For months, senior Tanvika Vedam has thought about the education system in India.

Vedam began investigating how to improve India’s school system after realizing her own personal connection.

“My dad, when he was younger, had trouble with his schooling, because his family was kind of poor, and they lived in a village,” Vedam said. “So that was one part. And second, I actually visited the school when I went to India last, and I really liked the environment there. And so it just kind of resonated with me.”

Through her research, Vedam uncovered different factors that contribute to the issue of education in India. She was then able to tailor a solution for the problem.

Vedam made a GoFundMe that people can donate to which helps support students in India. Along with the GoFundMe, she created a one-minute video that helps explain why it’s important to donate.

“My artifact focuses more on one school specifically, that provides education to children of construction workers,” Vedam said. “They provide literacy skills, basic hygiene skills, and they also provide food and safety away from the construction sites that they would usually be at.”

Despite now having a vision for her artifact, Vedam still initially struggled to find a specific plausible solution.

“Originally, my idea was to use solar panels, and other technologies to provide online education, because of COVID and stuff,” she said. “But I was thinking way too big and broad, one: that costs a lot of money, and two: it’s unreliable in the villages because people use the technology for things other than school.”

Vedam hopes to raise $20,000 through her GoFundMe.

“[Raising money] feels good, but I’m hopeful we can raise more because the more we raise the more children we can help,” Vedam said.