Something's Lost website

Help Cyprus find its direction while bringing your ideas to life!

Anna Constantinidou       No comments    Created Date: 03/04/2020

Proposal code: Pusula / Ππούσουλας-2020-04-102

Develop a user-friendly website, for the people to upload items or animals which are lost and/or found by someone (anything from money, credit cards, keys, car, dog etc). All in one place.

Losing something is usually a very painful experience. It can be very costly if it’s a wallet, a credit card or something which we use on a regular basis such as a mobile, a pc, etc. But it can also be very stressful depending on the attachment we have with that item / animal. In both cases, we might freak out, experience panic attack, insecurity, frustration, sadness and other negative feelings.

Our idea is to develop a user-friendly website, which will include items or animals which are lost and/or found by someone (anything from money, credit cards, keys, car, dog etc).

How it will work:

• People who lost items / animals: As soon as someone realises that he/she has lost something they could search the "FOUND" section, in case someone has found their item / animal. If the item / animal is yet to be found, they could upload information about it, in case someone finds it or if it was stolen and someone has information about it.
• People who find items / animals: They will search the “LOST” section and if the item / animal is not uploaded, then they will be able upload information regarding that item / animal.

In both cases,

• Information which will be uploaded include the category of the item / animal (regulations and guidelines to be followed will be popped up according to the category i.e. for animals to be taken to VET asap), a photo if possible and a brief description of it. In the case of the "FOUND" item / animal, important information about that item which only the owner will know will not be disclosed.
• The software will be guiding how to provide the most valuable information / description about the lost or found item / animal.
• The subscribers will be able to contact the person who has lost / found an item / animal through the website, and eventually return the item to its owner.
• A message that there is a “MATCH” will appear so everyone will be informed.
• The owner of the item / dog found as an act of appreciation can offer any amount of money to the website (transparent procedure) for a non-profit purpose (the purpose will be decided on a later stage). 

Benefits: Make the whole experience and procedure of losing and / or finding an item / animal less stress full, more effective and more efficient promoting responsibility and reliability in Cyprus. How:

• People will log in, and have the opportunity to enable notifications through email and/or SMS etc every time something is lost / found. The notifications will be allowed according to the choice of the person, if they prefer to be notified when an item is the same category as the item they have lost / found, and / or if they prefer to be notified for all items lost / found. For example, someone could allow notifications for all the items which are found and/or all items which are lost, and / or all items within the category of his/her item lost etc. This option will increase awareness for the items / animals lost or found and through virality and word of mouth the chances of a person finding what he/she has lost will be significantly increased.   
• This website, will reduce and eventually eliminate the cases when various items which are lost and found, are uploaded in various Facebook pages with irrelevant content. In these cases, if the person who has lost something is not a follower of the page or doesn’t have any connection to that page through somebody else, then the chances of finding their item / animal are very small. When everything which are lost and found are uploaded in one source, then the lost and found procedure will become more effective and efficient.  
• Furthermore, this page will be advertised to the tourist market. Very often tourists lose their stuff and they have no idea where to search for them. So, promoting this page within the tourist market, a tourist will be able to follow the above-mentioned procedure to find their item / animal, having a huge chance of finding it. So, this will also enhance the image of Cyprus in the perception of this person, as an organized and responsible country. 

Secondary benefits and value:

• The website will include various tips and articles such as on how to stop losing items, to retrace the steps before losing an item etc.
• Contact details of people who are specialized in providing medical help if there is a disorder associated to loosing stuff
• Further useful information will be available
• Some amount of money will be raised for a non-profit purpose. 

• LOST AND FOUND ITEMS