social media in general; with the hope we are well PAID, thru participation in many different societies as a gathering place where we can form alliances and meet new friends as we do our work.

Thus we plan to have any number of driving patterns working for us, adding value to our great community daily. If it be great writers, Vloggers, charitable ventures, random acts of kindness, artists and fashion, models and photographers. And using the WAFRO token to drive much of this.

We remain open minded to the many possibilities, PITCH US!

ACCOMPLISHMENTS -

WAfrica Followers: 6872 (on March 23, 2019)

• How many people have we paid out to in the last year?

In the last 31 days, @wafrica has paid out to over 150 authors, using the #wafrica tag.

From the Steem Rewards Pool, we have the following statistics:

Thanks to @semasping

Author Rewards:

Entire past year: 1010 SBD, 676 STEEM, and 1410 Steem Power
Top Month: Aug 2018, @wafrica paid out: 290 Steem Power, 254 STEEM, and 17 SBD to authors.

Curator Rewards:

• 974 Steem Power in one year,
• Apr 2018 with 115 Steem Power paid to our curators, was the top month.

NETWORK -

Our community network is growing monthly, I think with a pickup in Steem prices and some advertising they are ready to onboard large number, it will really take off! (No idea when this will actually be…)

Meanwhile, it is possible that MEOS will eclipse Steem blockchain someday, on the EOS blockchain. We are open to this possibility and are poised and ready should it come to pass.

FAVORITE MEMORIES -

After starting ARTzone, I realized the same community model would work well for an Africa Curation community, we could use as a basis to start Good Works in Nigeria and Ghana where the members lived. I wanted a way to join across government boundaries and demonstrate we had found unity in ourselves, to build outside of states, a new way of thinking about the world and ourselves.

Talking with @mcsamm, @lordjames, @nmalove, knowing we had found the people that would help us kick off 2018 in grand style; we were all very excited by the potential. Everyone has bills to pay; maybe I was too persuasive in my arguments for everyone to simply quit their jobs and come help us?!

No matter, so many great people involved, we are going for SOMETHING DIFFERENT> We do not start with a DAPP< we start with a Community account, and a mission and some goals, an airdrop of a token, and officers, some content and a DREAM. TO THIS END, we will develop DAPPs, and tools to aid ourselves and many other Communities on Steem blockchain and others!

JuleitIsrael - many lessons from this princess of social, thank you for all your great works and helping me understand your immense world.

LordJames - Took on Steem and WAfrica communities with no holding back; your energy is a lifeline of support

PrettyJules158 - Random Acts of Kindness and guiding us through our first attempts at integration with @fundition, thanks

Chiama - So many great promotional videos, thanks for all your participation and kindness

Misrori - Amazing technical achievements and it’s been so fun, looking forward to another year

FatherFaith - Great to meet you at the SIN2 Conference in Abuja, hope to work with you on many Great Works this year

McSamm - thank you again for your guiding light and immense heart, helping everyone with great passion and determination

JeaniePearl - Always there for us! So many great ideas from you, thank you for your help with KARMA

MediaHousent - So reliable and hard working, you are an insprition to us all, please help us make our parties and gatherings the best!

Jacobite - Always great graphics and artwork across our communities, thank you so much (see below)

Officers and Directors

• @lordjames - General Director
• @nmalove - Finance Minister
• @mcsamm - Guest Authors Director
• @misrori - Technical Director
• @chiama - Promotions Director

Curators:

• @gee1
• @prettyjules
• @jeaniepearl
• @mediahousent - Master of Ceremonies / DJ
• @julietisrael