A personal tragedy sparked a powerful innovation in South Africa’s fight against gender-based violence. After a pregnant 19-year-old relative was murdered in 2020 and her death went unnoticed in mainstream media, development practitioner Leonora Tima set out to build a technology platform that could give survivors of abuse a voice, a lifeline, and a way to seek justice.
Her solution is Grit, one of the first African-built AI safety tools for gender-based violence survivors. Designed with community input across Cape Town’s townships, the mobile app features a rapid-response panic button, a secure digital vault for evidence, and now a new AI chatbot named Zuzi.
The tool already has 13,000 users and handled nearly 10,000 support requests in September alone.
“Her violent death was seen as normal in South African society,” Leonora says. “We built Grit to make sure survivors are heard and supported, not ignored.”
Built for safety, dignity, and evidence collection
Grit’s features were crafted around real needs:
- Panic help button immediately records audio and alerts a private emergency team
- Encrypted evidence vault stores photos, recordings, and threats safely off-device
- Zuzi chatbot provides guidance, emotional support, and links to local services
The concept was co-designed with women in local communities, many of whom feared approaching police or traditional services.
A trusted “auntie”, not a cold robot
Zuzi was shaped by women’s preference for a warm, familiar guide — “like an aunt” — not a legal or institutional tone. The chatbot has also been used by men seeking help managing violent behaviour, showing wider psychological demand for safe, anonymous support.
Safeguards and concerns: AI cannot replace humans
Experts welcome Grit’s innovation but warn that AI support must be carefully deployed in trauma contexts.
“Survivors need empathy and human connection. AI can guide, but is not a substitute for trained counsellors,” says gender-violence expert Lisa Vetten.
Funding and recognition
Backed by Mozilla, the Gates Foundation, and the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, the project has now reached global policy platforms.
Leonora recently presented Grit at the Feminist Foreign Policy Conference in Paris, where 31 countries pledged to make ending gender-based violence a priority.
Why African women must build AI
Leonora argues that inclusive tech begins with inclusive creators.
“AI has been built with data centring men — especially white men. We need more women, more women of colour, and more creators from the global south.”
Her mission is clear: technology must reflect those it aims to protect. Grit is a model for how African women can build AI tools rooted in community reality, dignity, and justice.
If platforms like Grit scale, they could reshape survivor support and digital justice — ensuring violence is confronted, not silenced.
