Madhyam was inspired by the need to bridge the communication gap between NGOs and government authorities. We noticed that existing platforms lacked a centralized hub where NGOs could efficiently convey their requirements, launch crowdfunding campaigns, and make direct requests to relevant government organizations. This gap inspired us to create a solution that would empower NGOs and streamline their operations.
Throughout this project, we learned the importance of effective communication and collaboration in the non-profit sector. We also gained valuable insights into web development, user interface design, and the integration of various technologies to create a seamless user experience. Understanding the specific needs of NGOs and how to address them through technology was a key learning experience.
Madhyam is a website designed to function as a central hub for NGOs. Here's a breakdown of its features and components:
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NGO Hub Functionality:
- NGOs can share requests (e.g., need for clothes or food supply) in a social media-like format.
- Crowdfunding posts can be created for initiatives like building a school.
- NGOs can post updates on their activities and progress, climbing leaderboards for most active and most funded NGOs.
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Landing Page:
- The landing page provides information about the website and a "Get Started" button.
- Users have three options: browse as a guest, log in as a user/contributor, or log in as an NGO.
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Browse as Guest:
- Guests can view ongoing posts on the website without logging in.
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Login as Contributor:
- Contributors can create accounts, log in, browse posts, and fulfill requests.
- Contributor profiles include their picture, name, bio, contribution stats, and more.
- Top contributors are featured on a leaderboard.
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Login as NGO:
- NGOs can register by providing their name, location, foundation date, email, contact number, number of volunteers, and official documents for verification.
- The verification process can be manual or automated using web scraping and AI.
- Verified NGOs can create various posts: progress updates, crowdfunding campaigns, and request posts.
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Home Page:
- The home page is divided into three vertical sections:
- Left Section: Categories like crowdfunding, requests, progress, and profile.
- Center Section: A feed similar to Twitter, prioritizing posts from followed accounts and NGOs.
- Right Section: Leaderboards for top contributors, most active NGOs, and most funded NGOs.
- The home page is divided into three vertical sections:
One of the significant challenges was designing a verification system for NGOs to ensure authenticity. We considered both manual verification and automated methods involving web scraping and AI. Balancing the user experience with robust security measures was also a key challenge.
- Next.js (React): For building the user interface.
- Express Server: To handle server-side tasks.
- MongoDB: For database management.
- Paytm or Razorpay: For payment integration.
We plan to enable content monetization by adding features that allow NGOs to generate revenue from their activities on the platform.