FAQs | Ask Aunty Mimi — Your SRHR Questions Answered

General Questions

What is Ask Aunty Mimi?

Ask Aunty Mimi is Zambia's first AI-powered Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) platform. It provides young Zambians aged 15-35 with completely anonymous, judgment-free, and clinically accurate health information and support via WhatsApp and encrypted webchat. The platform covers HIV/AIDS (including PEP and PrEP), sexual health, contraception, mental wellness, gender-based violence (GBV), and reproductive rights. It's available 24/7 in English, Bemba, Nyanja, and Tonga.

Who created Aunty Mimi?

Aunty Mimi was developed by a team of Zambian health professionals, AI engineers, and youth advocates in collaboration with SRHR experts. The platform is powered by Pinch Africa, a digital innovation agency, and built with guidance from the Ministry of Health Zambia, WHO AFRO, and UNFPA protocols.

Is Aunty Mimi free to use?

Yes, absolutely. Aunty Mimi is 100% free for all users. There are no hidden charges, no subscriptions, and no premium tiers. The platform is funded through grants and partnerships with health organizations. We believe that access to health information is a fundamental right, not a privilege.

What age group is Aunty Mimi designed for?

Aunty Mimi is primarily designed for young Zambians aged 15-35. The language, tone, and user interface are specifically calibrated to be youth-friendly, relatable, and engaging. However, the platform is open to anyone seeking SRHR information regardless of age. Special content safeguards are in place for users under 18.

How do I access Aunty Mimi?

There are three ways to access Aunty Mimi: (1) WhatsApp: Send a message to our WhatsApp number and start chatting instantly. (2) Web Chat: Use our encrypted webchat interface on this website — no download required. (3) PWA: Install our Progressive Web App by adding this website to your phone's home screen for offline access.

What languages does Aunty Mimi support?

Aunty Mimi fully supports English, Ichibemba, Chinyanja, and Chitonga. Our custom NLP engine also understands Zambian youth slang, code-switching (mixing languages in a single sentence), and informal medical terminology. You can type in whatever language feels natural — the AI will understand and respond accordingly.

Privacy & Safety

Is my conversation really anonymous?

Yes, 100%. Aunty Mimi uses a session-only architecture — this means no user accounts, no stored phone numbers, no persistent identity data. When your chat session ends, all conversation data is permanently deleted. We don't track IP addresses, device identifiers, or location data. Not even our counsellors know who you are.

What is Stealth Mode and how does it work?

Stealth Mode is a safety feature for users in hostile environments. When activated (Ctrl+Shift+S on desktop, triple-tap on mobile), the entire Aunty Mimi interface instantly transforms into a working calculator app. No health content is visible. It also clears browser history and cache of all Aunty Mimi activity. The Escape key triggers a "panic exit" that immediately closes everything and redirects to Google.

Can my parents/partner see that I used Aunty Mimi?

We've designed Aunty Mimi with maximum digital discretion. When using the web chat: enable Stealth Mode, and all traces are wiped from your browser. When using WhatsApp: you can delete the chat from your WhatsApp history at any time. We never send unsolicited messages that could expose your activity. The PWA appears as a generic icon on your home screen.

Is my data encrypted?

Yes. All communications are end-to-end encrypted using TLS 1.3. WhatsApp conversations benefit from WhatsApp's native encryption. Our web chat uses additional application-layer encryption. Data in transit and at rest (during the session only) is fully encrypted. We are fully POPIA-compliant.

Do you share data with the government or police?

No. Never. We do not share individual user data with any government agency, police force, or third party. The only data we share is anonymized, aggregate statistics (e.g., "400 PEP queries in Lusaka this month") with the Ministry of Health for public health planning purposes. No individual can ever be identified.

HIV, PEP & PrEP

What is PEP and when do I need it?

