MigRom-Tech Solutions

I am a public health professional of Roma ethnicity with a passion to provide equal access to health for all. I studied Medicine at the Semmelweis University before earning my masters degree in Public Health at the University of Maastricht and I hold a certificate on Strategic Leadership Management from the Harvard Kennedy School - Executive Education.

I have worked with the European Parliament, the Council of Europe, the WHO and the UN on MDGs 4 and 5. I am a former Scientific Collaborator of the UCLouvain.

My mother has not even finished school as she got married at the age of 14, like many Roma girls do. One generation later I am a candidate for the UN - HRC Special Rapporteur on the right to health mandate. 

I want to encourage other girls and women of my kind to explore their capacities and to work hard for their dreams. 

1. Scientific evidence shows that migrants and ethnic minorities have a low level of health literacy and might lack basic literacy and numeracy skills, which makes them more vulnerable, especially now during the pandemic. They might not be able to understand the preventive measures due to language barriers or their level of health literacy and they cannot be expected to make well-informed decisions. Ethnic and religious minorities have strictly set gender roles, where sex is a taboo. 

2. The MigRom-Tech mobile application is tailored to their needs, aiming at improving their health literacy through non-formal education and by AI, enhancing their digital inclusion, with a special focus on women and girls, helping them to study about sex and health in privacy without being ashamed.

3. The expected outcomes are: reduced prejudice and health inequalities, improved health literacy. It contributes to the UN SDGs 3, 4, 6, 10 and 16. 

Literacy, as part of the full development of human personality is a fundamental human right according to Article 26 of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights and technical education shall be made generally available to all (26.1). Literacy can be defined as the ability to identify, understand, interpret, create, communicate and compute using printed and written materials associated with diverse contexts. 

The International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers, adopted by the GA of the UN in 1990 reaffirms the importance of the Convention against Discrimination in Education of the UNESCO, and explicitly confirms this right to education in the case of migrants (Art.43, 45). 

According to the Education for All Report (2006) migrants can't access and acquire literacy and are the most socially excluded groups from education and literacy programs. Migrant  women are specially concerned (UNESCO, 2005). The reason is the lack of access to education and not being able to benefit from lit. programs. 

Scientific evidence shows that migrants and ethnic minorities have low level of health, digital literacy, which makes them more vulnerable and they cannot be expected to make informed decisions.

Women from ethnic minority and migrant background are especially concerned. 

Scientific evidence shows that migrants and ethnic minorities have low level of health and digital literacy and might lack basic literacy and numeracy skills. They might not be able to understand the preventive measures due to language barriers or their level of health literacy and they cannot be expected to make informed decisions. Ethnic and religious minorities have strictly set gender roles, where sex and sexual health is a taboo. 

The MigRom-Tech Solutions mobile application puts a special focus on educating vulnerable women and girls and serves as an online health library where they can learn about sexual health, sex, STDs, prevention, pregnancy, birth, vaccination, health rights, etc. and can ask questions that are answered by AI, in their ethnic languages. They can raise their questions in privacy, without being ashamed due to the cultural or religious norms. 

The program is in alignment with the UN SDGs 3, 4, 5, 10 and 16. 

Target groups are the Roma ethnic minority, migrants and refugees.

Outcomes: Improved health and digital literacy of MEMs, decreased digital and health inequalities, well-informed health and family planning decisions, less discrimination towards MEMs, easier social integration. 

Ethnic minorities and migrants are among the most vulnerable groups of our society, yet they are often deprived of proper access to healthcare services. The Roma, Europe’s largest ethnic minority live in most cases in segregated settlements without proper access to healthcare services and without proper health coverage. Migrants, and undocumented migrants in particular prefer staying invisible from the health authorities due to administrative, financial matters or language barriers. Scientific evidence shows that they have a low level of health and digital literacy and might lack basic literacy and numeracy skills. 

Ethnic and religious minorities have strictly set gender roles, where sex and sexual health is a taboo. 

I am a public health professional from a traditional Roma family and have experienced these challenges. This is why I created the MigRom-Tech Solutions mobile application. 

It educates vulnerable groups and serves as an online health library to learn about sexual health, sex, STDs, prevention, pregnancy, birth, vaccination, health rights, etc. They can ask questions in privacy, without being ashamed - and their questions are answered by AI, in their ethnic languages. The program is in alignment with the UN SDGs 3, 4, 5, 10 and 16. 

