In the fight against Gender-Based Violence (GBV), access to information and support is crucial. Recognizing the need for a compassionate and non-judgmental platform to address this issue, GRIT, an NGO that focuses on empowering communities on gender-based violence-related issues embarked on a mission to create Zuzi, an AI-powered chatbot with the persona of a kind African aunt. Zuzi's primary purpose is to provide information about GBV in the most simplified and supportive manner possible.

Zuzi has won many local and international awards and grants, including from Mozilla and The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

There is a critical need for accessible and non-judgmental platforms that provide information and support to individuals in underserved communities affected by Gender Based Violence. These communities are typically excluded from technological advancements and tend to suffer the most where the digital divide is concerned. Considering the pervasiveness of GBV in South Africa. It is important to educate as many people about theur rights and the resources available to them.

Gender-Based Violence is a pervasive issue affecting communities worldwide, and African communities are no exception. However, traditional methods of addressing GBV often lack accessibility, especially for individuals who may feel intimidated or judged when seeking information or support. This is especially true for individuals in underseved communities. Recognizing this gap, the research team conducted extensive workshops within the target community to understand their needs and preferences.

Based on the insights gathered from the community, Zuzi was conceptualized as a friendly and approachable chat bot, embodying the persona of a kind African aunt. This persona was chosen deliberately, as community members expressed a desire to speak with someone who felt familiar, comforting, and non-threatening. Zuzi's dialogue was crafted to be empathetic, understanding, and free of judgment, allowing users to open up about their experiences with GBV without fear of stigma or discrimination.

Zuzi's chat interface was designed to be intuitive and user-friendly, ensuring that individuals of all ages and backgrounds could easily interact with the bot. The chat bot provides information about various forms of GBV, including domestic violence, sexual assault, and harassment, in a simplified and easy-to-understand manner. Additionally, Zuzi offers guidance on how to recognize signs of GBV, access support services, and take action to protect oneself or others.

Zuzi is built using cutting-edge technology to deliver its compassionate and informative responses. The backend of Zuzi relies on Python and Flask to handle the communication between users and the AI-powered chatbot. Leveraging the powerful LlamaIndex, our dataset is indexed and vectorized, enabling Zuzi to quickly retrieve relevant information in response to user queries. Furthermore, Zuzi seamlessly integrates with OpenAI, tapping into its advanced language models like Davinci and GPT-4 (with plans to upgrade in the near future), enhancing its ability to generate contextually appropriate responses. When presented with a question or prompt, Zuzi's backend searches the vector database for relevant indices. If a match is found, the corresponding index is provided to the OpenAI language model, along with the ongoing conversation history, to generate a personalized and empathetic response. On the frontend, Zuzi utilizes Flutter and Firebase, ensuring a smooth and responsive user experience across various devices and platforms. Together, this comprehensive tech stack enables Zuzi to fulfill its mission of providing accessible, non-judgmental support and information on Gender-Based Violence to those in need.

Future Expansion

Moving forward, GRIT is committed to expanding the chat bot's subject matter and capabilities and reach. This includes adding a rape toolkit among other information. Plans include integrating additional features such as real-time support chat, and multilingual support. Furthermore, efforts will be made to collaborate with local organizations and authorities to ensure that Zuzi remains aligned with community needs and continues to make a meaningful difference in the fight against GBV.

Zuzi stands as a testament to the power of empathy, understanding, and community-driven innovation in addressing critical social issues such as Gender-Based Violence. By embodying the persona of a kind African aunt and providing information in a simplified and non-judgmental manner, Zuzi will hopefully become a beacon of hope and support for individuals affected by GBV. As it continues to evolve and expand, Zuzi remains dedicated to empowering individuals and fostering positive change within communities across the globe.

#HappyClients

Leonora Tima

CEO and Founder, GRIT