NjangiPal

NjangiPal — Transparency-first app for managing trusted group savings.

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🌍 Inspiration

Njangi (rotating savings and credit associations) is a centuries-old practice in Cameroon and across Africa. While trusted within families, friends, and associations, many Njangi groups still rely on verbal agreements or notebooks, which often leads to disputes, lost records, and lack of transparency.

NjangiPal was inspired by the need to digitize trust: making group savings transparent, verifiable, and easy to manage without losing the cultural essence of Njangi.

🛠️ How We Built It

We structured the project into three layers:

  1. Frontend (React + MUI + Vite)

    • Built a responsive interface for mobile-first use.
    • Integrated authentication, group creation, and transaction tracking.
    • Used Material UI components for a modern, intuitive user experience.

  2. Backend (Node.js + Express + MongoDB)

    • REST API with JWT-based authentication.
    • Models for Users, Groups, and Transactions.
    • Implemented role-based actions (admins can send SMS summaries, create groups, etc.).

  3. Integration & Services

    • Axios-based service layer in the frontend for clean API communication.
    • All IDs normalized to id (instead of _id) for consistency across backend and frontend.
    • SMS summary functionality for group transaction recaps.

📚 What I Learned

  • How to design transparent digital ledgers for community finance.
  • Practical experience with React state management, REST APIs, and secure authentication.
  • Learned to balance modern UX with cultural traditions (keeping Njangi simple, familiar, but digital).
  • The importance of clear data contracts between frontend and backend (id vs _id).

⚡ Challenges I Faced

  • Data Consistency: Ensuring both backend (MongoDB) and frontend used the same id schema.
  • Authentication Flow: Handling login, token storage, and auto-refresh of group/transaction data.
  • Time Constraints: Implementing both backend and frontend quickly under hackathon deadlines.
  • User Experience: Simplifying a financial workflow so it remains culturally familiar but digitally secure.

✨ Impact

NjangiPal transforms the age-old Njangi practice into a modern, transparent, and accountable digital tool. It reduces disputes, strengthens trust, and makes group savings accessible anytime, anywhere.

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