PEP (Post-Exposure Prophylaxis) is a course of antiretroviral medicines taken within 72 hours (3 days) of potential HIV exposure to prevent infection. You should seek PEP if: you had unprotected sex, a condom broke during sex with someone of unknown HIV status, you experienced sexual assault, or you were exposed to blood/bodily fluids. Aunty Mimi's AI automatically calculates your urgency window and refers you to the nearest facility with PEP stock.

What is PrEP and who should take it?

PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) is a daily pill (usually Truvada or Descovy) taken before potential HIV exposure. It reduces the risk of getting HIV from sex by up to 99%. PrEP is recommended for people who: have a sexual partner with HIV, don't consistently use condoms, have recently had an STI, or inject drugs. Aunty Mimi can explain PrEP in detail and connect you with a facility offering it for free.

Can Aunty Mimi help me get tested for HIV?

While Aunty Mimi cannot administer HIV tests, we can: (1) Explain the different types of tests (rapid, lab-based, self-test kits), (2) Use our Facility Map to find the nearest testing center, (3) Generate an anonymous QR referral code so you don't have to explain why you're there, and (4) Provide emotional support before and after testing through our counsellor network.

I'm HIV positive. Can Aunty Mimi help me?

Absolutely. Aunty Mimi provides comprehensive support for people living with HIV including: ART (Antiretroviral Therapy) adherence information, confidential medication reminders via WhatsApp, stigma counselling, nutrition and wellness guidance, connection to support groups, and viral load monitoring education. You are not alone — and with proper treatment, people with HIV live long, healthy, fulfilling lives.

What if I was sexually assaulted?

If you are in immediate danger, call 990 (Police) or 991 (Ambulance). Aunty Mimi provides trauma-informed, compassionate guidance for survivors including: immediate PEP referral, emergency contraception information, legal aid referrals (YWCA, Legal Aid Board), counselling support, and safe reporting pathways. Your safety and well-being are our absolute priority. Everything shared is confidential.

Sexual & Reproductive Health

What contraception methods does Aunty Mimi explain?

Aunty Mimi provides detailed, non-judgmental information on all WHO-approved contraception methods including: hormonal (pills, injections, implants, patches), barrier (male and female condoms, diaphragm), long-acting (IUD — copper and hormonal), emergency (morning-after pills), and natural methods (fertility awareness). The AI helps you understand pros, cons, side effects, and where to access each method for free.

Can I ask about STI symptoms?

Yes! Aunty Mimi can help you understand common STI symptoms including chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, herpes, HPV, and trichomoniasis. The AI provides symptom-based assessments (what your symptoms might indicate), recommends appropriate testing, and refers you to the nearest facility for treatment. Remember: most STIs are fully treatable, and many are curable. Early detection is key.

I think I might be pregnant. Can Aunty Mimi help?

Yes. Aunty Mimi provides comprehensive support including: pregnancy sign assessment, referral for pregnancy testing, antenatal care information, nutrition guidance, and emotional support. If the pregnancy is unintended, we provide non-judgmental counselling that explains all options within the Zambian legal framework, and connect you with social workers and support services.

Is the platform LGBTQ+ friendly?

Aunty Mimi provides non-judgmental, compassionate support to all users regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Our AI is trained to be inclusive and respectful. Health information is tailored to your specific needs and circumstances. Privacy protections (especially Stealth Mode) are designed with the safety of vulnerable populations in mind.

Mental Health & Crisis Support

Can Aunty Mimi help with anxiety and depression?

Yes. Aunty Mimi provides evidence-based mental health support including: psychoeducation (understanding what you're experiencing), coping strategies and breathing exercises, self-care guidance, and referral to professional mental health services. Our AI is trained to recognize clinical signs of depression, anxiety, PTSD, and other conditions, and will recommend appropriate levels of care.

What happens if I express suicidal thoughts?

Our Crisis Detection AI immediately activates. Within 30 seconds, a trained human counsellor joins the conversation with full context. Emergency numbers (990 Police, 991 Ambulance, 5000 Crisis Line, 116 Child Helpline) are presented prominently. The counsellor follows evidence-based suicide intervention protocols. You will never be left alone in a crisis.