Scientific evidence shows that migrants and ethnic minorities have low level of health literacy, which makes them more vulnerable, especially now during the pandemic. They are at an increased risk as they might not be able to understand the preventive measures. 

The MigRom-Tech Solutions serves as an online health library to learn about sexual health, sex, STDs, prevention, pregnancy, birth, vaccination, health rights, etc. They can ask questions in privacy, without being ashamed - and their questions are answered by AI, in their ethnic languages. The program is in alignment with the UN SDGs 3, 4, 5, 10 and 16. 

I am a public health professional with a passion to provide equal access to health for all. I am of Roma ethnicity, and I am a migrant, too, which gave me a first-hand experience in understanding how being socially excluded and discriminated against feels like. Within the past 18 years I have been working for reducing social and health disparities and I have always strived for promoting the importance of cultural diversity. In 2013 I established the Roma Health Fund with the mission to improve the health literacy of the Roma communities and to train healthcare workers on cultural diversity. 

I know the challenges of becoming an educated woman from an ethnic minority besides keeping my traditions and gender roles and I know that sex education is not feasible within these communities due to cultural and religious norms. But there are these youngsters who have question to ask, and are afraid of asking as talking about sex or sexual health is taboo. This is why I created the MigRom-Tech Solutions mobile application, where they can ask their questions in privacy, without the fear of being ashamed. Combining scientific evidence, technology and my experience clearly outlined that this is the solution. 

My mother has not even finished elementary school as she got married at the age of 14, just like many Roma girls do. Still, she encouraged me to study and see the world, so that I can create my own world along with keeping our traditions. One generation later I am a candidate for the United Nations - Human Rights Council Special Rapporteur on the right to health mandate, which I am proud of. 

I have a passion to provide equal access to health for all and I work each day to advance health equity and equal access to health care services for all, regardless of race, religion or legal status. 

As a Roma woman I have a first-hand experience in understanding how being socially excluded and discriminated against feels like, and how hard it is to overcome the dilemma of continuing education besides keeping my traditions. Most MEM communities have strict gender roles, early marriages are common, and a woman is not supposed to study, travel, or become a leader for several reasons. 

I want to encourage other girls and women of my kind to explore their capacities to learn about their health rights and to make informed decisions. 

Because this is my passion. 

I have the educational background, I have the personal attachment, as well as the professional experience to deliver this project. I have been promoting human rights for vulnerable groups since 2002 and I work each day to advance health equity and equal access to health care services for all, regardless of race, religion or legal status. The MigRom-Tech Solutions mobile application is a result of the last 18 years of my work and experience. 

I studied Medicine before obtaining my masters degree in Public Health at the University of Maastricht. I also hold a certificate on Strategic Leadership Management from the Harvard Kennedy School - Executive Education.  

I have a first-hand experience in understanding how being socially excluded and discriminated against feels like, and how hard it is to overcome the dilemma of continuing education besides keeping my traditions. 

My mother has not even finished elementary school as she got married at the age of 14, just like many Roma girls do. Still, she encouraged me to study and see the world, so that I can create my own world along with keeping our traditions. One generation later I am a candidate for the UN HRC - Special Rapporteur on the right to health mandate, which is a wonderful achievement that I am proud of. 

I want to encourage other girls and women of my kind to explore their capacities to learn about their health rights and to make informed decisions. 

I have been working for promoting human rights and health rights in particular for more than a decade. And I do it on a voluntary basis. As mentioned above, I have recently created a health policy proposal to address the health-needs of migrants and ethnic minorities in light of the current pandemic. My recommendations were adopted by the European Public Health Association, have been mentioned by EC Commissioner, Ms. Dalli in her first position on Roma, I've had discussions about it with the WHO/Euro office, yet the leaders of the international Roma-related civil society organizations and other stakeholders of Roma ethnicity ignored me despite of my endeavors to get my voice heard. I acknowledged this as a personal failure of mine, however, now I know that it was rather driven by something else. This did not prevent me from continuing my work but rather inspired me to work harder while learning from this experience. Upon being selected to be among the 15 candidates for the UN-SR right to health mandate, I have understood that the work I have been doing is valuable and important, and so I took another step and decided to create the MigRom-Tech Solutions program. 

