DesiClaim
A decentralized end-to-end disaster relief funding platform starting from fund raising to distribution -ensuring transparency, accessibility and equity using blockchain, zk-proofs and smart contracts
Created on 11th January 2025
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DesiClaim
A decentralized end-to-end disaster relief funding platform starting from fund raising to distribution -ensuring transparency, accessibility and equity using blockchain, zk-proofs and smart contracts
The problem DesiClaim solves
1. Swift and Efficient Fund Distribution
Traditional disaster relief efforts often suffer from bureaucratic delays, leaving victims waiting for essential aid. According to the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), nearly 60% of disaster relief efforts experience delays in fund distribution, prolonging the suffering of victims. DesiClaim leverages smart contracts to automate the disbursement of funds. Once a claim is verified, funds are released instantly to the beneficiary’s wallet, ensuring that help reaches those in need without unnecessary delays.
2. Prevention of Fraudulent Claims
Verifying the authenticity of claims is a significant challenge in traditional disaster relief systems, leading to resource misallocation. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) estimates that up to 10% of disaster relief claims are fraudulent, diverting resources from genuine victims. DesiClaim addresses this issue through the use of zero-knowledge proofs (zk-proofs). These proofs allow the platform to confirm a claimant's presence in a disaster zone without revealing sensitive personal information, ensuring that only genuine claims are approved.
3. Enhanced Transparency and Trust
A lack of transparency in traditional systems often leads to donor mistrust, which can reduce contributions. A 2020 survey by GiveWell found that 45% of donors are concerned about how their contributions are used, with many citing a lack of transparency as a major deterrent to donating. DesiClaim uses blockchain technology to record every transaction on an immutable ledger. Donors can track their contributions in real time, from the moment they donate to when the funds are disbursed to the beneficiaries.
Challenges we ran into
Building DesiClaim was an incredible learning experience, but it came with its fair share of challenges. Below are some of the hurdles we encountered during development and how we tackled them:
1. Difficulty in Anonymous Integration
- Challenge: Integrating zero-knowledge proof (zk-proof) functionality into the platform using the available packages was highly complex and posed installation issues. The lack of proper documentation for some libraries further exacerbated the problem.
- Solution: We meticulously reviewed various libraries, consulted community forums, and sought guidance from experts in the zk-proof domain. By identifying a stable package with clear documentation, we successfully implemented anonymous verification, ensuring secure and private claim validation.
2. Complexity of Building Smart Contracts
- Challenge: Writing and deploying smart contracts proved to be a highly intricate and time-consuming process. Debugging and testing contract logic required several iterations to ensure correctness and security.
- Solution: We adopted a modular approach, breaking down the contract development into smaller, manageable components. By conducting rigorous testing in a simulated environment, we minimized errors and optimized contract performance.
3. Shift from Aptos to Ethereum
- Challenge: Initially, we planned to use Aptos for its high transaction throughput and scalability. However, the complexity of writing smart contracts in Move (Aptos' programming language) became a significant bottleneck, especially under the time constraints of the hackathon. This led to delays in progress during the critical final hours.
- Solution: To overcome this hurdle, we pivoted to Ethereum, leveraging our team's prior experience with Solidity. This allowed us to complete the smart contract development in time while ensuring the platform's core functionalities remained intact.
Tracks Applied (2)
Ethereum Track
ETHIndia