Jai Varikuti, a junior at Oak Mountain High School, did not set out to build one of the country’s most successful high school fundraising campaigns. He was watching the news during his freshman year when he saw children carrying jugs of water nearly as large as they were, a sight that stayed with him and pushed him to ask what he could do from Alabama, reported WBRC News. According to WVTM 13, that question led him to create the state’s first UNICEF chapter, an effort that has since grown to six high schools and raised nearly $5,500 toward a $10,000 goal.The campaign is now leading the nation among more than 600 high schools participating in UNICEF fundraising. What began as one student’s reaction to a news story has become a coordinated effort involving bake sales, car washes, business partnerships, and donation boxes placed across local communities.
The moment that started it
Varikuti has been clear about where the idea began. He saw children in a disaster-affected area carrying water on their backs, and the image made him think about the difference between his own life in the United States and the daily struggle those children faced.“I’m here in the U.S. I’m living comfortably. I’m like, what can I do here that can make a difference?” he told WVTM 13. That question became the foundation for the Alabama chapter he later started. Rather than treating the issue as something too large for one person to address, Varikuti began researching ways to help. He found UNICEF, an organisation founded in 1946 after World War II that works to protect children by providing education, water, food, vaccines, and other basic resources.
Building a chapter
Varikuti started Alabama’s first UNICEF chapter last year, turning a personal concern into an organised student-led effort. The chapter began at Oak Mountain High School and quickly became a platform for other students who wanted to contribute.The group’s first fundraiser already produced meaningful results. According to Varikuti, the money raised last year translated into safe water for 460 children for a full year. That outcome helped prove that student fundraising could have a real impact. It also gave the chapter a concrete way to explain its purpose to donors, businesses, and other schools that might want to join.
Expanding across Alabama
The effort has since expanded to six high schools across the state. In addition to Oak Mountain, students at Hoover, Spain Park, James Clemens, LAMP, and Bob Jones are now involved in the campaign.Each school contributes through its own activities, but the shared goal keeps the effort connected. Students organise bake sales, host car washes, and work with local businesses to raise money and spread awareness.The collaboration has turned a single student’s initiative into a broader network. That network is now competing successfully against hundreds of other high schools across the country, a result that reflects both organisation and persistence.
Why $5 matters
One of the campaign’s most powerful messages is how far a small donation can go. According to the chapter, a $5 donation can provide a child with safe water for a year.That framing makes the campaign accessible to students who may not have much money to give. It also helps donors understand that their contribution is not symbolic, it has a direct and measurable effect.Varikuti said many young people believe they have only a small voice in the world. His experience suggests otherwise. “I didn’t know I could make such a big difference,” he further said in the interview, adding that even a small contribution can become part of a larger impact.
The goal and the deadline
The Alabama chapter has raised nearly $5,500 toward its $10,000 goal. Fundraising is scheduled to continue until November 21, giving students and supporters a clear deadline to work toward. The group is currently leading the nation among more than 600 high schools participating in UNICEF fundraising. That position is significant because it shows the campaign is not only raising money, it is outperforming similar efforts across the country.Donations can be made through the orange and white UNICEF boxes placed at various businesses. That method makes it easy for community members to contribute without needing to attend an event or navigate an online platform.
A lesson in student leadership
What makes this story compelling is not just the money raised. It is the way a high school student turned concern into action, then invited others to join him.Varikuti did not wait for permission to care about a global issue. He saw something that troubled him, researched how to respond, and built a chapter that could grow beyond his own school.The result is a campaign that has already helped hundreds of children access safe water and is now aiming to help even more. For students wondering whether their efforts can matter, the Alabama UNICEF chapter offers a clear answer.
What comes next
The immediate goal is to reach $10,000 before the November 21 deadline. If the chapter succeeds, it will add another layer to the impact it has already made.Beyond that, the campaign may continue to grow. With six schools already involved and a proven track record of fundraising, the Alabama chapter has the potential to expand further in future years.For now, the focus remains on the current goal. Students are still collecting donations, businesses are still hosting boxes, and the message is still simple. A small act, multiplied across a community, can change lives.