FIXAM
1. Summary
FIXAM is a crowdsourced civic problem-reporting platform designed to bridge the communication gap between citizens and local government in Sierra Leone. By utilizing a "Hybrid Bridge" architecture, the system combines the accessibility of conversational interfaces (WhatsApp) with the analytical power of geospatial technology (GIS/Maps).
The platform solves the issue of community grievances being "lost in the void" of social media by converting unstructured citizen complaints into structured, actionable geospatial data for municipal authorities.
2. The Problem Statement
Currently, citizens in Sierra Leone lack a formal, effective channel to report infrastructure failures.
The Void
Problems like broken water pipes or potholes are often shouted into the void of social media or radio call-in shows, where they disappear without logging.
Lack of Prioritization
Local councils lack a data-driven way to distinguish between minor inconveniences and critical infrastructure failures (e.g., affecting 5 people vs 5,000).
The Disconnect
There is no shared "source of truth" between the government and the governed regarding the status of repairs.
3. The Solution: "Chat-to-Map"
FIXAM introduces a workflow where the input is conversational (low barrier to entry) but the output is geospatial (high utility for planning).
Step A: The Citizen Experience (Reporting)
The user interface is built entirely within WhatsApp, the most widely used communication tool in the region, ensuring high accessibility.
- Trigger: User sends "Hi" or "Report" to the official WhatsApp Business API number.
- Categorization: An automated bot asks the user to report an issue.
- Evidence: The user is prompted to upload a Photo or Video.
- Precise Location: The bot asks the user to "Share Location" using WhatsApp’s native attachment feature, capturing precise Latitude/Longitude coordinates or type an address like "8 Jones Street".
- Description (Inclusive Design): The user can type a text description OR send a voice note. This is critical for accessibility.
- Confirmation: The user receives a unique "Ticket ID" and a link to track their issue on the live map.
- Voting: Users can upvote/downvote issues using Ticket IDs to signal urgency.
Step B: The Engine (AI & GIS Backend)
This is the "Sanitizer" layer that converts raw user data into structured government intelligence.
- Geocoding: Uses Nominatim OSM API to convert pins into readable addresses.
- Transcription: Voice notes are transcribed into text using AI.
- Summarization: Gemini AI converts long rants into "One-line Summaries".
- Deduplication: Checks a 100-meter radius to flag duplicate reports automatically.
Step C: The Public Interface ("The Civic Map")
A mobile-responsive Web Application serves as the transparency layer.
- Visuals: A map interface (Leaflet.js) using OpenStreetMap tiles.
- Status Indicators:
- Red: Critical/Unresolved
- Yellow: In Progress
- Green: Fixed
- Democratic Prioritization: Users can click pins to see upvote counts ("It affects me too").
Step D: The Government Dashboard
A Command Center for high-level data patterns.
- Heatmaps: Aggregates upvotes to show "Hotspots" for budget allocation.
- Insight Cards: Auto-generated alerts (e.g., "Top Priority: Waste Management in Central Freetown").
- Sentiment Analysis: Gauges the "mood of the people" regarding specific issues.
4. Technical Stack
The project prioritizes open-source technologies to ensure sustainability.
5. Impact Potential
- Democratizing Infrastructure Data: Giving every citizen with a phone the power to act as a city inspector.
- Enabling Data-Driven Governance: Moving from reactive, anecdote-based planning to proactive, heatmap-based resource allocation.
- Increasing Trust: The transparent status tracking (Red to Green pins) rebuilds trust between the government and the public.