Dr Ronoh, the don combating HIV with 'Beshte', a Sheng speaking AI chatbot

In a ground-breaking endeavour to combat the spread of HIV and Aids among Kenyan youth, Dr Marilyn Ronoh, a lecturer in applied mathematics at the University of Embu, has pioneered an innovative solution: an Artificial Intelligence (AI) chatbot designed to revolutionise HIV and Aids education.

She was inspired to develop a solution to cater to young people when she realised how vulnerable they were during her PhD research.

“Although there is over 68 per cent reduction of HIV infection in the general population, over 50 per cent of new HIV infections are contributed by youth between 15 to 24 years. So, this group has become a high-risk group like ex workers,’’ Dr Ronoh explains in an interview with Nation.Africa.

Her argument is that in past years, there was a lot of messaging on HIV prevention even in primary schools. This, however, is not the case with the current generation, especially with the age group growing up with social media.

Dr Ronoh also adds that there are twice as many new HIV infections in young women compared to men.

“They’re in a set up where they're almost free to experiment sexually because there's a lot of information available to them when you go online. There’s also a lot of pressure to keep up with societal expectations for young women, which has led to a sponsor culture that has a lot of transactional sex and the girls cannot negotiate use of condoms.’’

The mathematician also found out that younger people who do not necessarily identify as LGBTQI, are engaging in sex with the same gender.

“We are talking about mature minors who are more sexually experienced than probably married couples. They’re growing in era where sex is advertised everywhere and there’s temptation to experiment.’’

Her research into the social drivers of new HIV infections revealed that current prevention messages are not communicating to the youth.

Sexual activity

“For instance a lot of information is on the National Aids Control's website where young people have to mine for information. Sometimes it is offered in curriculum programs like a mandatory HIV course in university but students told us that they don’t  show up for those classes. When it comes to high school counsellors, most students shy away.’’

Further, she insists that even though well-meaning parents often hope that their young children are abstaining from sexual activity, the reality is that many of them are sexually active.

“Sometimes we refuse to acknowledge, preferring to keep our heads buried under the sand. The thought that our 15-year-olds may have already engaged in sexual activity with multiple partners is unsettling and uncomfortable to contemplate. Christian organisations, in particular, may struggle to accept this reality, as they often advocate for abstinence among youth and employ harsh language and messages of condemnation towards those who are sexually active.’’

Therefore, she insists that current approaches have created a barrier between adults and young people, leading them to seek information and guidance from their peers instead. In the absence of open and honest communication, they are left to rely on inaccurate information.

Transmission dynamics

“Globally, statistics reveal that only one in three young people possess accurate knowledge about HIV and Aids. This concerning trend is reflected locally as well, with approximately 98 adolescents aged 10 to 19 contracting the virus in a week in our country."

In order to fill the information access gap, the Mawazo Institute 2018 fellow together with a team of developers, came up with Beshte, an AI tool to address the alarming rise in HIV infections among adolescents and young adults aged 15-24 in Kenya. Drawing from her extensive research experience, particularly in understanding the transmission dynamics of HIV and Aids, Dr Ronoh recognized the urgent need for targeted interventions to educate and empower youth in the fight against this epidemic.

The AI Chatbot, named “Beshte”, represents a pioneering approach to HIV and Aids education, leveraging artificial intelligence to deliver personalised guidance and support to young people across Kenya. Powered by advanced algorithms and informed by Dr. Ronoh's research findings, Beshte offers a dynamic platform for interactive learning, engaging users in informative conversations about HIV and Aids prevention, testing, and treatment.

In order to come up with a database of information for the AI Chatbot, she conducted research in Embu and Murang’a counties where she conducted interviews in eight secondary schools, engaging with more than 200 students. Additionally, she visited one university per county and one technical institution, engaging approximately 100 university students. Their primary goal was to uncover the students' questions and curiosities about HIV. Initially, they expected HIV to be the main focus, but they discovered that students were curious about a wide range of topics beyond HIV.

“When engaging with youth, we often find that they hesitate to ask certain questions, especially if they can't find the answers online, or if they think older individuals may deem those questions inappropriate. For example, while we may assume they're primarily interested in basic HIV-related inquiries, they might have more specific and sometimes surprising questions, such as whether HIV can be transmitted through masturbation or if washing the vagina with Coca-Cola can cure HIV. These questions highlight the need for open and non-judgmental discussions about sexual health,” she says.

Beshte is multilingual, capable of conversing in English, Swahili, and Sheng. While it can understand and respond to conversations in Sheng, it will reply in formal language.

“We've observed that many young people prefer using Sheng for communication, especially when discussing topics for which they may not know the scientific terms. The chatbot is adept at interpreting their language and providing relevant information. During testing with stakeholders, the chatbot successfully performed most tasks, showcasing its effectiveness. Users can ask it any question, and it will provide accurate information on various topics, generating a lot of curiosity among users. Interestingly, the chatbot even managed to engage with users on an emotional level, offering comfort and support when needed.’’

Beshte only allows users above the age of 15, and utilises a pseudonym to protect identities of its users so as to allow privacy.

AI technologies

For the future, Dr Ronoh hopes that her team will be able to develop a USSD component, which would be free for users who don't have internet access.

Moving forward:  “We're focused on the bigger picture, aiming to engage all key stakeholders involved in HIV and Aids efforts across the country. Conversations have begun with the Ministry of Health. These connections are crucial for establishing linkages and fostering collaboration. There’s a growing interest in leveraging AI technologies to support health functions and systems in Kenya. Recognising that many young people are constantly connected via their phones, we see an opportunity to reach them where they are. By providing a platform for them to download and interact with, we can ensure they have access to accurate information.”

Beshte is temporarily undergoing redesigning and will be relaunched next month. Users will be able to access it on web and Google app store.

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