Building FUTO Aid has been one of the most practical engineering experiences I’ve had so far. FUTO Aid is a student crowdfunding platform built by students, for students at FUTO, designed to make it easier for students to support one another financially when it matters most. I contributed as a Backend Engineer, working closely with another backend engineer to design and implement the core systems powering the platform using Python and Django. My work spanned API design, business logic implementation, data modeling, authentication flows, and ensuring reliable communication between services. It was a solid exercise in building systems that are not just functional, but structured and maintainable. A key part of my contribution was the integration of the Interswitch Group Quickteller Business payment gateway. This involved implementing end-to-end payment flows, transaction verification, and handling the reliability and security requirements that come with processing real financial transactions. It was a good opportunity to work through the edge cases and constraints that don’t usually show up in simpler projects. On the engineering side, the project also reinforced how important it is to collaborate effectively, align on system design decisions, and debug complex issues across components. Working with another backend engineer meant constantly syncing on architecture, reviewing implementation choices, and making sure the system stayed consistent as it evolved. What stands out about FUTO Aid is its relevance to the FUTO student community. Financial challenges can directly impact students’ academic progress, and building a system that enables structured, community-driven support makes the work feel meaningful beyond the codebase. I’m proud of the backend and payment infrastructure I contributed to, and I’m looking forward to seeing how FUTO Aid continues to evolve within the FUTO ecosystem. I am also grateful to have worked with amazing people in the Interswitch Developer Community Futo Build Team like Hilda Amarachi Enyioko @amarachii_e (team lead), Emmanuel Ikechi, Peter Eziagor, Susan Amechi, Wisdom Ehirim @CodeWithWisdom, Goodness Chukwuka, Kelechi Ekuma, Uchenna Breaktru, and Nmesoma Nnopu. I’m Ahiakwo John, Founder of @studeylearn, Fullstack web and mobile app developer. I'm also the Program Manager of Interswitch Developer Community Futo. With 4+ years of experience in software development, I’m still growing, building, shipping, and sharing the journey.