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  SayClearly main page

SayClearly – Understand Everything

Inspiration

I am passionate about equality and inclusion. These are not just ideals, but everyday rights. In my work in urban and rural development, I often focus on the physical side of access: buildings, roads, infrastructure. But inclusion is not only physical. There is an invisible layer to society made of rules, letters, online forms, and bureaucratic systems. That layer is often much harder to navigate.

The idea for SayClearly came from experience. I once worked in a role where I spoke to many people who felt frustrated and confused by official texts. These weren’t uneducated or careless readers, they were simply overwhelmed by complex, formal, or technical language that didn’t consider their needs. I have also lived abroad and experienced the stress of settling into a new country. You are trying to build a new life, but face complicated paperwork, unclear procedures, and difficult communication. This is not a one-time issue. It is a daily reality. Letters, emails, websites, and the news can all be too difficult to follow. Everything becomes more frustrating and less accessible.

These moments made something clear. Understanding basic information should not be a struggle. SayClearly was built to help change that.

What it does

SayClearly is a simple website that helps people understand complicated text. Instead of translating between languages, it rewrites text into simpler, easier-to-read language while staying in the same language.

Users type or paste a piece of text into the input box. After clicking the Simplify button, the AI responds with a version that keeps the original meaning but is clearer, shorter, and easier to follow.

This tool is especially helpful for:

• People learning a new language
• Neurodivergent users such as those with ADHD, autism, or dyslexia
• Newcomers in a country dealing with unfamiliar systems
• Anyone who prefers plain, direct communication

The tone is friendly, respectful, and calm. Making things simple should never feel condescending.

How I built it

SayClearly was built using Bolt, which allowed for fast and flexible development during the hackathon. The interface was designed to be simple, mobile-friendly, and fully responsive. Every element, from the soft color palette to the smooth layout, was created with clarity and calmness in mind.

At the heart of the app is the Gemini API, which handles the main task: rewriting complex text into simpler, plain language. I created a carefully written prompt to guide the AI to be both accurate and compassionate in its rewrites. The input box captures the user’s original text, and after clicking the simplify button, the output appears just below. The output is easier to read, but with the same meaning. I also added a copy button, so users can easily take the result with them.

At the end, I deployed the website with Netlify, which allowed me to change the URL to reflect the name of my project!

Challenges I ran into

Writing a good prompt for the AI was more difficult than expected. The tool had to balance simplicity with accuracy. In early tests, the AI sometimes changed the meaning or became too informal. Fine-tuning the prompt took time and care. Another challenge was designing a layout that feels welcoming. Many users of SayClearly may already feel overwhelmed. I wanted the experience to feel calming and easy to use.

Accomplishments that I'm proud of

I am proud that SayClearly is not just an idea, it works. What started as a concept became a working, helpful tool that solves a real problem. Seeing long, complex messages become understandable is a reminder of why I built this. I am also proud of the tone and experience I created. SayClearly speaks with respect. It simplifies without ever talking down. I paid close attention to how each part of the app feels, from the words to the way it looks. On a technical level, I am proud of the prompt engineering behind the Gemini API integration. The results are clear, consistent, and helpful, and that’s not always easy to achieve. Using Bolt made it possible to bring this idea to life quickly, without sacrificing quality.

The best part? SayClearly shows how technology can be used to make the world more equal. It gives people access to information that might otherwise leave them confused or excluded.

What I learned

This was my first time creating something like this. I'm not a professional coder (I barely have any coding experience and certainly had never built a website before), and using Bolt helped me see how no-code and low-code tools can support meaningful ideas. It allowed me to focus on clarity and user experience instead of just writing code. It also gave me the chance to bring a heartfelt idea to life, something I'm truly grateful for, and proud of. I can now say I built my own website!

I also learned that even the simplest ideas can be hard to get right, and that’s okay. Creating an app that truly makes things easier takes care, thought, and iteration.

Besides, I discovered how important it is to balance technical performance with emotional tone. It’s not enough for an AI to rewrite a sentence; it needs to sound human, kind, and useful. Getting the Gemini API to do this consistently really was a learning curve!

Finally, I also learned how real this problem is. While testing, I tried texts from government websites, school communications, and news reports. Again and again, I was surprised at how hard these were to read. SayClearly reminded us why clear language matters, and how often it’s missing.

What's next for SayClearly

I want to keep building SayClearly into something even more useful. Possible next steps include:

• A browser extension that simplifies websites in real time
• Upload support for documents, screenshots, and PDFs
• A slider to control how much simplification is applied
• Partnerships with public services and nonprofit organizations

My long-term vision is a world where clear communication is the default. Everyone should feel respected, included, and informed.

Because when someone doesn’t understand the system they live in, it’s not just frustrating, it’s isolating. It can make you feel like the world wasn’t built for you. But it should be. SayClearly turns difficult texts into clear and simple language, and behind that is a deeper belief: Everyone deserves to understand. Everyone deserves to belong.

Built With

• bolt
• geminiapi