An Artificial Intelligence (AI) tool will answer questions of those in Brazil and confront the circulation of fake news
On June 10, UNHCR (UN Refugee Agency) launched the automatic response WhatsApp “Chama”. WhatsApp Chama (+551142301029) uses a technology known as chatbot, and has a script that answers the main questions of the Venezuelan communities assisted by the Welcome Operation shelters.
Topics such as documentation, interiorization, COVID-19 prevention, and tips for finding work, were identified as priorities through a survey conducted in November 2020 with the tool’s target audience.
The expression “Chama”, in Venezuelan culture, means “young woman”, which is the identity of this AI tool created to answer the key questions of Venezuelan refugees and migrants in the Brazilian territory, reducing the impacts of false news circulating among this population.
“Many refugees and migrants receive fake news through their cell phones, mainly via WhatsApp. The Chama chatbot has come to use the same tool, which is a source of misinformation, as a place for verified and accurate answers. Especially during the pandemic, the ability to provide reliable information can save lives,” says Oscar Sánchez Piñeiro, Head of UNHCR Office in Boa Vista.
This project is part of the digital inclusion programme of the UNHCR Innovation Unit and is financed by the Directorate for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs of the Government of Luxembourg. The support is provided by Welcome Operation and the Volunteers for International Service Association (AVSI Brazil).
