Proof of Integrity on Optimism: Boosting Education and Empowerment in LatAm

[nicod]

Hi everyone! I’m Nico, a member of the Proof of Integrity team, this is my first post on the forum, and I would like to introduce the work we do.

Proof of Integrity is a non-profit Latin American initiative dedicated to fostering technological inclusion and creating real development opportunities for low-income youth in LatAm.

It all began with #aPRENDOcripto, our inaugural educational program that has already left its mark on over 300 individuals through 21 program editions. We’ve reached 9 cities across 3 countries (Argentina, Uruguay, and Honduras) and have ambitious plans for further expansion throughout Latin America.

#aPRENDOcripto is a free educational program focused on personal finances and blockchain. It is conducted in person within vulnerable neighborhoods, offering participants personalized support from teachers and mentors to enhance the learning experience. We firmly believe that this in-person, community-based approach guarantees a more profound and impactful engagement. As part of the program, we also teach about Optimism, providing participants with hands-on experience.

Post-graduation, our #comunidadAPRENDO initiative sustains impact through ongoing support and opportunities. We are making significant progress in establishing a vibrant network of graduates from #aPRENDOcripto, with a strong emphasis on Community, Training, and Employability.

The Community aspect of our program has been enhanced by incorporating gamification elements, fostering an environment of cooperative learning and engagement.

The Training pillar is being reinforced through #criptoIMPULSO, a ‘learn2earn’ program specially tailored for the #comunidadAPRENDO. This initiative equips our members with a comprehensive understanding of blockchain technology and digital literacy, enhancing their skill sets and employability. Furthermore, the program offers financial incentives on Optimism to participants as they deepen their knowledge

A significant outcome of our work is the ongoing integration of our graduates into the Optimism ecosystem, which brings value not only to the graduates themselves but also to the broader Optimism community. This integration introduces a wealth of unique experiences and perspectives, contributing to a more diverse and inclusive user base.

This is why we are actively developing a web3 platform on Optimism that will offer resources and support to the #comunidadAPRENDO.

We participated in RPGF 2, and with the tokens obtained, we decided to delegate our voting power to Joxes, a community member who is dedicated to advancing the development of Optimism. Furthermore, during the round, we organized 6 editions of the RetroPGF Projects Showcase, where 25 projects were able to share insights about their work and its impact on Optimism.

In the upcoming round, we will reapply for participation and will once again host the RetroPGF Projects Showcase, this time on the Optimism Discord server.

We invite all projects interested in participating to sign up using this FORM and seize the opportunity to showcase the work they do.

To learn more about Proof of Integrity, please visit our website at https://www.proofofintegrity.org/. Additionally, you can explore our Annual Report: Proof of Integrity - Annual Report - 2022_2023.pdf - Google Drive

[chuygarcia.eth]

There is a vast amount of information that @nicod is not disclosing, like he’s a co-founder of the grifting coup group forkdao, specialized in providing different communities in Latam (including the Seed/Kipu organizations) with fake presence and impact in order to amass more resources and voting power in the ecosystem using the “Latam” flag/label.

@nicod

with the tokens obtained, we decided to delegate our voting power to Joxes

Even admitting to re-directing these benefits to the Joxes/Seed delegation, these OP funds will innevitably end up benefiting only a handful of people in Latam that go their way. How is this not gaming the system among a few participants? It becomes even more evident when you see this post’s likes being a majority of the same organization members and not a wider diversity of collective members, resembling a traditional political party working for its traditional incentives rather than a real community.

Proof of Integrity, along with forkdao, L2 en Español, Seed Latam, ETH Kipu, its founders and many more organizations controlled by the same 3 people in Argentina should be investigated thoroughly, as its growth within the Optimism Collective while not disclossing several conflicts of interest is becoming alarming to many of us across Latam that have experienced first-hand the intimidation methods that come after questioning them.

