Bartrd

I'm a university student in Lagos. I watched my classmates trade favors every day "design my flyer, I'll help you with your assignment" but half the time, someone ghosted. The other half, nobody kept track. That's the problem. Students are broke but skilled. We have ₦0 in our accounts but ₦50,000 worth of talent in our heads. So I built Bartrd , a platform where students trade skills instead of cash. No money changes hands. You offer what you're good at (design, tutoring, video editing, braiding, coding) and get what you need in return using a credit system. Escrow protects both sides. Ratings build your reputation. But the real breakthrough came when I realized the marketplace model wasn't enough, people signed up and waited. So I built Bartrd Circles, inspired by the Nigerian ajo (rotating savings groups). A group of students commit to a weekly skill rotation. Everyone gives one service, everyone receives one. No credits needed. The social accountability of the group keeps everyone honest. It's not a freelancing platform. It's not a job board. It's a campus survival tool, built by a student, for students who have everything except money. Would love your feedback.