Pollicy, a civic techology organisation in Uganda, has joined the fight to combat human trafficking by developing a platform named Wetaase that will provide relevant, timely information to citizens seeking to travel abroad as well as utilize open data to track and reduce incidences of human trafficking in East Africa.
Wetaase (a vernacular word meaning ‘help yourself’) is an online and mobile platform serving high-risk individuals, victims and survivors of human trafficking from Uganda.
The automated toll-free line is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in major Ugandan languages and will also be staffed by trained counsellors. Wetaase provides vital information, legal advice and aftercare support through different channels and partnerships.
The platform utilises this data to track and reduce incidences of human trafficking by monitoring domestic and transnational trafficking. Eventually, the platform aims to be available in countries where Ugandans are most often trafficked to serve as a first line of defense.
The helpline can be accessed by called 0800 202 600. The helpline can also be accessed online by sending an email to helpline@wetaase.org, by filling out this online form, or by interacting with a chatbot on Facebook Messenger.
The Wetaase platform has officially opened its online doors to all those who need any information and help related to human trafficking. There will be a main launch at a private event later on this month.
Esther Ndagire the Program Manager of Wetaase expressed her optimism in the platform and believes it will create a positive impact on Ugandans seeking opportunities abroad. She briefly remarked upon the launch of the platform.
“We are excited to launch this platform which we have been working on tirelessly for the past couple of months to ensure that we launch a service with our end users in mind. We have engaged key stakeholders working on human trafficking to ensure that the platform is well-trusted.”
Wetaase has also recruited a team of dedicated youth community champions who will visit different communities across Kampala to educate and empower communities with knowledge on safe migration and access to information, services and resources.”
I am very excited for the launch of this platform and I look forward to the positive impact, growth of a more informed citizenry and reduced human trafficking occurrences across Uganda.”, she added
Pollicy works with governments and civil society to effectively use data and technology to improve public service delivery for citizens. Along these lines, the organization is also building up the civic technology ecosystem in Uganda by bringing together enthusiasts from different sectors, backgrounds and organizations to share knowledge and network. For more information, visit the website at pollicy.org or read more about the work at medium.com/pollicy.
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