Developing a Digital Crowdfunding Platform for Student Empowerment in Higher Institutions: Insights from AE-FUNAI
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63561/jca.v2i3.833Keywords:
Crowd-funding, Wisdom of the Crowd, AE-FUNAI, Student-led Initiatives, CampaignsAbstract
Crowdfunding has emerged as a powerful tool for financing innovative ideas across various sectors. However, student-led initiatives, particularly within higher education institutions in Nigeria, often lack access to dedicated funding platforms tailored to their unique needs. This paper presents the design and implementation of a crowdfunding platform tailored to support student-led initiatives at Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike (AE-FUNAI). The platform addresses the financial challenges faced by students in securing resources for their projects, providing a structured and transparent way for students to raise funds, manage donations, and connect with supporters. Developed using agile principles and cutting-edge technologies such as Laravel 10, Vue.js, MySQL, Git, and Docker and Stripe API, the platform ensures user authentication, project management, and secure payment processing. Through data-driven insights and iterative development, the platform is positioned for long-term success, fostering an adaptable and user-centred design that evolves with the needs of AE-FUNAI students. This study demonstrates the potential of crowdfunding platforms to empower student innovation and entrepreneurship in higher education institutions.
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