1.Background
DIGITAL UMUGANDA is an Artificial intelligence and open data company currently focusing on AI Natural Language Processing (NLP) to democratize access to information and services hence reducing the digital divide gap. This is done by being a platform for international commons initiatives such as Common voice linking global efforts to local communities and contexts as well as developing solutions that enable this mission. Digital Umuganda projects align with the national digital smart master plans with a focus on projects with a sustainable development impact.
Mbaza AI Chatbot
In collaboration with its partners and consortium members, Digital Umuganda presented the solution of an AI-powered chatbot to ease information and knowledge dissemination on COVID-19 in Rwanda at the #SmartDevelopmentHack, an international hackathon organized by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). This solution was selected as one of 9 winning solutions of the hackathon. The chatbot will enable Rwandans to ask individual questions regarding COVID-19 and receive verified reliable answers 24/7 from anywhere. The solution will build on existing COVID-19 information systems operating in Rwanda, including a COVID-19 call center run by the Rwanda Biomedical Center (RBC) and a USSD chatbot to conduct self-screening. The chatbot will be developed over 5 iterations – from a simple rule-based text chatbot to a contextual voice-based chatbot in Kinyarwanda. In a sixth iteration, the chatbot will be scaled to Kenya to also operate in Kiswahili.