Lads develop virtual panic button app
TWO KwaZulu-Natal youths sold their flat to fund a new app to fight human trafficking, rape and murder of women.
Three months ago, Langa Zulu and his friend, Tshega Mampshika, launched a smartphone application, Imbokodo App, which offers a “virtual panic button” to reduce attacks.
The app has been nominated in next month’s KZN Young Achievers awards in the information technology class.
Zulu, who owns a tech and digital media and production company, said the app was inspired by the #MenAreTrash movement on social media after a spike in the cases of women abuse and abduction.
“The #MenAreTrash movement can’t end with just hashtags. Marches are not the solution either,” Zulu said. “Software and apps are a critical component in our lives that we ought to use to solve our problems for better living conditions.”
The application can be downloaded on android smartphones, laptops and desktops for free, and can be used as a panic button.
“The app is a virtual panic button for women who find themselves in emergencies, like trafficking and abduction, hence its location-tracking ability.”
“The user puts two numbers of people they trust on the app, and in an emergency, they would tap any part of the screen to trigger emergency alerts. The trustees then receive SMSes with GPS co-ordinates to find the woman.
“We had to sacrifice our flat and office since we got obsessed with this initiative and focused all our energies in launching it.”
Feedback was positive. “People sent us messages thanking us, and told us how they use it for other emergencies, something we didn’t think of.”
It was an honour, said Zulu, to be nominated “given our passion for community development as individuals and as a company”.