Reflections of Graduates of Binance-Utiva Blockchain for Women Bootcamp
Main Takeaways
Binance hosted an eight-week-long Blockchain for Women Bootcamp in collaboration with Utiva that began in March 2022.
Apart from blockchain basics, lesson topics spanned various topics, from smart contracts to different analytical approaches.
Hear what some of our recent graduates have to say about the program.
Learn about Binance’s Blockchain for Women Bootcamp through the eyes of our first graduating cohort! Find out what inspired them to join, their favorite topics, and more.
Happy International Literacy Day!
Today is a day that is very close to our hearts – Binance believes that education is the cornerstone of success, and we take it upon ourselves to provide resources and learning opportunities as a leader in the crypto space. In celebration of this global observance, we’re looking at our impact on advancing the crypto and tech literacy agenda.
This year’s theme, Transforming Literacy Learning Spaces, coincides with our efforts to make crypto learning inclusive for all through both online and offline platforms. In March 2022, we kickstarted the Blockchain for Women Bootcamp in collaboration with Utiva to bring more women in Africa into the crypto literacy space.
We’re proud to announce that our very first cohort has completed the bootcamp after eight weeks of challenging blockchain topics and a demo day presentation.
To encourage others on their own learning journey, we asked some of our recent graduates to share their experiences and hard-won wisdom from the bootcamp.
How did you learn about the Blockchain for Women Bootcamp?
Many of our students learned about the Blockchain for Women Bootcamp through social media. Some students saw messages on the Telegram and WhatsApp groups they were in, while others heard about it through friends or family. Some Binance users also received word about the program through an email we sent and some students caught wind of the bootcamp through LinkedIn.
Potential learners can also hear about educational programs even if they’re not already following relevant crypto channels. One learner, Damilare, came across the program through a WhatsApp status, proving that social media can be a powerful tool for learning opportunities to spread through word of mouth.
Applications for the Blockchain for Women Bootcamp flooded in from March 8 to March 16, 2022, reflecting the number of eager learners out there. Among the 3,000 applicants, 300 of them were selected to participate in the bootcamp.
You can build your own crypto literacy space and stay informed by subscribing to our email or following our Twitter, Telegram, Facebook, and Instagram channels.
What or who inspired you to join the program?
“I have always wanted to learn about blockchain; this made me dive into programming (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) so I could be a blockchain developer. Upon seeing the email from Binance, I realized it was related to what I was aspiring to be. So I decided to join the program.” – Esther Nwanagu, 24
The bootcamp was filled with young, ambitious women who knew what they wanted and which steps to take to achieve it. Apart from Esther, there were many aspiring developers and tech specialists who were motivated to take part in the bootcamp to gain industry-specific skills and knowledge.
Some investors-in-the-making, like Zainab Usman and Uba Chiamaka Agatha, took the responsible first step and used the bootcamp as a structured way to do their own research before venturing into crypto with their funds. Zainab plans to join the blockchain industry to make an impact, especially in areas where she can help other women. Uba also plans to enter the crypto space as it’s “filled with various kinds of opportunities”.
Others, like Nneka Nzekwe, were inspired to learn more about crypto thanks to friends who were already in the space. Having a strong community of positive influences and like-minded people to inspire you is one way to pursue knowledge in the long term. Not only can you bounce ideas and opinions off them, but you can also build together as a team.
Which topic or lesson did you find most impactful?
“My favorite lessons were the first few lessons from Mr Tosin. He taught us that we can be anything we want in the blockchain space and that there are limitless opportunities.” – Zainab Owolabi
The diverse lessons ranged from blockchain fundamentals to analytical approaches, and benefited the women in different ways. Amanwaachi Teresa, 22, describes the bootcamp concisely as “the nitty gritty of the blockchain industry”.
During the bootcamp, Zainab Owolabi adopted an important philosophy from one of the trainers – as long as you possess creativity, the potential to create in the blockchain space is endless. Thanks to the diverse array of tools provided by the crypto community, there are tons of ways to participate in creating. Some examples are software for token creation, token deployment, and smart contract creation.
Token creation and deployment was a subject of interest for Nneka Nzekwe and Nwokocha Benardine Ijeoma, who now know how to create their own coins. As Nwokocha is someone who is “thrilled by the solution-providing nature of blockchain”, we are eager to see what Nwokocha is going to achieve after graduating from this bootcamp.
A number of our students, including Uba, Abunumah Emuobor, Muna, and Mojirayoonoba were positively impacted by the lessons on smart contracts and the Ethereum Virtual Machine, which is used to execute smart contracts. Peace Imalenjaye also enjoyed the lesson on deploying smart contracts using Remix.
Smart contracts are lines of code designed to be automatically enforced once pre-determined conditions have been met. We often think of them as the building blocks for blockchain applications. As such, it’s no surprise that 24-year-old Mojirayoonoba, who said that “Web3 industries are fast-evolving and I want to be part of that progress”, found the lesson on smart contracts deeply impactful.
Are you planning to join the blockchain industry? If so, why?
“Yes. Blockchain is the future, and there are many opportunities still untapped.” – Faith Omaka
Apart from Faith, Precious Sobowale-Davies, Olajide Esther, and Mercy Ajiboye — among other graduates — are motivated to join the Web3 space. Besides the prospect of earning money through trading, they agree that the emerging tech is the future.
22-year-old Alabi Mercy Eniola is eager to start her blockchain journey, saying, “Binance Blockchain for Women has given me everything I need to kick-start a career in tech.” In addition to picking up technical and basic knowledge about blockchain and crypto, she also learnt the value of staying resilient in the face of challenging blockchain bumps. Through her determination, she was able to create her own coin for a practice assignment even without prior knowledge of smart contracts or Solidity.
In fact, as tech enthusiasts, most of our recent graduates are planning to enter the industry early to gain an edge because they recognize the potential of blockchain and crypto. As a graduate of the Binance Blockchain for Women Bootcamp sums up succinctly, “The world is gradually moving into the Web3 space, and I don’t want to be left out.”
Not all our students intend to join the crypto workforce, however. Anu, 23, joined the bootcamp solely to gain a deeper understanding of the space to make informed investing decisions. Through the classes, the crypto beginner acquired applicable knowledge on token fundamentals and coin analysis techniques. We hope that structured lessons provided by us can help beginners like Anu gain confidence in crypto trading and investing.
Regardless of whether our students plan to contribute to the industry, it’s clear that the bootcamp has allowed them to chase financial freedom at their own pace.
Congratulations, Graduates!
Binance would like to extend our warmest congratulations to all the students who took the first step towards their blockchain learning journey. While we provided the literacy space for you, you were definitely the ones who made these lessons possible with your effort and passion.