Code MAMA – Design for Unicef Presentation from cindy wong on Vimeo.
In Design for Unicef, my teammates and I have settled on a project aimed to help a specific local population in post-disaster situations.
Here’s our project proposal outlined in our presentation, above. Code MAMA is a mobile outreach service that aims to connect pregnant women to a network of health professionals. In the developing world, health resources can be unreliable on a country’s infrastructure level. There may not be enough doctors/nurses, institutions, or money. Sometimes, geography or customs may prevent a person from seeking help until their health situation is too dire for effective treatment. That’s where charities and NGOs, like Unicef, can play a big role by providing access to resources and health education.
Target Population
We specifically targeted pregnant women because they are an ideal user group:
A) They are a vulnerable population
B) They are a motivated user group in proactively seeking help to aid their unborn. Similarly, people in their network (family or friends) will pass word for help.
C) Maternal health (particularly, maternal mortality) is an indicator of societal problems at large. Aid groups can collect information that provide a bigger picture of a community.
Platform + Implementation
Using an SMS framework, MAMA taps into a simple way where expecting mothers-to-be can pose questions and receive answers back in a quick, convenient manner. In daily life, MAMA can empower expecting mothers to seek help and educate themselves beyond what may (or may not) be available to them locally. In a post-disaster situation, MAMA can be a tool that aid workers can setup and implement so that displaced pregnant women (in camps) can tap into after their daily routine (and health resources) have been disrupted. Uprooted from home and familiar faces, these expecting mothers have even a more urgent need to resume their medical care and need to know where to turn for help.