The problem StudentGrants solves

African students, especially those from Nigeria, often face financial barriers to education and career development. Traditional funding processes are time-consuming, inaccessible, or hard to verify. Additionally, the limited reach of reliable student verification hinders fair and secure fund distribution. Our platform streamlines this by offering a direct way for students to request, verify, and receive grants in PYUSD. Through integration with Easelite's student verification API, we ensure that only genuine students gain access, reducing the risks of fraud and misallocation.

Challenges I ran into

Verification Limitations: The Easelite API primarily verifies students in Nigeria, limiting our ability to serve a broader range of African students.

Blockchain Integration Complexity: Implementing Solana's Token 2022 extension for seamless PYUSD transfers required intricate coding and testing, especially around wallet connections and secure transaction handling.

User Interface Development: Ensuring a simple, user-friendly interface for students to apply and connect their wallets, especially for those less familiar with blockchain.

Grant Approval Workflow: Designing a straightforward, transparent process for grant application and approval that minimizes bureaucracy while maintaining security.