Overview

A Sandal More is a field data collection application developed to support a multi-organisation initiative led by Access Bank Ghana in partnership with Rana Motors, Horseman Shoes, and the Ghana Education Service.

The application was built to digitally capture and track beneficiaries during sandal distribution exercises across schools, ensuring accurate record-keeping and accountability.

My Role

I worked as the Mobile Engineer, responsible for:

• Designing and building the full Android application
• Implementing structured data capture workflows
• Integrating multimedia capture (images and audio)
• Managing Firebase backend integration
• Ensuring reliability during real-world field usage

Technologies Used

Languages & Frameworks

• Flutter - For developing the mobile app UI and logic.
• Firebase - Used for data storage, authentication, and media uploads.

System Functionality

Data Capture Workflow

• Structured form for capturing pupil information:
  • Name, age, school, class, region
  • Personal aspirations (career goals)
• Designed for fast entry during live distribution events

Multimedia Capture

• Photo capture for visual identification of each pupil
• Audio recording feature to capture each pupil’s spoken aspirations
• Upload and storage of media assets alongside structured data

Backend Integration

• Firebase Firestore for structured data storage
• Firebase Storage for images and audio recordings
• Secure and consistent linkage between records and media

Architecture Overview

• Client: Flutter-based Android application
• Backend: Firebase (Firestore + Storage + Authentication)
• Data Model: Structured records with associated media assets

The system enables real-time or near real-time submission of beneficiary data, ensuring centralised access and traceability.

Key Technical Decisions

Multimedia Data Capture

Implemented combined text, image, and audio capture per record, creating richer datasets beyond standard form-based systems.

Firebase for Operational Simplicity

Used Firebase to minimise backend complexity while enabling reliable data storage during active field operations.

Lightweight Field UX

Designed the interface for speed and clarity, allowing agents to capture data efficiently during high-volume distribution exercises.

System Highlights

• Captures structured + multimedia data per beneficiary
• Provides traceable records for distribution accountability
• Designed for real-world deployment in live events
• Supports high-throughput data entry in field conditions

Challenges & Learnings

• Implementing audio recording and file handling in Flutter, including:

  • Recording lifecycle management
  • File extraction and storage
  • Uploading and linking audio to records

• Ensuring smooth UX during rapid, repetitive data entry

• Handling media uploads efficiently alongside structured data

Outcome / Impact

• Successfully deployed for the A Sandal More initiative
• Enabled accurate tracking of beneficiaries during distribution exercises
• Improved data integrity and accountability compared to manual processes
• Marked my second collaboration with Access Bank Ghana, reinforcing trust in delivery

Relationship to Other Work

This project builds on patterns established in Trilo, particularly around field data collection, Firebase integration, and real-world usability, but extends them with multimedia data capture and higher operational throughput.

Future Enhancements

• Offline-first support for low-connectivity environments
• Batch syncing for improved performance during large events
• Enhanced validation to reduce duplicate or inconsistent entries
• Public deployment via Google Play Store

Screenshots

Below are screenshots showcasing the app:

The landing page and a page showing registered pupils.

Add student form, play recorded audio and student details.

The audio recording feature to record dream careers of students.

An overview of the Firebase Firestore and Firebase Storage setup used to store student data.