In order to try and do its part in the ongoing battle against gender-based violence, Vodacom is launching an app that will hopefully help people in need and help raise awareness. The free to download app, which has been named Bright Sky, is launching today to coincide with the United Nations initiative 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence. Feels like we need more than just sixteen days to solve the problem but it’s a start in the right direction.
So what exactly is Bright Sky? Well, it’s free to download on both the iOS App Store and Google Play Store and provides valuable support and information to those who may be in an abusive relationship or know someone who they suspect may be trapped in such a scenario. Available in three languages (English, isiZulu and Sesotho), Bright Sky allows users to complete a risk assessment questionnaire in order to determine whether or not their relationship could be toxic and potentially abusive. It then provides information on the different forms of GBV and even gives users a guide on nearby establishments that can be helpful, such as police stations, hospitals and NGOs.
It’s a simple app, one that’s designed to educate users and hopefully empower them with knowledge that may not be as wide spread and accessible as it should be.
Vodacom wants a Bright Sky, Brighter Tomorrow
Takalani Netshitenzhe, External Affairs Director for Vodacom South Africa, said in a press conference, “Bright Sky is part of our vision to use our core capability – technology – to respond to some of the societal challenges plaguing our society in this milieu. Digital technologies have become a positive enabler in this GBV crisis that we are facing. The app is part of our prevention strategy to strengthen prevention through awareness and education and will also augment the response by the law enforcement agencies through some of its functionalities.”
It’s a good initiative from Vodacom’s side, one that’s clearly been influenced by MiVoice, a recently released app that does largely the same thing as Bright Sky. The big advantage of Bright Sky is that it has the funding of Vodacom behind it, meaning it’ll hopefully be more prevalent and identifiable. Hey, the more apps out there trying to help people, the better.
Gender-based violence is still a massive problem around the world but it’s especially prevalent in South Africa. According to the latest research, one in four South African women will experience violence by men and are five times more likely to be killed. It’s a serious problem that needs to be dealt with and while two apps might not erase the problem entirely, it’s certainly a start in implementing actual systems to begin fixing this issue.