Hlanzeka Heroes

UserPoints screen
Home Screen
Company dashboard screen to log user points into the app
Offers Screen
Leaderboard screen
Feed screen showing weekly highlights
Reporting issue screen
Welcome Screen
Rewards and Badges screen
feed screen showing calendar events
Welcome Screen
feed screen with calendar events
Activity history screen
Company dashboard screen to log user points into the app
Activity history screen
Updates and Notifications Screen

Inspiration

Our project, Hlanzeka Heroes, was inspired by the story of Thando, a 15-year-old girl from a small town plagued by pollution and unsafe drinking water. Thando's community suffers from piles of uncollected waste, polluted rivers and the atmosphere, and inadequate sanitation facilities. Despite the neighbors' efforts to clean up the local park and report pollution incidents, their actions remain small-scale and uncoordinated due to the lack of a proper platform to organize and amplify their impact.

What it does

Hlanzeka Heroes is a tech-driven solution that encourages active participation in environmental conservation through a mobile app. The app will allow users to track, reward, and certify community efforts in cleaning and recycling initiatives, and it will also provide a platform for communities to access discounted solar panel installations.

How we built it

The front-end of the project will be built using React Native, which will include:

Sign-up and login screens for users and companies
Interfaces for users to log recycled goods and report environmental cleanliness
A leaderboard displaying top recyclers and their points
Badges, certificates, and rewards earned by users
Notifications informing users about updates, new rewards, and other important information

The back-end will be built using Supabase, which will handle:

User registration, authentication, and profile management
Storing user data, recycling logs, environmental reports, points, rewards, and certificates
Keeping the leaderboard and user profiles updated in real-time as users log activities and earn points
Providing APIs for the React Native front-end to interact with the back-end database, enabling seamless data operations
Implementing row-level security to ensure that users only have access to their data and authorized resources

Challenges we ran into

We faced significant challenges in executing our solution, primarily because we didn't initially know where to start with coding. However, our determination led us to learn JavaScript, Supabase, and React Native, which enabled us to build this amazing, fully functional app. We also struggled with navigation across the screens, but we eventually figured it out. We proudly call ourselves the Dream Team because of our hard work and dedication. The solution we have created will improve the lives of many.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We are proud of the progress we've made in designing a comprehensive solution that addresses the multifaceted challenges faced by communities like Thando's. By leveraging technology and fostering community engagement, we believe Hlanzeka Heroes has the potential to drive meaningful and lasting change. One of our major accomplishments is building a fully functional app, especially considering this was our first time developing an app. This is a significant achievement for us. The features we have included within the app directly address our solution, which is original and very unique compared to existing solutions.

What we learned

Through our understanding of Thando's story, we've learned that the challenges faced by her community are not unique. Many communities around the world struggle with similar issues of environmental degradation, limited access to clean energy, and the financial burden of high electricity costs. We have also recognized the importance of empowering individuals and communities to take an active role in addressing these problems.

What's next for Hlanzeka Heroes

Moving forward, our next steps are to continue refining the app's design and functionality, secure the necessary funding and partnerships, and begin rolling out and implementing the solution in target communities. Our plan to make the app sustainable includes applying for grants from gorvenmental bodies and NGOs focused at environmental sustainability, integrating green ads, selling branded merchandise, eco-friendly products, and recycling kits, and introducing subscription plans that provide users with additional benefits and exclusive content. We are committed to learning from our experiences and continuously improving the project to ensure it has the greatest possible impact.