Can I report gender-based violence?

Yes. Aunty Mimi provides safe, confidential GBV reporting and support pathways including: one-tap emergency police call, legal aid referrals (YWCA, Legal Aid Board, Victim Support Unit), safe shelter information, PEP and emergency contraception access, trauma counselling, and court preparation support. You can also report anonymously via our QR referral system to access clinical services without disclosing your identity.

Technology & AI

What AI powers Aunty Mimi?

Aunty Mimi is powered by advanced clinical AI, one of the world's most sophisticated health intelligence models, with a 1 million token context window. It's fine-tuned on WHO SRHR guidelines, Zambian Ministry of Health protocols, PEPFAR treatment guidelines, and a custom dictionary of Zambian youth slang. The AI maintains full conversation context for nuanced, multi-turn clinical conversations.

Can Aunty Mimi diagnose me?

No. Aunty Mimi is explicitly designed not to diagnose. It provides evidence-based health information, helps you understand symptoms, and recommends appropriate clinical testing and professional consultations. Our safety guardrails ensure that the AI always recommends seeing a healthcare provider for clinical decisions. It's a bridge to care — not a replacement for it.

Does Aunty Mimi work offline?

Partially. Our Progressive Web App (PWA) caches essential health information, emergency contacts, and facility data locally on your device. This means you can access critical information even without internet. However, the live AI chat requires an internet connection. The app is optimized for 2G/EDGE networks and loads in under 3 seconds on slow connections.

What is the QR referral system?

When Aunty Mimi refers you to a health facility, it generates a unique encrypted QR code that you can show at the clinic. The QR contains only the recommended clinical services — not your identity. The facility scans it and knows exactly what services to provide, without you needing to explain a potentially embarrassing situation. QR codes are single-use and time-limited for security.

Counsellors & Human Support

Are the counsellors real people?

Yes. We have 15 trained, certified SRHR counsellors deployed across all 10 Zambian provinces. They are real healthcare professionals — doctors, nurses, social workers, and mental health specialists — who specialize in youth-friendly services. They operate through our secure Command Center dashboard and never see your identity.

When does a human counsellor join?

Human counsellors join automatically when: (1) Crisis signals are detected (suicidal ideation, self-harm, active GBV), (2) The AI determines the query exceeds its capabilities, (3) You explicitly request human support. The handover is seamless — the counsellor receives the full conversation context so you don't have to repeat yourself.

Can I choose to speak to a human from the start?

Yes. Simply type "speak to a counsellor" or "human" or "I want to talk to a person" at any point in the conversation, and the system will connect you with the next available human counsellor. Wait times average under 5 minutes during peak hours.

Funding & Partnerships

How is Aunty Mimi funded?

Aunty Mimi is currently funded through a combination of seed grants and strategic partnerships. Phase 1 (Lusaka pilot) was funded with $350K. We are actively seeking $2.4M for Phase 2 (national scale-up to all 10 provinces with 50 counsellors) and $15M for Phase 3 (Pan-African expansion to 5+ countries). We welcome conversations with donor agencies, foundations, and impact investors.

How can organizations partner with Aunty Mimi?

We welcome partnerships across several areas: Funding (grants, impact investment), Clinical (facility integration, counsellor training), Research (academic partnerships for SRHR data analysis), Technology (AI development, language expansion), and Advocacy (policy influence, youth engagement). Contact us at support@askauntymimi.org.

What is the long-term sustainability plan?

By Phase 3 (2028-2030), Aunty Mimi aims to achieve financial sustainability through: (1) MoH integration as an official digital health tool (government funding), (2) White-label licensing to other African countries, (3) Anonymized health data insights partnerships (never individual data), and (4) Corporate wellness program partnerships. The core user service will always remain 100% free.

Frequently Asked Questions