A 13-year-old from Cork City in Ireland is one of the six junior finalists of Technovation for developing the occupational therapy app, Stellar. She will be pitching for the world title in August for her app that helps children get access to occupational therapy services.
Saanvi Kaushik, a high school student from Christ King School, developed the app specifically for the Technovation competition. More than 5,900 girls from 60 countries sent over 1,700 mobile apps they developed aimed at solving community problems.
Technovation, a global tech education non-profit, chose Saanvi’s Stellar app as one of its finalists. The competition aims to encourage teenage girls to get interested in technology and problem-solving. Kaushik may travel to California for her turn to pitch to the judges. But, due to the Covid pandemic, the event will be held online.
A Safe Platform for Occupational Therapy
Kaushik’s app, Stellar, is a secure platform for occupational therapists to book appointments remotely. They can use it to monitor progress and develop specialized programs for children who are in need of therapy. This brings them closer to kids awaiting support for occupational therapy wherever they are in Ireland.
Kaushik said she got her inspiration from her mother, who is an occupational therapist. She saw how her mother struggled to care for her patients during the lockdowns. Kaushik believes that children should have access to this type of service, whatever their location is. She says:
“Unfortunately, there are currently 30,000 children waiting for occupational therapy in Ireland, and these waiting times are only getting worse due to Covid-19. As the lists get longer, more children are suffering. I thought there must be a way to use technology to tackle this.”
She hopes that her occupational therapy app will support these families through high-quality content created by trained occupational therapists. Kaushik looks forward to her app helping families search for the said services within their regions.
Mentorship
Teen-Turn, a charity that helps young girls gain experience in technology, science, engineering, and mathematics, worked with Kaushik on the project. According to the organization’s project coordinator, Nicole Ryan, Kaushik is the second from Ireland to reach the finalist status.
Last year, three teens from Drogheda and County Louth took home the top prize for their app called Memory Haven. They developed an app to help people with dementia.
Likewise, Kaushik’s teacher Denise Quilter expressed admiration for the teen’s positivity, determination, and commendable work ethic. She cited Kaushik as an excellent role model for her peers. She lauded her accomplishments and said that their school is proud of her.
Quilter also praised Kaushnik’s hard work, determination, enthusiasm, and can-do attitude. A great example of the wonders one can do with dedication, commitment, and time.
Worldwide Fame
Being selected alongside other young girls from Nigeria, Uzbekistan, Canada, Spain, and Brazil is an honor in itself, says Kaushik. The competition and her involvement with Teen-Turn have her overjoyed and ambitious for her future.
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