The woman who built an 'aidbot' for displaced people in Lebanon

Hania Zataari, a talented mechanical engineer from Sidon, South Lebanon, has developed an innovative solution to assist displaced individuals affected by the ongoing conflict in her country. As the war escalated last autumn, Hania decided to leverage her skills to create a chatbot, known as an 'aidbot,' that operates on WhatsApp. This tool aims to simplify the process of accessing essential aid for those who have lost their homes and livelihoods due to the violence. Hania expressed her concern for the displaced, stating, 'They lost their houses, their savings, their work, everything they had built. ' The situation became dire on September 23, 2023, when Israel intensified its military actions against Hezbollah, a Lebanese armed group. This marked one of the deadliest days in Lebanon in nearly two decades, with the Lebanese government reporting at least 492 fatalities. Thousands of families were forced to flee to Sidon as the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) targeted what they claimed were 1,600 Hezbollah strongholds within Lebanon. Many of these displaced individuals sought refuge in schools and public buildings, while others had to rent accommodations or stay with relatives. Hania recognized that those who were not receiving direct support from the government needed assistance, and she aimed to bridge that gap. By utilizing her programming expertise, Hania designed the aidbot to connect those in need with the resources available. The aidbot is a type of artificial intelligence system that interacts with users through WhatsApp. It is programmed to ask straightforward questions regarding the type of aid required, as well as the individual's name and location. This information is then compiled into a Google spreadsheet, which Hania and her team of dedicated volunteers, consisting of friends and family, use to coordinate the distribution of essential items such as food, blankets, mattresses, medicine, and clothing. Hania dedicated her spare time to building the aidbot using Callbell. eu, a platform commonly employed by businesses to engage with customers on Meta's messaging services, including WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook Messenger. She explained that the aidbot streamlines the process of distributing aid, significantly reducing the time spent responding to individual requests. 'I'm not really interested in knowing their names. I just need to know where they are so I can manage the delivery,' she stated. For instance, if someone requests baby formula, the bot will inquire about the baby's age and the quantity needed, allowing Hania and her team to fulfill the request efficiently. The project is funded by donations from Lebanese individuals living abroad, and Hania has created a publicly accessible dashboard to track expenditures and the distribution of aid. As of now, they have successfully delivered 78 food parcels to families of five or ten people, along with 900 mattresses and 323 blankets across Sidon and other regions of Lebanon. One of the families benefiting from Hania's aidbot is that of Khaldoun Abbas, who, along with his family, fled their home in Najjarieh after receiving evacuation orders from the IDF. Seventeen family members, ranging in age from nine to 78, are currently living in a rented three-bedroom apartment in Sidon. Khaldoun shared that they sleep on mattresses they requested through the aidbot and have also received blankets, food, and cleaning supplies. Unfortunately, unlike some of their neighbors, Khaldoun's family has not been able to return home, as their house was destroyed in an Israeli strike just 11 days after they evacuated. The IDF claimed they targeted a 'terror infrastructure,' but Khaldoun firmly denied any connection to Hezbollah or other militant groups. Hania noted that Sidon has a long history of welcoming displaced individuals, particularly those fleeing from the Lebanon-Israel border. The current conflict began in October 2023 when tensions between Israel and Hamas escalated, leading Hezbollah to launch rockets into Israel in support of Gaza. The Lebanese health ministry reports that nearly 4,000 people have died and over a million have been displaced due to the ongoing violence. In Israel, around 60,000 individuals have been evacuated from Northern Israel, with authorities reporting over 80 soldiers and 47 civilians killed. Hania has been sourcing mattresses from Syria to meet the needs of those seeking assistance. Although a ceasefire was established last November, the situation on the ground remains challenging, with many individuals still struggling to access the aid they require. Bilal Merie, a volunteer working alongside Hania, explained that the high demand for aid coupled with limited supplies poses significant challenges. He attributed this to the severe economic crisis that has plagued Lebanon since 2019, forcing the government to rely heavily on external funding from creditors and aid organizations. Even international NGOs are feeling the strain, with UNICEF Lebanon reporting that they currently possess only 20% of the funding necessary to meet the needs of families in crisis. While the aidbot may not resolve all of Lebanon's issues, it has undoubtedly made a positive impact on the lives of families utilizing its services. John Bryant, a researcher from the Overseas Development Institute, remarked that this is the first instance he has encountered of a chatbot being employed in such a manner within the humanitarian sector. He commended the cultural awareness demonstrated in Hania's approach, emphasizing the importance of understanding the communication channels people use and engaging with them in their own language. However, he expressed concerns about the scalability of the aidbot, noting that what works in Lebanon may not be easily replicated in other regions. 'What tech offers a lot of the time is a standard cookie-cutter approach,' he stated. 'It's the local designers, the local translators, the trusted human interlocutors, and elements within that system that elevate digital tools into something useful. ' While the aidbot may not provide a comprehensive solution to all of Lebanon's challenges, it has certainly made life a little easier for families in need.