Tolong

Tolong is a set of interventions that uses anonymity as a safeguarding tool, to manage the risk and anxiety of Foreign Domestic Workers while seeking help during a crisis.

︎ Tools Used: Arduino, Python, GoogleDialogflow, GPT-3
︎ Duration: September - November 2022
︎ Solo Project

    

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CONTEXT 

More than 256000 Foreign Domestic Workers(F.D.Ws) are employed in Singapore. As live-in domestic workers, migrant women from neighbouring Southeast Asian countries fill critical care gaps in Singapore households. However, their social protection remains uneven, uncertain, and indeterminate.

There is undoubtedly a need for the Foreign Domestic Workers (FDWs) in Singapore to access a more complete, trusted and integrated support system to anonymously report cases like verbal abuse, emotional distress, agency fraud and even domestic violence. This project responds to two problem statements developed using a human-centred approach and lean design research methods;  

︎ How might we design discrete interventions that fulfil the emotional and practical needs of F.D.Ws of all ages and backgrounds?

︎ How might we design a discrete system that alleviates anxiety while seeking help? 

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SOLUTION

Tolong is the outcome of a Two-Month project executed at the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. It aims to empower these women by providing personal, collective, and public channels, to shorten notification times and eliminate delayed responses from trusted institutions like the Ministry of Manpower or State police. 

The goal is to put forth a product ecosystem that balances the emotional and practical needs of FDWs of all ages and ethnicities. These reduce anxiety by offering the appropriate channels for seeking support to ensure accurate response time during crises. They do this in tandem with ubiquitous technologies and by integrating them with civic systems.

                                                         

Tags:
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Design Research
Physical Computing   
Social Design
Human Machine Interaction
Information Design
Systems Thinking
 
Mentors:
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Peer Sathik
Thummanapalli Nagaraju

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RESEARCH

The design research process began with lean research methodology, which aims to conduct research that is relevant, appropriate in size,respectful and rigorous. Participatory research method was adopted  with female F.D.W.s from five South East Asian countries in collaboration with FAST, a non-profit organisation in Singapore. Delays in receiving help during problems like  hostile work and living conditions, mental and physical abuse was discussed. Many would never seek assistance because of the complicated procedures and the fear of approaching the authorities

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PROTOTYPING AND CO-DESIGN WITH STAKEHOLDERS

This was arguable the part of the project that is closest to my heart. Sketches, paper prototypes, role-playing, and wizard of oz prototyping were used in the codesign approach to uncover insights, and facilitate the best interactions for these workers.

Over the few weeks of engagement, I made friends and aquaintances in the FDW community which made them feel part of the design process, and share their needs and aspirations from the system.

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INTERVENTION 1

Sisterlah

Provocation

“I would be happy sharing my problems with a stranger, rather than being judged by someone I know. It’s easier like that”

Intervention
Sisterlah is a digital friend whose goal is to give Foreign Domestic Worker(FDW) a secure environment in which to interact and confide. She promotes better connections with Singapore's external support networks by offering nonjudgmental guidance on navigating the social and practical aspects of life there.

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INTERVENTION 2;

No-Harm Collective

Provocation

“Ministry of Manpower(M.O.M.) doesn’t know what’s happening behind the closed doors.”

Intervention
This Collective proposes monthly real-time, remote data collection and analysis. An
anonymous and internet-independent data collection process is implemented using
Unstructured Supplementary Service Data(USSD). It's a check-in mechanism and a
simple and direct technique for using artificial intelligence to gather information from affected communities for more efficient crisis mitigation, response, or recovery.

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INTERVENTION 3

Tolong Box

Provocation

“What if there was a direct communication with MOM with less or no wait time? We would fear less.”

Intervention
Tolong Box is a discrete public system. It is an Internet of Things (IoT) device that collects emergency messages and alerts analogously on the M.O.M dashboard. Only FDWs who tap in with their work permits or a photocopy of them are permitted to use the Tolong box. These may only be accessed in cases of third-degree harm or high levels of emergency. It is internet- independent and doesnt require any digital device to trigger it.

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INTERVENTION 4

Workers Connect

Provocation

“When we don't have a phone with us, what do we do? Where do we go to get help and support?”

Intervention
The Workers' Connect is a plug-in that can be introduced to already-in place civicinformation systems like Singapore's AXS, NETS, or ATMs. Once they insert their Work Permit, the FDWs can access the plugin. After completing a 6-step questionnaire, they can express their concerns and identify the best way for the M.O.M. or other support service to get in touch with them. There should only be access to this system in cases of third-degree harm.

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TESTING AND VALIDATION

In the prototyping phase I constantly took my messy paper models and sketches to get insights from the FDW community. The half-made nature of the prototypes made them open to criticism and gave the community members permission to change things in my work.

This process helped refine, and simplify each of the proposed interventions, and truly highlighted where in the pipeline would they facilitate the help seeking behaviours. Towards the end, I made observations through usability testing and qualitative questionnaires to understand how the propositions were received.

"Vedika’s project encourages help-seeking behaviour and closes the treatment gap in mental health care for foreign domestic workers. It is critical that people in distress receive early intervention to reduce the risk of more serious mental health problems. Yet often, people are not willing to talk about their problems due to stigma and fear of uncertainty. In Vedika’s project, through the careful design of the character map, users will be willing to share their problems with the bots and seek appropriate help. I wish her success in this work and hope she inspires others to be part of it. In Singapore, we want to be a compassionate society in which no one is left behind as the country prospers. This includes our foreign friends who are contributing to our community. Vedika has shown great compassion and it was my pleasure to support her work."

- Alex, Caring for Life, Singapore

“We need so much more of this, to become more empathetic and to take better responsibility and charge for the systematic failures in society. Design contributes so to exacerbating and obfuscating violence, but in your case I saw a lovely glimmer of hope, which doesn’t happen too often.”