Inspiration

The inspiration behind Pulapay came from the need to create a smarter, more inclusive digital payment system tailored for local needs. With the rapid rise of mobile payments and digital financial services, we noticed a gap in tools that could serve both urban and rural communities, especially those involved in traditional savings models like Motshelo. We wanted to build something that not only enabled quick and secure payments but also empowered users with decision-making tools, financial insight, and an AI assistant that speaks both English and Setswana — making it accessible to everyone, not just tech-savvy users.

What it does

Pulapay is a mobile payment app is designed to:

• Enable bank-to-bank mobile transfers and QR code-based payments
• Integrate a DSS model to perform computations (e.g., loan eligibility checks, payment forecasting)
• Support Motshelo savings groups, offering transparency, accountability, and progress tracking
• Feature an AI-powered chatbot available in English and Setswana, answering user questions and explaining financial data in simple terms

Pulapay’s main goal is more inclusive digital payment system tailored for local needs.

How we built it

We built Pulapay using a combination of:

• frontend/backend*=Flutter
• mongodb for the database
• Focused UI/UX design for usability in both rural and urban settings

We designed with inclusivity, modularity, and scalability in mind.

Challenges we ran into

• Integrating a multilingual chatbot that understands Setswana and English
• Building an intuitive interface for both tech-savvy and non-technical users
• Designing the *DSS module to be efficient and reliable for loan checks and predictions Since this was our first time working with Flutter, we found it challenging to get started and solve issues early on. ## Accomplishments that we're proud of Creating a secure and user-friendly Motshelo feature that builds trust in group savings

Building an AI-powered chatbot for frequently asked questions

What we learned

• The importance of user-centric design and local language support
• How to balance security, speed, and simplicity in mobile payments
• The real-world complexity of financial decision-making and the value of DSS models
• Insights into *local savings practices like Motshelo and how technology can improve them

What's next for Pulapay

Integrating with more banks and mobile wallets ,non fincaial Improving the AI chatbot’s language support and intelligence Expanding Pulapay to include features like bill payments, investment tracking, and micro-loans

Built With

• dart
• figma
• flutter
• mongodb
• visual-studio
• vs