A Smarter Approach to Child Protection

Every day, thousands of children and survivors of gender-based violence (GBV) seek help through helplines and support services. But too often, they face slow response times, overwhelmed caseworkers, and a system that struggles to coordinate services effectively.

At BITZ ITC, we believe technology can change this. That’s why we built OpenCHS, an open-source case management platform designed to help social service providers, child protection agencies, and helplines respond faster, smarter, and more efficiently.

And now, with support from UNICEF’s Venture Fund, we’re taking OPENCHS to the next level. This funding will allow us to integrate AI-driven capabilities, expanding access to life-saving services for more children and survivors worldwide.

From Crisis to Action: Why OpenCHS Matters

Imagine a child experiencing abuse or a GBV survivor desperately reaching out for help. They dial a toll-free helpline (116), but instead of receiving immediate assistance, they face long wait times, language barriers, or overwhelmed operators juggling multiple cases.

This is the reality for many helplines today. High call volumes—many of them silent, prank, or non-urgent inquiries—consume critical bandwidth that should be dedicated to genuine cases. Additionally, language barriers make it difficult for survivors to communicate their needs, especially in linguistically diverse regions like Uganda.

Uganda, for instance, is home to over 40 different languages, with English and Swahili as official languages—but the majority of people speak indigenous languages such as Luganda, Runyankore, Acholi, and Ateso in their day-to-day lives. Many survivors seeking help may not speak the language understood by the available call agents, creating a heartbreaking communication gap that delays or prevents assistance.

OPENCHS is built to solve these challenges head-on.

How OPENCHS is Changing the Game

Our AI-driven system enhances crisis response by:

• Automating Call Triage: AI and data science filter and categorize calls before they reach human counselors, ensuring urgent cases get immediate attention while reducing the load on operators.
   
• Breaking Language Barriers: AI-powered speech-to-text and real-time translation allow survivors to communicate in their native language — whether it's Luganda, Acholi, Runyoro, or any other indigenous language. No call for help goes unanswered due to language differences.
   
• Streamlining Case Management: OPENCHS integrates real-time case tracking and multi-channel communication (phone, WhatsApp, SMS, web), enabling seamless collaboration between agencies.
   
• Enhancing Counselor Efficiency: AI transcription models pre-fill case forms, allowing counselors to focus on meaningful engagement with survivors rather than manual data entry.
   

With OPENCHS, every voice is heard, regardless of the language spoken. No survivor should face obstacles when seeking support — our technology ensures they won’t have to.

How UNICEF’s Investment Will Transform OPENCHS

While OPENCHS has already improved case management for many organizations, we know we can do more. With UNICEF’s support, we will integrate cutting-edge AI-powered capabilities that will make child protection services even more effective.

This includes:

• Automated Case Prioritization – Helping caseworkers address the most urgent cases first.
• Voice Recognition & Transcription – Converting voice interactions into accurate text, reducing manual effort.
• AI-Powered Language Translation – Breaking down communication barriers, ensuring every child and survivor can be heard.
• Advanced Data Analytics – Providing real-time insights to help organizations make better decisions.
• Stronger Security & Privacy Features – Ensuring sensitive case data is protected.

These enhancements will empower helplines and social service providers to respond faster, communicate better, and make informed decisions in real-time.

The Power of Open Source

Unlike traditional helpline software, OPENCHS is open-source and fully customizable. This means that governments, NGOs, and grassroots organizations can adopt, modify, and scale the platform to meet their specific needs—without expensive licensing fees or vendor restrictions.

By keeping OPENCHS open and community-driven, we ensure that innovation happens continuously, shaped by the real-world experiences of those on the frontlines of child protection.

A Journey Fueled by Purpose

Our work at BITZ ITC is driven by a simple yet powerful belief: Every child in crisis deserves a timely and effective response.

We’ve seen firsthand how gaps in coordination and slow response times can have devastating consequences. This inspired us to build a better way—a system that puts efficiency, accessibility, and real-world impact at its core.

Our team is made up of Business Analysts, technologists, and data scientists, all united by the mission to leverage technology for social good. This diverse expertise allows us to build solutions that are not only powerful but also practical, ethical, and culturally sensitive.

Our First 100 Days

The use of data for the model training requires approval and approval from the relative government agencies. We are working with relevant government agencies in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania and have received permission from one of the mentioned countries to use the actual voice recordings for our model training later on.

We have also onboarded new team members with expertise in data privacy and security and are exchanging notes with our technical mentors on the topics of voice-to-text transcription, handling of sensitive data, and open source large language models.

What’s Next?

With UNICEF’s support, we are excited to take OPENCHS further. Over the coming months, we will:

• Expand AI-driven capabilities to improve case triage and accessibility.
• Scale OPENCHS to new regions, ensuring more children and survivors get the help they need.
• Collaborate with partners to refine and enhance the system based on real-world use cases.

This is just the beginning. By combining technology, innovation, and human-centered design, we are building a future where no child in crisis is left waiting.

Join Us in This Mission

We are always looking for partners, collaborators, and changemakers who share our vision. Whether you are  part of a government agency, an NGO, a tech organization, or an advocacy group, we invite you to join us in transforming child protection services globally.

Stay connected as we share updates on our progress. Together, we can create a stronger, faster, and more responsive support system—one that ensures every child and survivor gets the help they deserve.

📩 Interested in learning more? Reach out to us at [email protected] or follow us on LinkedIn.