NeighborAid

Overview

NeighborAid is an AI powered crisis navigation platform that helps people in difficult situations discover the right support services and take the first step toward recovery.

Every day, people lose their jobs, struggle to pay their children's school fees, experience grief, face financial hardship, or deal with challenges such as postpartum depression. While thousands of governmental, non governmental, private, and public organizations exist to support people through these situations, many people do not know these services exist, do not know whether they qualify, and do not know where to begin.

NeighborAid bridges this gap.

Users simply describe what they are going through in natural language or Pidgin English. The platform understands their circumstances, matches them with organizations that fit their situation, and provides clear next steps for accessing support.

The Problem

The problem is not that help does not exist.

The problem is that help is incredibly hard to find, especially during moments of crisis when people are already overwhelmed and may not have the time, energy, or emotional capacity to navigate complicated directories and support systems.

Our Solution

NeighborAid acts as a guide during moments of uncertainty by:

• Understanding a user's situation through natural language input
• Identifying organizations that match their specific circumstances
• Explaining why each recommendation is relevant
• Providing practical next steps and information about how to access support
• Helping users begin their recovery journey with clarity and confidence

Key Features

Personalized Crisis Matching

Users describe their circumstances in their own words, and the system generates tailored recommendations instead of generic search results.

Natural Language and Pidgin Support

Users can communicate naturally in English or Pidgin English without needing to understand technical terms or complicated forms.

Responsible AI

NeighborAid was intentionally designed as a responsible artificial intelligence platform because we believe recovery should always remain human led.

The AI does not decide what someone should do, determine eligibility, or choose an organization on the user's behalf. Instead, it acts as a facilitator by helping people understand their options and discover relevant support services.

The human remains in the loop at every stage. The user decides which path to pursue, and support organizations retain responsibility for reviewing and approving assistance.

Data

This prototype uses a curated synthetic dataset created specifically for the hackathon. The dataset contains realistic organization profiles across Lagos and includes services related to job loss, financial hardship, grief, domestic violence, child welfare, health, and housing insecurity.

All organization information is synthetic and clearly labeled as prototype data.

Impact

NeighborAid reduces information barriers during some of the most difficult moments of people's lives. By making support systems easier to discover and navigate, the platform empowers individuals to move from confusion to action and from uncertainty to recovery.

We believe AI for social good should not replace people or institutions. It should responsibly help people find clarity, regain agency, and take the first step toward rebuilding their lives.

Built With

• claude
• css
• javascript