Cachuelito

Connect people who need help with experts in trades like cleaning, plumbing, or childcare. Fast, reliable, and with secure payment from a single app.

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Inspiration

In Peru, many people rely on short-term jobs, known as "cachuelos", to generate quick income. However, there was no fast and secure platform to connect those who need help with people willing to work. Cachuelito was inspired by the need to digitize this process and create real job opportunities directly from a mobile device.

What it does

Cachuelito is a fully functional mobile application (Android and iOS) that connects people who need temporary services (like painting a house, cleaning a yard, or babysitting) with those willing to do them. Users post their service needs, and workers apply. The flow includes posting, applying, selection, contact, and review. Everything is linked to a live database for real testing.

How we built it

  • Framework: React Native + Expo SDK 52.0.30
  • Navigation: Expo Router 4.0.17
  • UI Components: Lucide React Native for icons, Linear Gradient, custom components
  • Backend: Firebase Firestore (database), Firebase Storage (images), authentication via Firestore (Firebase Auth was not compatible due to Bolt limitations)
  • Location and Maps: react-native-maps, Google Maps API, and Geocoding API
  • Media Management: Expo Image Picker
  • State Management: ReactContext API + React hooks

The project was developed using Bolt, so it is designed and optimized exclusively for mobile apps. It does not have a functional web version.

Challenges we ran into

One major challenge was that Firebase Auth was not compatible with Bolt’s native components in the environment we used. As a result, we implemented custom authentication using Firestore. Additionally, many components were incompatible with the web version, which is why Cachuelito is built only for mobile (Android and iOS). Because of this, we cannot show a public web version as required by the hackathon, but we will provide the Bolt project URL so judges can open and test the MVP directly.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

  • A fully working MVP for both Android and iOS
  • Real-time database integration using Firestore
  • Complete service hiring flow working end-to-end
  • Functional integration of location, images, and user state
  • Clean, modular architecture for future scalability

What we learned

We learned about the limitations between hybrid and web technologies. We also gained deeper insights into handling custom authentication when Firebase Auth is not compatible. This project improved our ability to build real production-ready apps using modern technologies like React Native and Expo.

What's next for Cachuelito

  • Integration with Stripe or RevenueCat for payments and subscriptions
  • Push notification system for improved communication
  • Reputation and verification system for workers
  • Launch of a real-life pilot in Lima
  • Potential development of a web version based on demand

Built With

  • and
  • authentication)
  • expo-image-picker
  • expo-location
  • expo-router
  • firebase-(firestore
  • for
  • geocoding-api
  • google-maps
  • linear-gradient
  • lucide-react-native
  • react-native-with-expo
  • reactcontext
  • state
  • storage
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