Reckitt-backed project puts AI at the heart of Ugandan classrooms

By Newsflash Correspondent

Kampala, Uganda — With support from Reckitt, CHIL AI Lab is rolling out the Dettol Hygiene Quest project in Uganda, a nationwide initiative that is reshaping hygiene education by blending trusted classroom practice with smart, AI-powered support.

From teacher training and school clubs to hygiene kits and storybooks, the program offers a well-rounded approach.

But what truly sets it apart is how it uses artificial intelligence (AI) to support the teacher, track school health in real time, and help decision-makers respond faster. While AI is just one part of the project, it’s also CHIL AI Lab’s biggest competitive advantage and a major driver of its success.

“We are not just running a hygiene campaign, we have built a digital system that supports the teacher every single day, protects the learner, and delivers the kind of data governments and partners can act on,” said Dr Shamim Nabuuma, founder of CHIL AI Lab.

Keti Chatbot: An AI assistant, not just a digital tool

At the heart of the system is the Keti Dettol Hygiene Quest chatbot, an AI assistant available through WhatsApp and mobile app. It’s already in use in over 7,500 schools and currently processes daily data for close to 90,000 students across Uganda.

Each morning, the teacher uploads their class attendance either as a typed list, a spreadsheet, or even a photo.

The chatbot immediately analyzes the information, identifies who is present or absent, and then asks the teacher to select a reason for each absentee whether the child is sick, at home, suspended, or if the reason is unknown.

Afterward, the chatbot provides a summary of the day’s attendance and securely stores the data in a cloud dashboard that school leaders and project teams can access anytime.

Making lesson plans smarter

The teacher can also send in their daily lesson plan. The chatbot reads through each submission and suggests easy, creative ways to weave hygiene messages like handwashing or menstrual health into the day’s lesson. Once reviewed, the teacher gets a score and helpful feedback to make their next plan even better.

This ensures that hygiene education isn’t something extra it becomes part of everyday teaching across subjects.

Crucially, the system is built with privacy and compassion at its core. Every teacher’s identity is encrypted, and lesson plan scores are only visible to them. No headteacher, official, or peer can see who scored what, protecting the dignity of teachers as they learn and grow.

But the support doesn’t stop there. In areas where certain teachers consistently struggle to meet lesson plan standards, the system automatically creates a support group, and trained facilitators are deployed to offer in-person refresher training. This allows teachers to build confidence in a safe, nonjudgmental space and come back stronger.

“It’s not more work. The bot just helps me teach better and keep track of who might be falling behind,” shared a teacher from Mukono District.

Real-time dashboards and early alerts

All the data is safely encrypted and anonymized, flows into real-time dashboards that give school leaders and Ministry officials a clear picture of what is happening across thousands of classrooms.

These dashboards show:

• Attendance trends

• Common reasons for students missing school

• How often hygiene topics are being taught

• Which schools might need extra support

The system also sends out alerts for students who’ve missed several days in a row making it easier for teachers and parents to step in early.