The safety app Malalai, created by architect and urban planner Priscila Gama to make cities and various modes of transportation safer for women, was the main honoree of the GOL Novos Tempos award. The award celebrates initiatives aimed at democratizing mobility.
Malalai's system allows users to share their routes with someone in their contact list, so they can track their journey in real time. Users can also notify that contact when they arrive at their destination or send an alert in an emergency.
The app's name refers to Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai. The idea arose when Priscila Gama followed the #MeuPrimeiroAssédio (#MyFirstHarassment) campaign by the website Think Olga, in which women shared accounts of violence. The architect was shocked by the number of women facing violence on the street at night or on public and shared transit. Determined to change this reality, Gama launched the Malalai app in 2015, alongside programmer Henrique Mendes. Since its launch, the service has been used by more than 30,000 people.
In addition to the route-sharing feature, the app allows users to log positive and negative aspects on the map, such as poor lighting, active businesses and their operating hours, and the presence of police or doormen. This information generates a collaborative map that identifies the safest routes.
The system also features a digital ring called the Malalai Accessory. The device connects to the phone via bluetooth and, when pressed, sends an emergency SMS and the user's location to registered contacts.
Malalai also includes a web platform where users can contribute to the collaborative map and order the Malalai Accessory. Learn more about the app here.
Via CAU.
This article was written by Romullo Baratto. The translation is powered by AI.
