Dream Sponsor

Inspiration

40% of the world population subsists on less than 2 dollars a day (World Bank 2010). Child poverty can last a lifetime, passed from one generation to the next, with broader social and economic implications. (United Nations, 2015).

What it does

Our project aims to help children escape chronic poverty by providing a transparent and trackable sponsorship process, developing strong connections between sponsors and children, and encouraging the transmission of such acts. There are two ways to sponsor a child: selecting children based on their needs and dreams, which increases interpersonal connection, or letting children select sponsors with a letter of "why I chose you" attached.

How we built it

We first researched world poverty and its impact, especially on children. And then, we conducted two interviews with one potential sponsor and one experienced sponsor. We asked them what would make them donate and what problems they faced. We found that sponsors care about the authenticity of the financial situation, how hardworking these children are, and whether they will pass on such caring acts to the next. Then we came up with solutions to address those needs and issues. We built Dream Sponsor by Figma, designed a prototype of such a platform that can help connect children and sponsors and make the whole sponsorship process transparent.

Challenges we ran into

We were struggling with whether users should find children in need by different filters or not. It may cause ethical issues such as inequality and personal biases. For example, children are difficult to identify who they want to be at a very early age, and those without a clear goal may not show up in the "Help by Dreams" filter. To address this problem, we came up with the "Longest Waiting" filter and "Let Children Choose You" functions. Also, we added a "Girl Empowerment" filter to help girls in poverty who may face early marriage and birth.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We got high praise feedback from one of our interviewees. The experience sponsor said they really need such a platform because they are now facing difficulties connecting with children in need and having a clear idea of how the sponsorship actually helps.

What we learned

We learned that a considerable number of children are suffering from poverty and are deprived of education. And the impact of such misfortune also exceeds our previous knowledge. Such as, girls may leave school for marriage and have their first child at a very young age. Helping such children can let them take control of their own lives and achieve well-being.

What's next for Dream Sponsor

We will work on the information security and authenticity verification process to ensure the reliability of Dream Sponsor and secure the human rights of both children and sponsors. If any organizations are willing to cooperate, we hope Dream Sponsor can actually help more children get educated and pass these caring acts to the next generation.