Mohafiz is an app that makes lives safer for the public by giving people access to emergency services through smartphones.
Matrix Media recently connected with Mohafiz, through their Assistant Manager for Growth, and their Spokesperson, Ms. Aiman Javaid, to discuss the project and what the mobile application exactly does.
Mohafiz emerged in 2015 in the aftermath of the APS attack in Peshawar that left the whole country devastated. Mr. Fahd Mahmood, the founder and CEO of Mohafiz, said that he felt the safety of his children and loved ones was at risk because of the prevailing law and order situation in the country.
So how does it exactly work? The idea was of a mobile application that sent out a distress call, just by tapping on the screen, to emergency contacts. It also shares the user’s live location to these contacts, allowing for a quick response. Furthermore, it simultaneously prompts the Mohafiz helpline to get in touch with the user as quickly as possible for guidance or sending necessary emergency aid to your location.
Emergencies include any medical emergencies, social issues such as harassment, assault, or possible kidnapping. Using a comprehensive directory, Mohafiz also helps users of the app to easily connect with emergency services such as blood donor registries and missing persons logs. Phone numbers for local police stations, hospitals, and blood donor registries are also readily available.
A recent incorporation into their features is the suicide prevention hotline where professionals are connected to you on a single tap, allowing them to guide you through a difficult and disturbing time. Given the recent upward trend of suicides, this feature is very useful.
Mohafiz, in order to scale, has partnered up with the government in Pakistan. “We provide government with a streamlined process of first responder aid, making their work easy; and the government shares their knowledge resources, helping us refine our services so the public gets maximum solutions in one place” Ms. Javaid explained.
As of right now, Mohafiz has partnered up with the Rescue 1122 services, and the Child Protection and Welfare Bureau to help with missing persons’ reports and emergency responder services. The CPWB and their 1121 helpline is involved with filling the gap of a lack of visual aid in missing persons reports. Using the Mohafiz application, users can notify 1121 by uploading missing person’s pictures to help identify them.
Mohafiz, so far, has been a success story for Pakistan. It has saved more than 7000 lives and impacted over 280,000 people. The HR head for Mohafiz, Mr. Ali Yar, uses his position to ensure the quality of the cause, by conducting training sessions and mock calls to the helpline regularly. Through all of these measures, Mohafiz as a social cause becomes a brilliant initiative whose success is pertinent for public safety and health.
Ms. Aiman Javaid is hopeful that word of mouth will actually drive people to download and use the app to make communities safer.
