“Bureaucrazy app”: An Idea Born out of Necessity by “New Berliners”

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A group of Syrian refugees in Berlin introduces an innovative idea to help people navigate bureaucracy[edit]

August 15th, 2016

Myron Kanter-Bax, Berlin Global

A team of young Syrian refugees living in Berlin build up a new app to help newcomers in the city. The initiative highlits the significant contribution that refugees can make by improving the daily lives of people in the communities where they live in and by energetically engaging in all spheres of economic activity.

A team of six Syrian refugees have found an innovative way to help other refugeesdeal with one of the main obstacles they face while establishing their “new life” in Berlin: excessive bureaucracy, which forms a true labyrinth of form filling and officialese.

After winning a local software development contest and later drawing praise at the Startup Europe tech conference, the group has been committed to the development of an app for smartphones and computers designed to help immigrants.

Its name is “Bureaucrazy” and it will compose of three basic functions: a translations provider mode which will allow users to enter data in their own language and print out forms in German, a mapping service which guides the newcomers to the right direction and the competent council offices, and a multiple-choice decision tree for frequently asked questions (FAQ) that arise when dealing with the maze of offices and documents asylum seekers encounter. It is noteworthy that none of the six Syrian developers had any previous coding experience before arriving in Germany. They would not have succeeded without the valuable assistance provided to them by the ReDI School of Digital Integration, an NGO devoted to creating opportunities for young refugees by teaching them computer skills.

In order to achieve their goal of making the app available by the beginning of next year‚ the Bureaucrazy team needs financial support. Therefore, they are planning to launch a campaign to raise money for new equipment and other expenses.

This initiative is significant and as it highlights that the current refugee crisis can become an opportunity, attracting immense talent in Berlin. If we recall, Steve Jobs, an arch innovator from California’s Silicon Valley and the founder of Apple Computer, came to USA from the Syrian city of Homs after his biological father fled from Syria to USA.

References:[edit]

See more at: http://www.berlinglobal.org/index.php?bureaucrazy-app-an-idea-born-out-of-necessity-by-new-berliners