Fuelling creativity

Four undergraduate students of Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology (Ruet) recently launched a crowdfunding platform, kandaribd.com.

The platform will collect funds under three categories -- save a life: for those who need financial assistance for treatment; student project: to help and promote innovations and ideas of the youth; and change a life: to contribute and make someone financially independent.

Prof M Rafiqul Islam Sheikh, vice-chancellor of Ruet, launched the website at the central cafeteria on the campus.

Crowdfunding refers to an idea where a large number of people donate money as per their wish to raise a certain amount to implement a single project. This is done online via a website or a web platform.

“This is not the first crowdsourcing platform in the country. Many did not live long. We have devised ours to ensure that it's sustainable and helpful,” Wakil Ur Rahman, chief operating officer (COO) of the platform and a final year student of mechanical engineering department, said.

The platform will raise funds for those who need immediate financial assistance, especially on medical grounds, he said, adding that it will collect profiles of patients referred by doctors, and publish their appeals for help on the website after verifying their financial conditions.

The platform will also help raise funds for the creative and innovative young change-makers, Wakil added.

Talking about challenges, kandaribd.com's Chief Executive Officer Bokhtiar Hossain Pallab said one of the major hurdles they faced was gaining people's trust in the website.

The final year student of mechanical engineering department said they have tried to maintain transparency so that donors can see and know what they are funding.

Donors will receive follow-up emails regarding their donations from the website.

Adil Reza and Ahsan Uzzaman -- both final year students of computer science and engineering department -- are the chief technological officers of the platform.