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Cover image for Final Update ⚠️: WhatsApp Covid-19 auto-response helper bot
SaidiAli
SaidiAli

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Final Update ⚠️: WhatsApp Covid-19 auto-response helper bot

What I built

This project is finally complete. I have successfully managed to build a WhatsApp auto response bot that gives updates on covid-19, provides news articles and also answers questions like what the symptoms are, how to prevent the disease and some helpful contacts to get help on times of need.

The project runs in the WhatsApp messenger app using the twilio WhatsApp api.
The project runs on the laravel php framework and deployed on Heroku.

I am very grateful to the twilio team for the great job of making this hackathon happen, I have enjoyed it and am proud of my work. I have learned a tonne of things and got to appreciate how wonderful twilio apis are. Hoping to continue using it even after the hackathon☺️

Here are some of the screenshots of responses.

WhatSapp screenshot

WhatSapp screenshot

WhatSapp screenshot

WhatSapp screenshot

WhatSapp screenshot

Category Submission:

The project is categorized in Covid-19 applications as it gives aid in line with the pandemic.

Demo Link

You’ll require to have WhatsApp messenger app installed the click this link and send the pre-filled message to join my sand box.
Send a hi to get a helper menu.

Link to Code

This is the link to the github repo, all contributions are welcome.
https://github.com/SaidiAli/covid-19-autoresponse-whatsapp-bot

How I built it (what's the stack? did I run into issues or discover something new along the way?)

The project was built on laravel framework and plain html and css for the frontend. The whole project was majorly centralized on the twilio WhatsApp api as it’s the only way I could use the WhatsApp api without a verified business account.

One major issue I faced was how to get new users who joined my sandbox, there is no way am notified about it so I constantly keep checking if anyone joined and add them to the application so they get updates as well.

Additional Resources/Info

For coronavirus data - https://corona.lmao.ninja/docs/#/Default
News api - https://newsapi.org/

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