YOUTHTREND-Beyond the group chat

Cameroonian university life currently relies on a multitude of WhatsApp groups, Telegram channels, and email lists. Unfortunately, there is no central source of truth and it is difficult to discover people or clubs beyond one's own campus. To address this issue, YouthTrend has been created as a verified, national social network for students. The platform aims to facilitate connections, a sense of belonging, and personal growth.

The key features of YouthTrend include a unified feed where everything happening across the entire network is consolidated in one place. The platform also provides smart matchmaking, enabling students to connect with others who share similar interests. Cross-school networking allows users to interact with peers from different campuses.

Additionally, the platform offers discovery features, recommending clubs and communities based on individual interests. Community messaging is another crucial component, allowing coordinators to recruit and communicate through shared pages.

YouthTrend has been developed as a modular monolith, allowing for quick development by a small team. The architecture consists of several layers, including frontend (React + Vite), backend (Node.js + Express), database (PostgreSQL), and authentication (JWT). The platform is currently being developed as part of a coursework, but it is backed by comprehensive documentation and is set to evolve into a full-fledged solution.

Open questions remain regarding the verification method, whether it should be email-based or ID upload, and whether a native mobile app is necessary for the MVP. The platform is being developed by a team of dedicated individuals, including @nya serena, @b_christine, @sav tech alch, @charlene menye, @eloundou, @christian, @yvan, @moumiemohammed38glitch, and @borel nechi.