A group of Kenyan developers harnessed technology to develop Sophie bot, a chatbot that uses artificial intelligence to answer questions on sexual and reproductive health.
Sex talk is still a taboo topic in several African societies. It is a touchy subject to the point that young people are learning from experience or misinformed sources.
Teenagers and young adults are often bombarded with inaccurate and conflicting information about sex from various sources that they are left to differentiate between truths, half-truths, and outright lies.
Few sources unpack sex education in a way that this group can relate to. Love Matters Africa is among the few online platforms that provide accurate and reliable information on love, sex & relationships. The platform seeks to break the sex talk taboo in Africa.
Noting this information gap, three fresh graduates from the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) came together to develop Sophie bot, one among few tech-focused solutions to sexual health and reproductive health.
Beverly Mutindi and Derick Mureithi hope that Sophie bot will destigmatize sex education. This innovation uses use artificial intelligence to answer questions. The concept is the same as that of Siri. Users can ask Sophie questions and she, in turn, uses artificial intelligence to respond, either by voice or text. The answers provided are based on Kenya’s National AIDS Control Council and the United Nations Population Fund’s (UNFPA) curriculum.
This development is another example of the intersection between sex and technology. Others, including sex robots, have given a new meaning to sex and sexual pleasure. These and other developments centered around sex and pleasure have turned into topics of discussion all over the world and have left some cheering and others sneering
The Sophie bot app is a timely development given that traditional outreach programmes that target schools take a lot of planning and resources. A tech-focused solution is easily accessible and cost-efficient. In addition, this is a great way to interact with the younger generation.
Another advantage that the creators of Sophie were keen to include is anonymity. This also includes the option to delete chat history. This adds a layer of privacy and keeps snoops from accessing the information you would otherwise prefer to remain private.
While such tech-focused solutions are welcome, efforts need to be directed to increase internet access among the target group. Initiatives that, for instance, teach digital literacy to women can help bridge the gender gap with regard to access to technology.
The goal of these literacy programs should be to teach women how to use the internet as a tool for empowerment and information access. This could mean access to jobs, access information that could help them improve their businesses, or even sex and reproductive information from credible sources.
The introduction of platforms such as Love Matters Africa and chatbots such as Sophie bot are helping spark conversations around the sensitive subject of sex. This is a welcome change since it will ensure that both the young and old gain access to accurate information around sex, love, and relationships.
To download the Sophie bot app visit the Google Play Store.
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