Yoldaş
Yoldaş (Turkish for 'companion') is a community-driven mobile app for coordinating street animal welfare in Turkish cities. It maps stray animals, feeding stations, and water points so that volunteers can avoid duplication and ensure consistent care across neighborhoods.
The Challenge
Street animal care is fragmented — volunteers often feed the same animals while others go unnoticed blocks away. The app needed to work reliably in areas with poor mobile connectivity and allow real-time community updates without complex account management.
The Approach
React Native + Google Maps SDK for marker clustering and nearest-point routing. Firebase Realtime Database for live updates with offline-first caching of the last known map state. Anonymous posting system (no sign-up required) for reporting new animals or empty feeding stations. Push notifications alert nearby volunteers when a new animal is reported.
Tech Stack