Today, I had the opportunity to engage with 70+ students from diverse academic backgrounds at Tamale Technical University (TaTU) in an introductory session on blockchain and the Cardano ecosystem.
We started with the evolution of the web and gradually moved into blockchain fundamentals, exploring how distributed networks, transparency, security, and scalability are reshaping how we think about digital systems.
From there, we explored Cardano’s use cases, community, and impact, before concluding with an introduction to the Cardano Blockchain Certified Associate (CBCA) course.
The students were particularly excited about the possibilities of blockchain and the principles behind true decentralisation. Their questions, curiosity, and willingness to learn made the session especially engaging.
It was encouraging to see students from different technical disciplines recognising that blockchain is not just about cryptocurrency, but a technology with applications across industries.
The next generation of builders and innovators are already in our classrooms. We just need to give them the knowledge, tools, and opportunities to build.
First , congratulations for your work !! I really like whe I see initiatives like this , as you said I think too that the builders are in University classrooms , and yes , they need the right education content and tools and the oportunities to contribute to our ecosystem.
what do you think are the most difficult challenges to replicste initiatives like yours ? and what do you think is the next step for this 70 students , is the CBCA ? if yes , could you imaging the next steps after CBCA cetification ?
Again , congratulations my DMs are open to discuss if you want , have a great day !
Great initiative. A useful next step after the introduction could be a wallet-safety session covering self-custody, recovery phrase security, verifying download sources, and making a small test transaction. Those are often the points where beginners move from understanding blockchain to using it confidently. What questions did the students ask most often—wallet setup, acquiring ADA, staking, or building applications?
yes - students were intrigued about such a distributed cryptographic database that will provide the world with much more transparent, secured and immutable data management. One asked about the benefits of enrolling in CBCA and was answered. We are considering scheduling another session to dive into Cardano wallet creation, test transaction, staking, etc.
Aside Eternl, Verspr, wallets, you may recommend some native wallets we could introduce newbies to.
The session I had was an eye opener, like a newbie to crypto session to educate and inspire them with the potentials of blockchain and cryptocurrency.
while some expressed interest in taking CBCA, others had questions and so, I invited them to our community telegram chat group to share more opportunities, provide them with support on walleting, transacting, and staking, as well as providing FREE exam coupons to successful learners who are ready to take the CBCA exam, which will waive them the 99$ exam fees. the codes were provided us (ambassadors) by the Cardano Foundation and are valid until Dec. 2026.
the challenge is students find it difficult blending academics with such extra curricular activities, even though some could adopt to learn valuable life and work skills. however, it’s always slow when you invite students or newbies to take the course. few usually takes it serious and such are the enthusiastic people we usually spot, bring them closer to our team and mentor them to navigate the community well.
if you some ways support for our community, feel free to hit me up. you may catch all my meetup updates on chosenfintech.org
I really like this response to the important question raised by @Cristian_Jair_Rojas.
From my perspective, the biggest mistake would be to engage these students once and then leave them without a clear path forward. Since you already have them connected, this is a great opportunity to turn that initial interest into meaningful participation.
Start by introducing them to the fundamentals of Cardano, then help them discover how to navigate the ecosystem: community channels, the Cardano Forum, and other spaces where they can ask questions, exchange ideas, and learn from others. Most importantly, identify their interests and potential, then guide them toward relevant resources, communities, and opportunities where they can grow and contribute.
As part of the Membership and Community Committee, I would also encourage you to bring them into our MCC Check-In Office Hours, where they can ask questions, connect with the wider community, and gradually explore Cardano governance, including opportunities to participate through Intersect membership.
Onboarding should not end with introducing people to Cardano; the real value is helping them find their place within the ecosystem and a path to meaningful participation.
Thank you for the additional context. Since you asked for recommendations, for transparency, I’m affiliated with Gem Wallet. It is an open-source, self-custodial mobile wallet that supports holding, sending, and receiving ADA. It could be included when introducing beginners to basic mobile wallet use and self-custody.
Gem Wallet does not currently support ADA staking, so for that part of the session, Cardano-focused options such as Lace or Yoroi may be more suitable alongside Eternl and Vespr. Comparing a few wallets could also help students understand recovery-phrase safety, address verification, transaction fees, and the difference between custody and delegation.
yeah sure. You know sometimes you cannot just force an adult to make decision :). we provide the education, share links to free courses, forums, chat groups, etc …however, few follows up afterwards. and yes, i am already building an active community group from the large pool of participants so such group could be invited to MCC check-ins. lets chat more about this.
You are absolutely right. We regularly organize both in-person and online Cardano meetups in the DRC, and we have observed something very similar. Some participants become genuinely engaged and continue their journey, while others gradually lose interest.
What matters is to keep nurturing their curiosity about blockchain and introduce concepts progressively, without overwhelming them with topics beyond their current level of understanding. People often need time, guidance, and the right environment to discover where they fit within the ecosystem.
Please feel free to reach out if you would like to introduce them to Cardano governance as well. They can start with simple steps, including joining Intersect as individual members through the free membership option, and gradually deepen their involvement as their knowledge and confidence grow.
