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The Documentary Podcast

BBC Trending: The chatbot bridging an aid gap

The Documentary Podcast

BBC

Society & Culture, Documentary, Personal Journals

4.32.6K Ratings

🗓️ 15 January 2025

⏱️ 21 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

A mechanical engineer by day, Hania Zataari felt compelled to put her skills to use as the war intensified in Lebanon. Hailing from the south, one of the worst hit areas in the country, she has created a chatbot on WhatsApp that simplifies access to much-needed aid. BBC Trending follows Hania as she helps to bring aid to those affected by the war between Israel and Hezbollah. We also speak to people who have been helped by her chatbot and an aid volunteer to paint a picture of how Hania’s chatbot might be streamlining the service, as well as aid organisations who have shed light on the trials and tribulations of getting to people in south Lebanon.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

You know, we were having sleepless nights because we were on the news and seeing where

0:07.6

bombardments are happening, what is happening. And it was very stressful.

0:14.4

In October 2023, the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza spilt over into Lebanon

0:21.5

when Hamas's ally, Hezbollah, began firing rockets from the south of the country

0:26.7

into neighbouring Israel in support of Gaza.

0:30.6

Nearly a year later, Israel's offensive in Lebanon intensified.

0:36.9

The Lebanese health ministry says more than 180 people are dead, including children,

0:42.4

women and paramedics in heavy Israeli bombardment in the south of the country.

0:47.6

Many people were killed and forced to leave their homes.

0:51.6

The Lebanese authorities say 3,961 people have been killed since October

0:58.0

2023. In Israel, it's been reported that 45 civilians and 76 Israeli soldiers have also been killed,

1:07.3

and around 60,000 people evacuated.

1:14.5

Meanwhile, over a million people have been displaced in Lebanon.

1:19.7

They lost their house, they lost their savings, they lost their work,

1:22.6

not only their job, but whatever they have built.

1:30.3

Hanea Zatarie, a mechanical engineer working for the Ministry of Industry, decided she had to do something. So I started thinking what can I do and how can I help people.

1:34.3

And at the start, my concern was how to help people find houses.

1:38.3

So I've started it with only one need, which is the houses.

1:42.3

And then I started thinking, oh, they don't only need the

1:46.0

house. They also need to get food and to get the other needs. Drawing on her skills as a self-taught

1:54.9

programmer, Hania decided to create a bot in her spare time that helps people access aid.

2:01.6

So I thought that I should have a platform or an initiative that can help the displaced people.

...

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