MADAGASCAR, — Taylor Richardson is known for her crowdfunding efforts at home, but this time around she's making a global impact.
Innovators and crowdfunders around the world are combining their efforts to build 3D printed schools in one of the poorest countries in the world, Madagascar.
"I partnered with them to make sure people have access to education here and there and make sure we're not just thinking about our community intimately, but also nationally and globally, and our neighboring countries,” Richardson said. “I wanted to be a part of this because I believe so passionately in education and equal access to education."
Richardson, a graduate of The Bolles School in Jacksonville, is now in college at Spellman. In-between classes, she continues to raise funds for numerous causes. In partnership with the social giving app, Have a Nice Day, and the non-profit, Thinking Huts, Richardson has helped to raise more than $80,000 so far.
The goal is to reach $150,000 which will be matched by a donor. Thinking Huts founder, Maggie Grout tells First Coast News they've already built one school on the campus and plan to have a total of three up and running by 2025.
“Sometimes people think it's more like desktop plastics, but we do utilize a stronger material which allows it to stand for multiple decades and serve children for generations,” Grout said.
The technology allows huts to be built quicker than traditional construction. Grout says the first school building on the campus took 18 hours to print. This is slated to be Africa’s first 3D printed campus and it will be solar powered. Thinking Huts is now trying to ship its printer from Italy to complete this project of the the huts on its Honeycomb campus in Madagascar.
To learn more about the Thinking Huts project in Madagascar or to help build 3D printed schools there visit the Have a Nice Day app.