After graduating from high-school, at the age of 19 I started working at a company that sold toners. After 2 months I broke all sales records and was promoted to be a team leader of 15 sales persons. Later on, in 2011 I worked at the Council of Europe as the National Focal Point for Hungary of the ROMED program, in which I was responsible for the work of 22 trained Roma mediators. In 2013 I established the Roma Health Fund and coordinated it until 2017 when I decided to cease its activities due to the lack of funds. 

One of my basic principles is not to forget where I've come from and so I never turn my back to anyone who turns to me for help or advice and even if I can't directly help, I will try to navigate her/him further to someone I know within my network. In 2014 I had the chance to participate the Harvard Kennedy School – Executive Education on Strategic Leadership Management Skills course where I learnt useful leadership skills that I can benefit from. 

With my UN SR on the right to health candidacy I hope to serve as a good example. 

I am leading the Roma Health Adviser as an independent individual. The formation is not registered legally. However, I am considering establishing a non-governmental NGO following the mission of the Roma Health Fund. 

Although the technical tools and the scientific evidence is given, an innovative approach to link them in order to increase the health literacy of migrants and ethnic minorities through digital tools does not exist yet. 

Talking about sex and sexual development is a taboo in many ethnic minority and religious cultures, which prevents youngsters of these groups from asking their questions from their parents. So they can not be expected to make informed and right decisions when it comes to sex, STDs, protection, prevention, vaccination, pregnancy and so on. The application answers their questions in privacy, without being ashamed of talking about a taboo issue. 

The change that creates a new dimension of performance of the MigRom Tech Solutions is that it makes advantage of scientific evidence and provides a solution to the needs of these vulnerable groups as well as their hosting countries. Innovation of this solution can be defined by the positive outcomes of linking science and technology in a way that has not yet been linked before.

The problem: 

1. Low level of health and digital literacy of migrants and ethnic minorities (MEMs). 2. They are at an increased risk under the current pandemic. 3. They have increased risk to receive misinformation or not being able to understand and interpret health information. 4. They cannot be expected to make informed decisions. 5. Social tension, discrimination and racism against migrants and ethnic minorities. 6. There is a negative narrative. 7. Language barriers lead to challenges and confusion in understanding information, and in communicating with authorities. 8. MEM women are especially concerned as taboo within their culture and traditions is taboo and so they can't seek information publicly. 

Audience:

Direct audience: 

1. Migrants, refugees and ethnic minority groups (MEMs). 

2. MEM women, girls and youth.  

Indirect audience: Border facility, health and social workers in contact with MEMs. 

Entry point: MEMs' use of mobile phones. 

Activities: 

1. The MigRom-Tech Solutions mobile application 

Outputs: 

1. MEMs' enhanced digital and social inclusion. 

2. Easily adaptable international model.  

Short term outcome:

1. Slower spread of the virus among MEM communities. 

2. Increased protection of vulnerable groups and health workers, improved health literacy of these vulnerable groups, and they can make informed decisions. 

Medium term outcome: 

1. Engagement of MEMs in learning activities. 

2. MEMs' increased understanding of the importance of the health system (prevention, screening, vaccination, etc), and digital inclusion, and improved level of health literacy, helping them to make well informed decisions on sex, health and early parenting. 

3. Breaking the stereotypes and changing the narrative. 

4. Less social tension and racism. 

5. Improved social and digital skills of MEMs, better understanding of their hosting country's culture. 

6. Less social tension. 

Long term outcomes: 

1. Improved health and digital literacy of MEMs, especially of girls and women.

2. Decreased social, digital and health inequalities. 

3. Easier social integration, increased mutual understanding. 

4. Less discrimination, stigma and racism towards MEMs. 

5. Smooth border facility, health-related and administrative procedures. 

6. Increased understanding of cultural diversity, social inclusion. 

7. Well-informed health and family planning decisions.  

The current number of people the MigRom-Tech Solutions are serving: Being in its very first phase strongly depending on funding, the MigRom-Tech does not directly serve these groups yet, however, efforts to contribute to policy-making processes on the European level have been made through EU institutions and civil society organization, and public recommendations to be made on the local levels were published and disseminated. Also, fund seeking is ongoing. 

