Hygiene Near You (HNU)

Within the challenge I am focusing on the problem of accessibility for quality of health services to  underprivileged and underserved groups around the world.

Approximately 2.3 billion people globally lack access to essential hygiene services at home, something as basic as toothbrush, toothpaste, proper toilet paper, menstrual products etc. This leads to using unhygienic substitutes for these products such as using dirty towels instead of sanitary napkins and/or stay home from school or work, spread of disease  and despair, perpetuating cycle of poverty. 

In order to address this issue requires access to affordable hygiene products/services and education to promote hygienic habits.

The biggest obstacles hindering the resolution of this problem is limited access to essential products/services and inadequate knowledge of proper hygiene practices.

App I envisioned : HNU - Hygiene Near You (U) - aims to provide detailed information on any essential hygiene products, including instructions of use and maintenance as well as visual references. The app will offer a user-friendly ordering system and will collaborate with organizations to provide affordable or free products. The app will also feature locations for accessing essential hygiene services which is safe and affordable.

 "The Handshake Model" also bring together people who need help and who can help - individuals who can help will be able to join and the app and pay a small subscription fee. Similarly, organizations and NGOs will be able to join as well. Those in need can simply join the app for free and find individuals and organizations who can help offer them the much needed help needed products and services.

Safety and privacy is paramount for this solution to ensure illicit elements do not take advantage of those in need and built in anonymity feature will allow to do so along with proper check for subscribers who are offering help. 

My target demographic is underprivileged and remote population and anyone who is in need of hygiene products and services in any part of the world.  Primarily low income or marginalized segment of the society.

I am well positioned to understand the need as I am raised my one parent with no support system around. I understand the significance of basic necessity of life. I am also competent in understanding and leveraging technology to address the need. This along with my network with NGOs , charitable organizations and school , I am well suited to reach the right audience and make a difference.

I have the prototype for Stage 1* of development of App.  I am socializing this solution in community and in various forums and building contacts who are connecting me to organization network for assistance in building trust in community for this solution.

*Stage 1: Establishing the foundational framework -  MVP of ability
to search nearby providers by product requested, intuitive and delightful user
experience accessible to targeted customer group. post completion - At least 50%age of requests fulfilled, increase in requests by 50% every month

I know my solution can change lives, if executed correctly. To execute my plans correctly I need assistance to build the App for my 3 stage vision** - primarily with embedded map and  geo fencing capability and product and provider databases. Aside to that need help to identify security, privacy and regulatory considerations and help implementing.  

One of the major element is building trust and a safe and secure forum is first step to ensure the same and I cannot go wrong there.

**

Connecting to the right party for help has systematic flaw across the globe. It is either built with mighty overhead of bureaucracy in the name of regulatory compliance , legality etc. or built on the premise of taking advantage of those in need.  Many corporations , individuals and charitable organizations attempt to help with their programs but change is imperceptible as I see very little difference to the life of those who need help. 

This solution is attempt to bridge the gap, leverage technology to create a safe and secure platform where those who want to help can make tangible difference and those who need help see the timely and effective help. e.g if a student need sanitary napkin or a pain killer so she can go to school for an exam or event, help coming even after few days is useless as she already got the additional disadvantage of failing the exam or an opportunity.

Connecting to help - we do not have to donate to some huge organizations to make a difference, buy a 20 CAD worth of toothpaste and you can change a life. I aspire to make the entire world as one community. 

As my complete vision is implemented where technology will help not just offering items but also knowledge and opportunity to giving it forward who have received help.

•Enhancing
the User Experience with Expert Consultation

•Chatbot
and expert consultation feature, allowing users to directly connect with
experts in the area for health considerations and any complications with the
product.

•Neural
network algorithms to personalizing support by mapping to requestor and
individual and organization providers.

•Using
machine learning models to analyze provider data to develop providers based on
what support worked well and was impactful

•Implement
award system for the impact they made.

Providing products and services is short term. Educating users who can then educating others is long term and that is what my solution is doing. Many organizations and individuals will be part of this solution. So the more people involved, the more the world becomes aware of the severity of this problem causing others to feel a need to help. Not only this, but by educating our users, they won't have to feel vulnerable and can make informed decisions about their health and teach their loved ones to do so as well. Thus starting a virtuous cycle. 

Connecting to the right party for help has systematic flaw across the globe. It is either built with mighty overhead of bureaucracy in the name of regulatory compliance , legality etc. or built on the premise of taking advantage of those in need.  Many corporations , individuals and charitable organizations attempt to help with their programs but change is imperceptible as I see very little difference to the life of those who need help. 

This solution is attempt to bridge the gap, leverage technology to create a safe and secure platform where those who want to help can make tangible difference and those who need help see the timely and effective help. e.g if a student need sanitary napkin or a pain killer so she can go to school for an exam or event, help coming even after few days is useless as she already got the additional disadvantage of failing the exam or an opportunity.

Connecting to help - we do not have to donate to some huge organizations to make a difference, buy a 20 CAD worth of toothpaste and you can change a life. I aspire to make the entire world as one community. 

As my complete vision is implemented where technology will help not just offering items but also knowledge and opportunity to giving it forward who have received help.

My impact goal put simply is: Provide everyone, no matter who they are or where they live, with essential hygiene services and products as well as the knowledge with what they need so they can make informed decisions about their body and hygiene choices.

I have created 3 stages that describe the progress of my app and how I will know when each stage in accomplished.

Stage 1: Establishing them foundational framework -  MVP of ability to search nearby providers by product requested, intuitive and delightful user experience accessible to targeted customer group 

Completion of Stage 1 development and MVP (minimum viable product)

Post launch - At least 50%age of requests fulfilled, increase in requests by 50% every month

Stage 2: Enhancing and expanding the existing components and additional products listing and subscription model

UX refinement and additional product list. Free subscription only on mobile platform.

Post launch – At least 75%age of requests fulfilled, increase in requests by 50% every month

Stage 3: Support more geographies and circle of help - collaborate with established social initiatives to facilitate the delivery and expand the reach. Handshake model and set stage for futuristic HNU

Enhance for extended reach and portability ; enhance the subscription model (only providers to pay)

Post launch – At least 90% age of requests fulfilled, increase in requests by 75% every month

Core idea is web /App based solution using subscription (SAAS) model.

At the very core is provider and subscriber directory. Anonymous handshake model for help to be provided without disclosing either side personal details

Enhancing the User Experience with Expert Consultation

Chatbot and expert consultation feature, allowing users to directly connect with experts in the area for health considerations and any complications with the product.

Neural network algorithms to personalizing support by mapping to requestor and individual and organization providers.

Using machine learning models to analyze provider data to develop providers based on what support worked well and was impactful

Implement award system for the impact they made.

Expanding Accessibility through Multilingual Support

By translating the app's user interface, content, and features into various
languages, users from diverse linguistic backgrounds can seamlessly navigate
and leverage the benefits of the solution

Using AI generative models to provide language support based on location and/or native language of the users

 

I am the only one for now, I had the team as part of Technovation to expand the vision but they went their own way but I could not leave the vision half way. 

My consultant is Vibha Tripathi (also my mum) , she helps me structure my vision and the implementation details of business model.  

I have been working on this solution for almost a year on and off. 

Not just in its value but also in the implementation of the solution I am connecting with relevant organizations and individuals who want to help implement the vision. Seems I am crowd sourcing the idea development and implementation and anyone who wants to contribute is my team.

Business model primarily is subscription based model where revenue stream is from those who want to help and offered free of cost to those who are in need.  This is primarily a social endeavor and profit is secondary and essentially used to fund expansion of the platform.