Aweza

ONE NATION, ONE CONVERSATION. Aweza is is an internationally award-winning tech initiative that develops digital tools to overcome language barriers and encourages intercultural understanding in a range of social sectors, currently focusing on the education and healthcare sector. By employing in-depth research methodologies, vigorous user testing, and specialized product development expertise, Aweza strives to make a meaningful difference in society-Voted one of the top 10 most innovative companies in Africa by FastCompany.com for 2014- AwezaMed: Communication barriers are an everyday occurrence in South Africa. In the context of healthcare, where it is common that the health care provider and the patient often do not share a common language, this results in serious issues such as- a poorer patient experience - incorrect diagnosis - increased stress levels for the patient - a misunderstanding of post-consultation self-care instructions AwezaMed is 2.5 year long multi-phased pilot in collaboration with the Human-Language Technology Research Group at the Council For Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to develop a solution for the public health sector that bridges the communication barrier. Potential benefits for such a solution are- the trust relationship between the healthcare provider and the patient can be improved- the patient’s experience can improve, diagnosis can be more accurate- health-care providers can more effectively reassure patients experiencing high levels of stress AwezaEd: Technical jargon and vocabulary often serve as a barrier for English Second Language (ESL) learners to fully grasp and assimilate concepts. On a large scale, this affects over 50% of South African learners, causing many to perform poorly in school, often resulting in low confidence and eventual dropping out. AwezaEd addresses this problem by seamlessly integrating into online learning tools to provide users with multilingual content breakdowns and terminology quizzes, which ultimately helps boost their ability to effectively assimilate concepts and theory. By eliminating language barriers as a barrier to learning, over 50% of the South African learning population stands a better chance at reaching their academic potential. Students would have higher confidence, be less likely to drop out, and ultimately stand a higher chance at matriculating and becoming a productive member of the workforce and economy. Supported by the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation, we have been running an intervention pilot in collaboration with FastMaths (using their content and Learning Management System) to measure the efficacy of such a solution in Schools and learning centres.