The number the MigRom-Tech Solutions will be serving in one year:

Bulgaria: 750,000 Roma (CoE)

Hungary: 750,000 Roma (CoE)

Romania: 1,000,000 Roma 

Greece: 300,000 Roma and 50,000 refugees 

Italy: 150,000 Roma and x refugees 

Turkey: 500,000 Roma and 4,000,000 refugees

The number the MigRom-Tech Solutions will be serving in five year:

In addition to those above, Roma populations Europe-wide, as well as Syrians, Lybians and other nationals from large immigrant and refugee populations should also benefit from the activities of the MigRom-Tech Solutions in order for them to improve their health literacy via health education, and their digital literacy in order for them to make informed decisions. 

I belong to Europe's largest ethnic minority group, the Roma minority and so I have a first hand experience in understanding how being socially excluded and discriminated against feels like. 

My mother has not even finished elementary school as she got married at the age of 14, just like many Roma girls do. Still, she encouraged me to study and see the world, so that I can create my own world along with keeping our traditions. One generation later I am a candidate for the United Nations - Human Rights Council Special Rapporteur on the right to health mandate, which is a wonderful achievement that I am proud of. 

I want to encourage other girls and women from ethnic minority and migrant backgrounds to explore their capacities and to work hard for their dreams. 

My ultimate impact goal with the MigRom-Tech Solutions program is to increase the health and digital literacy of MEM groups, and especially of women. 

There are cultural and religious norms of both of these groups that cannot be changed and so solutions that help them conserve their cultures and traditions while helping their inclusion and integration them are needed. 

I believe that the MigRom-Tech Solutions program can strongly contribute to this ultimate impact goal and it contributes to the UN SDGs 3,4,5,10 and 16. I also plan to seek collaboration with EU institutions, UN agencies, NGOs, CSOs and other organizations. 

The biggest barrier is the lack of funding. Financial barriers prevent me from dedicating myelf 100% to the promotion and implementation of this program. However, out of working hours I try to fully dedicate myself to it, I address the European Commission, the World Health Organization and try to seek collaboration on different levels. Still, being a mother with a 3-years old daughter working from home during the pandemic it is very challenging. But at the end of the day I don't give up on my dream and use most of my free time to work towards the successful launch of this program. 

I have the moral support and the infrastructure operating this program, however, financial support is very much needed.

Another important information is that in 2013 I established the Roma Health Fund. The mission of the Fund was to improve the health literacy of the Roma communities, to provide young, Roma girls with sex-education with a focus on prevention and reproductive rights, to train healthcare workers on cultural diversity, and to provide Roma communities with free-of charge mobile health screening programs. Although the mission of the Roma Health Fund was widely supported, as I never wanted to commit the Fund politically, and has always strived for political independence, the Fund never got any operational grants or financial support, and so finally in 2017, to my greatest regret I decided to cease its activities. 

I still believe in political independence when it comes to surving the vulnerable. 

I am submitting fund and grant requests to possible donors, I initiated discussions with high-level European Union institutions and the WHO, and I also try to get in touch with tech giants in order to see their will to collaborate. However, it is a very time-consuming and demanding task and I firmly believe that finding partners would be much easier once the financial needs are met. 

Collaboration with UN agencies, EU institutions, Solvers, NGOs and technological companies is necessary and envisaged. 

Key resources: HR, Finances, Technology, Donors

Key Activities: 

1. Non-formal educational activities, such as workshops and campaigns 

2. Mobile application development 

3. Research 

Intervention: 

1. Product: Mobile application development 

Segments/Beneficiaries:

1. MEM communities

1.a. Roma women

1.b. Migrant women 

1.c. Roma youth

1.d. Migrant youth 

2. Healthcare workers 

3. Social workers 

4. Border facilities

5. Healthcare facilities 

6. The whole of the society

Value Proposition: 

Financial ability to start operation 

Partners and Key Stakeholders:

1. European institutions

2. United Nations agencies 

3. Civil society organizations 

4. Healthcare facilities 

5. Technology companies 

Channels:

1. Website

2. Social Media 

3. Website and social media of all partners 

Customers:

1. Social entrepreneurship investors 

2. European institutions

3. United Nations agencies 

Impact measures:

Establishing a network that promotes health and digital literacy for disadvantaged communities through digital inclusion and non formal education. 

