TL;DR:

UNICEF needed a scalable way to provide confidential, real-time psychosocial support to migrant children and families facing language barriers. Graia’s Real-Time AI Translator enabled instant multilingual counseling across seven languages, increased reach to vulnerable groups, and gave counselors secure, GDPR-compliant tools to communicate without relying on costly bilingual staffing. Within five months, over 400 sessions were delivered — dramatically improving access to care.

The Challenge

UNICEF’s program “Support to Children and Families in Migration in the Protection and Integration Process in Croatia” required expanding access to psychosocial support for migrant families.
But major barriers stood in the way:

  • Children and families often could not communicate in Croatian, limiting their ability to receive timely support.
  • Traditional translation methods were too slow, too costly, or not confidential enough for sensitive conversations.
  • Counselors needed a solution that worked instantly, securely, and across many languages at once.

As a result, the most vulnerable groups were at risk of going without help.

The Solution

Graia’s Real-Time AI Translation technology was integrated directly into UNICEF’s chat-based counseling platform.

Key capabilities included:

  • Instant two-way translation across English, French, Turkish, Ukrainian, Pashto, Arabic, and Croatian
  • GDPR-compliant, secure deployment suitable for sensitive conversations
  • Built-in analytics showing session counts, repeat interactions, and demographic data
  • No change to counselor workflows, preserving a familiar interface

The solution allowed migrant children and families to finally speak in their own language — breaking down barriers to mental health and psychosocial support.

The Results

According to UNICEF’s operational team and counselors:

  • 400+ sessions conducted across 7 languages within the first months of deployment
  • Families could communicate naturally in their own language for the first time
  • Counselors reported the system was easy to use, efficient, and felt natural in real-world interactions
  • Features such as automated translation, session history, and contact tracking improved counselor productivity and experience
“Automatic translation allowed us to extend services to a wider audience. The system feels natural for users and efficient for our team.” Head of Recruitment, Mplus (UNICEF program partner)

Future Plans

UNICEF and Graia plan to expand:

  • More languages added
  • Support across all communication channels, not just chat
  • Potential integration of team coordination and shift management tools
  • Deeper analytics for improved program insights

This ensures services remain scalable, sustainable, and accessible.