Introducing Rafiki | Our First Swahili Voice Assistant

Today we are opening Rafiki, our first voice assistant for Kiswahili. You talk the way you would to someone nearby, and the answer comes back in Kiswahili, out loud.

We could already hear Kiswahili and speak it back, but those were separate tools. Rafiki is the first time the two sides meet as a conversation. Press the microphone, talk, and pause. Rafiki answers, then listens again so you can continue.

You can try a quick turn below. For the full voice chat, with your spoken turns and Rafiki’s replies side by side, open it in the lab.

Want the full experience? Open Rafiki in the lab.

What to expect

Clear Kiswahili works best. Rafiki answers in spoken Kiswahili, and you can keep talking after each reply. If an answer misses what you meant, say it once more, a little more plainly.

Please do not lean on it for a medical, legal, or emergency decision. It is an early assistant for Kiswahili, and we want to hear how it sounds in real use.

Applications

The point is a Kiswahili conversation you can start by speaking, whether you are learning, working, or simply would rather talk than type.

• A conversation you can speak

  Ask something out loud, hear an answer, and keep going once Rafiki finishes.

• Learning Kiswahili by ear

  Students and teachers can stay inside Kiswahili: say a thought, listen, and try again.

• When typing is the hard part

  If a keyboard is slow, or you would rather listen, you can start by speaking.

Collaboration

If you have been trying Rafiki with real Kiswahili, or you want a voice assistant in your own setting, write to hi@nileagi.com.