A deeply personal family tragedy spurred South African innovator Leonora Tima to develop a groundbreaking digital platform. After her 19-year-old relative, nine months pregnant, was murdered and her body left by the roadside in 2020 – a crime that went unsolved and unreported due to the sheer volume of such incidents in the country – Leonora felt compelled to act. Witnessing the silent acceptance of such violence in her community ignited a passion to create change.
This led to the development of Grit, a mobile app featuring an AI chatbot named Zuzi. This initiative is among the first of its kind, created by African developers to address gender-based violence. Leonora emphasizes that Grit is an “African solution co-designed with African communities,” aiming to offer vital support and a secure way to document abuse, potentially aiding in legal cases.
While the app has garnered international attention, experts offer a note of caution, highlighting that while AI can be a valuable tool, it should not replace the empathy and human connection crucial for trauma survivors. Leonora and her team actively engaged with communities around Cape Town, gathering insights from over 800 individuals to understand their experiences and how technology could best serve them. Many expressed a desire for help but harbored a distrust of traditional channels like the police, citing fears of defamation charges if they spoke out online.
Grit addresses these concerns with three core features. The app’s prominent help button initiates a 20-second audio recording, capturing immediate surroundings, while simultaneously alerting a private rapid-response call center. If the situation is critical, the response team can dispatch help directly or connect the user with local support organizations. Leonora stresses the importance of building trust within these communities, acknowledging the sensitive nature of data sharing.
The “vault” feature provides a secure, encrypted digital space for users to store crucial evidence, such as photos, screenshots, and voice recordings, safeguarding them from deletion or tampering. This ensures vital evidence is preserved, even if a phone is confiscated or destroyed.
The chatbot, Zuzi, is designed to be an “aunt figure” – warm, trustworthy, and non-judgmental, reflecting the community’s feedback. Grit’s innovative approach has been recognized globally, with Leonora presenting the app at the Feminist Foreign Policy Conference in Paris. The conversation around AI’s potential to either exacerbate or combat gender inequality is ongoing, with experts like Lyric Thompson and Heather Hurlburt emphasizing that the inclusive design and ethical considerations are paramount. Leonora Tima underscores that true progress lies in ensuring diverse voices, particularly those of women and women of color from the global south, are at the forefront of AI development.
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