Cost Structure:

1. Online platform

2. Technological and AI investment 

3. Staff 

Surplus, the profit to be invested to: 

1. International platform development

2. Regional development of the program

3. Global development of the program 

Revenue: 

1st year: 

1. Social entrepreneurship investors 70%

2. Donors 30%

2nd year: 

1. Social entrepreneurship investors 50% 

2. Donors 20% 

3. EU institutions 20% 

4. UN agencies 10% 

3rd year: 

1. Social entrepreneurship investors 20% 

2. Donors 20% 

3. EU institutions 30% 

4. UN agencies 30% 

1. Funds are expected through social entrepreneurship investors, donations and grants, and revenue over the 1st year is expected as follows:

i. Social entrepreneurship investors 70 %

ii. Donors 30 % 

2. In the same time EU and UN institutions are to be approached by the program and as of the 2nd year of the program funding is expected as follows:

i. Social entrepreneurship investors 50% 

ii. Donors 20% 

iii. EU institutions 20% 

iv. UN agencies 10% 

3. The overall aim is to depend on reliable and sustainable financial revenues provided mainly by the European Union and the United Nations, while decreasing the financial burdens of social entrepreneurship investors and donors. The funding of the 3rd year of the program is envisaged as follows:

i. Social entrepreneurship investors 20% 

ii. Donors 20% 

iii. EU institutions 30% 

iv. UN agencies 30% 

Once international collaboration is established, grant applications to the European Commission can also be made. 

I have recently submitted several applications seeking financial support for the program, however, their outcome is not yet known. I also plan to establish a social funding campaign through GoFoundMe. 

I have recently submitted several applications seeking financial support for the program, however, their outcome is not yet known. I also plan to establish a social funding campaign through GoFoundMe. 

Fixed Costs/Overhead

• Rent 5000 USD
• Utility bills 1000 USD
• Phone bills/communication costs 300 USD
• Accounting/bookkeeping  3000 USD
• Legal/insurance/licensing fees 3000 USD
• Postage  200 USD 
• Technology 2000 USD 
• Advertising & marketing 2000 USD
• Salaries 75,000 USD

Variable Costs

• • Staff travels 2500 USD 

Unexpected monthly expenses fund for 6 months: 5000 USD 

Total: 99,000 USD 

I am a public health professional, a mother, and a woman coming from a traditional Roma family. Being a Roma woman gave me a first-hand experience in understanding how it is to be discriminated against and how it is to be denied from my fundamental rights to health or social services. I firmly believe in social justice, I believe in a democratic world based on equality. I have been promoting human rights for vulnerable groups since 2002 . 

My mother has not even finished elementary school as she got married at the age of 14, just like many Roma girls do. Still, she encouraged me to study and see the world, so that I can create my own world along with keeping our traditions. One generation later I am a candidate for the United Nations - Human Rights Council Special Rapporteur on the right to health mandate, which is a wonderful achievement that I am proud of. 

I work each day to advance health equity and equal access to health care services for all, regardless of race, religion or legal status. 

This prize would not only ensure the sustainability of the MigRom-Tech Solutions program but also would be a huge achievement, through which I could serve as an example to girls and women of my kind encouraging them fighting for their rights and dreams. I consider this to be my moral obligation. The objectives of the MigRom-Tech Solutions program contribute to the UN SDGs 3, 4, 5, 10 and 16. 

As one element of this program is based on technology and AI, and as I do not have any relevant education or experience on the field of technology, I need technological support for the implementation of the program all along the way. 

For product and service distribution we need to establish relationships with organizations working on the field, as well as with EU institutions, UN agencies and other stakeholders. 

In order to keep transparency as a priority and in order to well navigate between transparency and confidentiality I need support in legal and regulatory matters. 

As I estimate this program to be implemented regionally and on a bigger scale and I envisage funds and revenues to be of huge amounts, I also need support in establishing proper funding and revenue models. 

It would be great to partner with and learn from the following Solver teams: 

Ada Health, Erase All Kittens, Sima by Kukua, Century Tech, Team Up 2 Teach, Kiron Open Higher Education, WeRobotics, Tabshoura Tiny Thinkers

In addition to that I would also like to team with UN agencies, such as the WHO, the UNHCR and UNESCO, and other organizations and state facilities working in/directly with migrants, refugees, or Roma communities.