?? Our Journey at the Power Learn Project Hackathon: FundMyFuture - A Social Justice Initiative

Over the past two weeks, I had the incredible opportunity to participate in a hackathon organized by Power Learn Project, which focused on the theme of Social Justice. My team and I came together to tackle a vital issue: education accessibility and financial inequality. I am excited to share that our platform, FundMyFuture, not only made an impact but also secured 4th place among many talented teams!

?? What is FundMyFuture?

At its core, FundMyFuture is an education financing platform designed to bridge the gap between students who need financial assistance and sponsors who are willing to support their educational journey. It aligns with the broader theme of social justice by ensuring that financial constraints don't hold students back from accessing quality education, regardless of their background.

Here’s how it works:

• Students can apply for financial support by detailing their needs and goals.
• Sponsors can browse through student profiles, view the details of their applications, and contribute to the education of future leaders.
• The platform is transparent, secure, and aims to foster a community-driven approach to supporting education.

?? My Role: Frontend Web Developer

As a Frontend Web Developer, I was responsible for building the user interface that connects students and sponsors in a seamless experience. Using React, Tailwind CSS, and Axios for API calls, I developed a clean, intuitive, and responsive dashboard where students can easily apply for funding and sponsors can monitor their contributions.

Key features include:

1. Student and Sponsor Dashboards: Allowing users to view and track their applications and contributions.
2. Application Forms: Simple, user-friendly forms to ensure that students can apply for funding with ease.
3. Data Visualization: We integrated Recharts to display real-time stats for contributions, making the experience engaging for sponsors.
4. Security and Authentication??: Security was a priority for us. We integrated JWT (JSON Web Tokens) for secure authentication and built backend APIs using Flask. The backend handles user registration, login, and secure communication between the frontend and the database.

?? Our Achievement

After two intense weeks of coding, brainstorming, and teamwork, I am proud to announce that FundMyFuture was ranked 4th in the competition! The recognition we received reaffirmed our belief in the importance of leveraging tech to drive social justice.

?? A Big Thank You to My Team!

This success would not have been possible without my amazing teammates, who brought their skills and energy to this project:

Nomcebo Mthembu – UX/UI designer who ensured that our platform was user-friendly and engaging.

Nicole Kogei – Project coordinator and strategist who helped us stay focused on our goals and timelines.

?? What’s Next?

The journey doesn’t end here. We believe FundMyFuture has the potential to be expanded into a real-world solution, addressing the gaps in education financing across underserved communities. I’m excited to see where this project takes us in the future!

?? Key Takeaways

Social Justice Through Tech: Tech can be a powerful tool in addressing inequalities, especially in education.

Teamwork is Key: Every member's contribution, no matter how small, plays a critical role in the project’s success.

Hackathons are More Than Just Competitions: They offer a unique space to grow, innovate, and collaborate with others.

I’m deeply grateful for the experience, the learning, and the new friendships I gained during this hackathon.

If you’d like to know more about FundMyFuture or collaborate on future projects, feel free to reach out!??

FundMyFuture Landing Page - MVP

Student Dashboard - MVP

Sponsor Dashboard - MVP

#Hackathon #FundMyFuture #SocialJustice #TechForGood #EducationForAll #Teamwork #Innovation