Students create app to connect with those seeking essentials

To ensure that those who need food and other essentials can reach out to the right organisations, a group of engineering students from KJ Somaiya Institute of Engineering

To ensure that those who need food and other essentials can reach out to the right organisations, a group of engineering students from KJ Somaiya Institute of Engineering and Information Technology, (KJSIEIT), Sion, have developed a mobile application.

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The app, Help Flare, helps anyone to report details about people in need and allows them to share details of requirements and the exact location. Once the details are submitted, the app then passes it on to not-for-profits and voluntary groups working in the respective area, to reach out to them. Voluntary organisations can also register on the app to get real-time requests. People can access the application at https://help-flare.web.app/ to register their organisation or to key in a request.

The application is developed by three students, Idrees Dargahwala, Burhanuddin Udaipurwala and Shivam Bhanushali. “With this application, anyone who wants to help can see the affected areas on the map and provide help. To cater to a large audience, the app has been made available in both languages, English and Hindi. The highlight of the app is that it will not only show what area needs the essential supplies but also identifies what kind of essentials are needed, whether it is food, clothing or masks”, said the students in a statement.

Dr Suresh Ukarande, principal of the college said, “Students have worked tirelessly with the help of their faculty, and successfully come up with a solution to deal with one of the many challenges, during the current pandemic”.