Upliftly
Product: Upliftly
Platforms: iOS / Android Mobile App
Meaning: Upward Movement to Forever Improvement
Category: Fintech / Financial Inclusion
SDG Alignment: SDG 1 – No Poverty
Target Users:
Low-income families
Students
Informal sector workers in underbanked and developing regions
Core Focus:
Financial literacy, savings, and inclusive access to financial tools
My Role: Product Designer (UX/UI)
Team: 8 Product designers
Timeline: 2 weeks
01
The Problem
Poverty remains a global challenge impacting access to essential needs like food, housing, education and healthcare. Many individuals globally are trapped in poverty due to lack of financial literacy, limited access banking services and unpredictable income which hinder their ability to manage finances, save, plan for a stable future.
02
The Solution
UPLIFTLY is a mobile application designed to solve these problems by empowering low income individuals and communities by providing solutions like:
Connecting them with resources and financial tools to lift themselves out of poverty.
Helping users track their income, manage expenses, and plan for the future
03
Competitive Analysis
I conducted a competitive analysis of existing products some of which are Branch, Carbon, Fairmoney & Renmoney
Strengths
All competitors provide instant loans, payments plan, friendly UI, some have investment options, budgeting.
Weakness
They do not provide savings plan & educational finance tips that can provide users with knowledge on investment/savings options.
It can be overwhelming for new users with a lot of features and options that may be difficult to navigate and no educational tips to help them navigate.
04
User Research
The target audience are basically individuals aged 18-45, living at or near the poverty line, including low-income families, students, gig workers, entrepreneurs and informal sector workers.
We conducted research on 15 individuals through survey/questionnaires (using Google form) and physical interview.
The purpose of this research was to know their views and experience of using existing similar apps, their pain point and their experience.
Do you feel confident about your ability to create and stick to a budget? - 23% Not confident, 77% Confident
How frequently do you encounter difficulties in managing your finances? - 68% Often, 32% Sometimes
Do you think financial literacy content would help elevate your current financial situation? - 82% Yes, 18% No
05
Result
Mapped core journeys: Onboarding, Daily Budgeting, Learning Modules, Savings Goals, and Community Interaction.
Design Principles
Minimalism: Clean layouts to avoid overwhelming users on small screens
Trust & Positivity: Uplifting greens and blues for growth and security
Inclusivity: Large tap targets, high contrast, icon-heavy navigation, voice-over support
Outcomes & Impact
The design emphasizes empathy and accessibility, making financial tools feel approachable. Projected to increase user retention in underserved markets by focusing on real needs.
This project reinforced designing for impact: simplicity drives adoption, and inclusive details create lasting change.