To this date, the Seed/Kipu organizations have NOT addressed the serious allegations against them for:

• Conflicts of interest.
• The grooming of badgeholder nominees.
• The use of the “Latam” label and its unaccurate suggested representation to keep receiving grants controlled by a few people.
• The acknlowledgement of bullying, intimidation and harassment of people that publicly express these concerns.
• The use of forkdao as a front for simulating volume and impact.

Complaints in this forum have been filed for many of these offenses by @CryptoChica, @AxlVaz and other leaders, yet only a process against Carlos Melgar appears to be moved forward by the moderation for talking openly about the level of corruption in the Seed/Kipu organizations and how it’s affecting our smaller communities who do not share their centralized way of thinking and organizing. I’m having a hard time understanding how this isn’t going after a whistleblower, specially someone like @carlosjmelgar who’s work in Web3beach and Gitcoin has been widely praised by the whole ecosystem, not only the region, much less a single country. This is the true impact these organizations crave to appropiate, hence the harassment he’s been a target of.

We are not anonymous trolls, nor an organization. We are individuals from Latin America that have contributed greatly and in diverse ways to our communities, and who face the threat of an external organization vigorously trying to appropiate of our identity and work.

[FractalVisions]

Is there any rules for badge holders regarding project approval, voting & distribution of the Retroactive Public Goods Funding that states if they make a report of a violation of the code of conduct they are no longer allowed to participate in the vetting process due to conflict of interest ???

We have seen the badge holders discussing this in the discord and am now wondering what safeguards are put into place for such an event.

Even though reports are to remain anonymous.

It would only make sense that if badge holders are making code of conduct reports on individuals or projects they would also be reviewing for the approval process or voting on how the RPGF is being distributed then a conflict of interest would keep them from using their power to manipulate the system in this way.

Meaning that all parties involved with a report would loose the privilege to utilize their badge during the RPGF round. Further ensuring the process is fair for everyone in the community.

[tomerston]

Hi, I’m Tom, Executive Director of Proof of Integrity. We’d like to clarify that Proof of Integrity is an independent non-profit organization with its own mission and governance structure. We are dedicated to empowering underprivileged communities in Latin America through education on financial literacy and blockchain technology.

@chuygarcia.eth

Proof of Integrity, along with forkdao, L2 en Español, Seed Latam, ETH Kipu, its founders and many more organizations controlled by the same 3 people in Argentina

This statement is inaccurate. Proof of Integrity was founded by Michel Cohen, who operates an IT company unrelated to the crypto space, and as the Executive Director, I have no affiliations with any of the organizations mentioned. For transparency, our organizational structure is publicly available on our website for your verification: www.proofofintegrity.org.

To gain further insights into our work, methods, and impact, I invite you to watch our Community Calls. We hold these calls monthly to ensure we are accountable to our community. All recordings are publicly available for your reference at: https://www.youtube.com/@proofofintegrity

@chuygarcia.eth

To this date, the Seed/Kipu organizations have NOT addressed

This part of your message does not have anything to do with Proof of Integrity, it’s completely off-topic.

We remain steadfast in our mission to empower and uplift vulnerable communities in Latin America. We believe that Optimism holds significant potential as a tool for social impact in this regard. If you have specific questions about our work and objectives, we invite open and transparent dialogue.

[chuygarcia.eth]

@tomerston

This part of your message does not have anything to do with Proof of Integrity, it’s completely off-topic.

This thread was started by a member of Proof of Integrity that has favored these organizations by inflating their presence. These organizations have greatly favored Proof of Integrity in the past and it seems that it will continue to do so, as it helps centralizing more voting power in them.
I don’t think Proof of Integrity is a stranger to these conflicts of interest, that keep being ignored by all parties even though you’ve all benefited for scratching each others’ backs.

@tomerston

We remain steadfast in our mission to empower and uplift vulnerable communities in Latin America.

Throwing this “Latam” label around is exactly the same MO that Seed/Kipu maintains, even though all of the organization leaders are from just a handful of countries, not all of Latam.
You’ve raised significant amounts of money with this flag in the past, and this misrepresentation is a continuously growing problem that needs to be stopped and talked about.