Pratham announces ‘BaalSakhi’ an Early Childhood Care and Education bot powered by ChatGPT

Parenthood comes with countless questions and uncertainties: “My son is 10 months old, should he be walking?”, “At what age should I read to my child?”, or “Why isn’t my child eating enough?” At Pratham, we understand the concerns that keep mothers and caregivers awake at night. That’s why we’re thrilled to unveil our latest innovation, ‘BaalSakhi’, a chatbot powered by OpenAI’s ChatGPT developed by the Pratham Shah PraDigi Innovation Center.

The ChatGPT-based bot offers personalized and on-demand support for early childhood care and education by delivering immediate answers tailored to parents’ and caregivers’ unique needs and contexts. Say goodbye to generic information delivered through impersonal broadcasts. With Pratham’s chatbot, parents can rest assured that they will receive timely, verified, and actionable advice precisely when they need it most.

The Pratham WhatsApp bot operates seamlessly in regional Indian languages, thanks to the collaboration with AI4Bharat. But we don’t stop there, our bot goes beyond text-based responses. It generates audio answers in regional Indian languages, making it easy to use for many kinds of users.

Now, let’s address the most important question: How do you access this bot? Simply send a friendly ‘Hi’ to our designated WhatsApp number, and you’ll be guided through the setup process. Select your preferred language and ask any question related to early childhood care and education. It’s that easy!

Rest assured, the information provided by our ChatGPT model is carefully curated and verified. We draw insights from trusted sources such as government departments, UNICEF, WHO, Pratham, pediatric doctors, and childcare experts. Our team of early childhood experts at Pratham has meticulously reviewed and fine-tuned the model to ensure accuracy, reliability, and relevance.

We acknowledge that perfection is elusive in technology. Every answer from the bot includes a disclaimer, reminding you to seek expert advice when necessary. We actively encourage your feedback to improve the bot’s performance, ensuring continuous learning and refinement.

At Pratham, we firmly believe in the power of community and collaboration. Our mission is to strengthen the village that raises the child. By making verified information readily available and offering actionable steps, we empower mothers and fathers, families and caregivers to unlock their collective wisdom and experience. Together, we can provide the best possible care and education for our children.

Currently undergoing trials across contexts, our technology holds immense promise. We’re excited to forge partnerships with organizations specializing in health and early childhood care, and the potential to benefit more people. In the months to come, we’ll customize the bot to cater to diverse user groups, and include features to support accessibility.

Join us on this transformative journey as we revolutionize early childhood care and education. Pratham’s BaalSakhi chatbot combines the best of what Pratham has learned and built over the last 25 + years – a strong understanding of children’s learning by engaging parents, and communities, through our nationwide grassroots network along with the capability of ChatGPT.

Learn more and watch BaalSakhi in action on the Pratham Education Foundation YouTube channel!