Equb and Idir Management System

Project Overview

The Equb and Idir Management System is a web-based application designed to digitalize and streamline the operations of two traditional Ethiopian community support systems: Equb (rotating savings and credit association) and Idir (community association for social support and funeral expenses).

This system aims to replace manual, notebook-based record-keeping with a comprehensive digital platform to improve accuracy, transparency, and efficiency in managing member contributions, rotation schedules, and expenses.

Technology Stack

The project is built using a standard Java Enterprise stack:

Component	Technology	Role
Backend	Java Servlets	Handles business logic, request processing, and data flow.
Database	MySQL	Securely stores all member, contribution, rotation, and expense data.
Frontend	JSP (JavaServer Pages)	Used for dynamic presentation of the user interface (Admin and Member dashboards).
Build Tool	Apache Maven	Manages project dependencies, compilation, and packaging.

Key Features

The system supports two main actors: Admin and Member, with role-based access control.

Admin Functionalities

• Member Management: Add, update, and delete members; assign members to Equb/Idir groups.
• Equb Management: Create groups, record contributions, manage rotation schedules (fixed or random).
• Idir Management: Create groups, set monthly contribution rates, track payments, and manage fund balance.
• Expense Management: Record and track expenses related to Idir support.
• Reporting: Generate comprehensive reports (payment status, rotation reports, expense summaries).

Member Functionalities

• Authentication: Secure login with phone number and password.
• Personal Dashboard: View payment history, next contribution date, and Equb rotation position.
• Profile Management: Update personal information.

Project Structure

This project follows the standard Maven-based Java Web Application directory structure. The core logic is separated into distinct packages for maintainability and adherence to the Model-View-Controller (MVC) architectural pattern.

equb-idir-management-system/
├── src/
│   └── main/
│       ├── java/
│       │   └── com/
│       │       └── equbidir/
│       │           ├── controller/  # Java Servlets (C in MVC)
│       │           ├── model/       # POJOs/Entities (M in MVC)
│       │           ├── dao/         # Data Access Objects
│       │           └── util/        # Utility classes (e.g., DB connection, security)
│       └── webapp/
│           ├── WEB-INF/
│           │   └── web.xml          # Deployment Descriptor
│           ├── assets/
│           │   ├── css/             # Stylesheets (style.css)
│           │   └── js/              # JavaScript files (main.js)
│           │   └── views/
│           │       ├── auth/        # Login, Logout, Registration (login.jsp)
│           │       ├── admin/       # Admin-specific JSPs (dashboard.jsp, member_management.jsp)
│           │       └── member/      # Member-specific JSPs (dashboard.jsp, profile.jsp)
│           └── index.jsp            # Landing page
├── pom.xml                      # Maven Project Object Model file
├── README.md                    # Project documentation (this file)
└── .gitignore                   # Files to ignore in version control

Key Directories and Files

Path	Purpose
src/main/java/com/equbidir/controller	Contains all Java Servlets responsible for handling HTTP requests and responses (e.g., LoginServlet, AdminDashboardServlet).
src/main/java/com/equbidir/model	Contains Plain Old Java Objects (POJOs) representing database entities (e.g., Member, EqubGroup, Contribution).
src/main/java/com/equbidir/dao	Contains Data Access Objects (DAOs) for abstracting and managing database operations (e.g., MemberDAO, ContributionDAO).
src/main/webapp/views	Contains all JSP files which serve as the View layer in the MVC pattern.
src/main/webapp/WEB-INF/web.xml	The Deployment Descriptor for the web application, configuring servlets, filters, and welcome files.
pom.xml	Defines project dependencies (e.g., Servlet API, MySQL Connector) and build configuration.

Getting Started

1. Prerequisites: Ensure you have a Java Development Kit (JDK 8+), Apache Maven, and a compatible IDE (e.g., IntelliJ IDEA, Eclipse) installed.
2. Clone the Repository:

   git clone [REPOSITORY_URL]
   cd equb-idir-management-system

3. Build the Project:

   mvn clean install

4. Deployment: Deploy the generated .war file to an application server (e.g., Apache Tomcat).
5. Database Setup: Create the equb_idir_db database in MySQL and run the necessary schema scripts (to be added).