veyo: Smart Urban Mobility, Emergency Response & Green Rewards for Africa

Problem Statement

Africa's cities face unique challenges in urban mobility, public transport reliability, rapid emergency response, and environmental sustainability. Commuters need real-time access to public transport, safe and cashless payments, and a way to quickly alert emergency contacts and dispatch services. There is also a need for a platform to support victims of emergencies and to incentivize eco-friendly travel choices.

Solution Overview

veyo is a next-generation Flutter-based mobile app for Africa that:

• Shows real-time availability of public transport (Bus, Matatu, Boda, and more) on a Google Map.
• Lets users book seats and pay instantly via M-Pesa STK Push.
• Enables users to trigger emergency alerts (with a description) to contacts and dispatch via SMS, and stores incidents in Firebase.
• Allows users to donate to support victims, with instant M-Pesa STK Push for donations.
• Rewards users for choosing eco-friendly transport (electric cars, electric bodas, etc.) with green points redeemable for discounts and perks.
• Provides a modern, branded UI with custom icons and images for each transport type.
• Is designed for scalability across all African cities, not just Nairobi.

What Makes veyo Unique? (Competitive Advantage)

• Public Transport First: Unlike Uber, Bolt, or Little, veyo is built around Africa's real public transport (matatus, buses, bodas), not just private cars.
• Emergency Response Integration: Instantly alert your loved ones and dispatch services with a description—no other ride app in Africa offers this.
• Community Support: Donate directly to victims of emergencies, with transparent, instant M-Pesa payments.
• Green Rewards: Earn points for every eco-friendly ride (electric car, boda, or bus) and redeem for discounts or perks—making Africa greener, one trip at a time.
• Cashless, Inclusive Payments: Deep M-Pesa integration for instant, secure payments—no credit card required.
• Pan-African Vision: veyo is designed for all African cities, with local branding, languages, and transport modes.
• Open Ecosystem: Built to integrate with local authorities, transport Saccos, and community organizations.

Features

• Public Transport Booking: View available Buses, Matatus, Bodas, and more. See price, fullness, seats, and departure time. Book and pay via M-Pesa.
• Emergency Alerts: Describe your emergency and instantly notify your contacts and dispatch services via SMS. All incidents are logged in Firebase.
• Victim Support: Donate to victims by entering your M-Pesa number and amount; receive an STK Push to complete the donation.
• Green Points & Rewards: Earn points for every eco-friendly ride. Track your green impact and unlock rewards.
• Custom Branding: App icon, name, and images are fully customized for Africa's context.
• Secure & Scalable: Uses Firebase Auth, Firestore, and a Node.js backend for M-Pesa and SMS.

Architecture

• Frontend: Flutter (Dart), Google Maps, Firebase Auth, Firestore, HTTP.
• Backend: Node.js (Express), M-Pesa Daraja API, Twilio for SMS, CORS enabled for local dev.
• Payments: Real M-Pesa STK Push via backend integration.
• Emergency: SMS via Twilio, incident storage in Firestore.
• Green Points: Points logic in-app and in Firestore, with rewards system.

Setup & Installation

Prerequisites

• Flutter SDK (3.x)
• Node.js (18+)
• Firebase project (with Auth & Firestore enabled)
• M-Pesa Daraja API credentials
• Twilio account for SMS

1. Clone the Repo

git clone <your-repo-url>
cd veyo/new_veyo

2. Flutter App Setup

• Add your Google Maps API key to .env and android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml.
• Add Firebase config (google-services.json) to android/app/.
• Run:

flutter pub get
flutter run

• To generate the app icon:

flutter pub run flutter_launcher_icons:main

3. Backend Setup

• Go to mpesa-backend/.
• Create a .env file with:
  • M-Pesa Daraja credentials
  • Twilio credentials
  • Emergency contacts and dispatch number
• Install dependencies:

npm install

• Start the backend:

node server.js
node emergency.js

Environment Variables

Example .env for backend:

DARAJA_CONSUMER_KEY=...
DARAJA_CONSUMER_SECRET=...
DARAJA_SHORTCODE=...
DARAJA_PASSKEY=...
DARAJA_CALLBACK_URL=...
TWILIO_ACCOUNT_SID=...
TWILIO_AUTH_TOKEN=...
TWILIO_PHONE_NUMBER=+2547XXXXXXXX
EMERGENCY_CONTACTS=+2547XXXXXXX,+2547YYYYYYY
DISPATCH_NUMBER=+2547ZZZZZZZZ

Usage

• Book a Ride: Select a trip option, confirm, enter your M-Pesa number, and approve the STK Push.
• Send Emergency Alert: Go to Emergency Assistance, describe your issue, and send. Your contacts and dispatch will be notified by SMS, and the incident is logged.
• Donate: Enter amount and your M-Pesa number, receive an STK Push, and complete the donation.
• Earn Green Points: Choose electric or eco-friendly rides to earn points and unlock rewards.

Project Structure

• lib/ - Flutter app source
• mpesa-backend/ - Node.js backend for M-Pesa and emergency SMS
• assets/images/ - App icons and images

Deployment

• For production, use a public backend URL and production Daraja endpoints.
• Secure your backend endpoints and validate all inputs.

Contributors

• Zachariah Evans

License

[MIT ]