Wetaase Re-loaded: We’ve just launched our new platform!
Wetaase is an online and mobile platform serving high-risk individuals, victims and survivors of human trafficking from Uganda.
The platform consists of a website (www.wetaase.org), a chatbot and toll free helpline was officially launched to the public by civic technology organization, Pollicy, in February 2018. Since its launch, Wetaase has grown immensely registering over 200 phone calls through the multilingual helpline, 25 users communicating through the Facebook chatbot, 2 of whom were male human trafficking survivors and hundreds of visitors to the website. The platform
Wetaase, which means ‘save me’, is a platform to track and reduce incidences of domestic and international human trafficking. Its framework includes a phone and web-based helpline which provides information, referral to legal aid, aftercare services and extraction of persons. Users can make informed decisions, form safe migration strategies and learn to look out for the signs of human trafficking. They will also be linked to vital services such as Ministry of Labor and Internal Affairs, NGOs etc. Data collected through the platform will be used to create regional data-driven advocacy campaigns and in turn, strengthen the prevention of trafficking from the East Africa region through active monitoring and tracking.
Earlier this year, Wetaase successfully carried out its first offline campaign through the Wetaase Community champion volunteer programme where the platform was introduced to over 1000 people across Kampala specifically Nakawa, Kyambogo, Banda, Rubaga and Makerere. Wetaase aims to provide easy to use vital information on safe migration and human trafficking, legal advice and aftercare support through our different channels and partnerships. To ensure that quality of our service is always improving, Pollicy is proud to announce the new Wetaase website.
The new Wetaase features a new theme and design with images familiar to the Ugandan eye. At the top of the homepage is Wetaase’s toll free helpline 0800202600, which provides information in English, Luganda and Runyakole. The site highlights statistics on human trafficking, that is 21 million people trafficked globally, 77 % of people interviewed in Kampala don’t have access to information on safe migration (this is according to a baseline survey carried out by Pollicy last year) and 150 billion dollars fueling the trafficking industry globally. This new version also features blogs on Wetaase and trafficking in the country written by the Programme manager and the volunteers’ field experiences.
Users should expect a more user-friendly and compatible platform from the new site design. They can still access the Facebook chatbot as well as leave their comments and feedback through email. Wetaase continues to make access to information on safe migration and human trafficking much easier. People now know things they didn’t even think were important and fighting ignorance and misconceptions will support the long term vision of drastically reducing human trafficking incidents in the country. They can still access this information in many ways; either online or offline in different languages which cater for the different types of people in the country.
We encourage you to visit our new website and leave us feedback, comments and suggestions through the Contact page. The platform is continuing to grow and we are always encouraged by users’ input!
Written by Esther Ndagire, Program Manager at Pollicy
