Supporting the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine to inform citizens about social programs using AI generated videos

Today, during the Global Digital Social Forum organized by the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine with the support of UNICEF and United Nations' World Food Programme, Synthesia is announcing a new partnership with the Ministry of Social Policy. 

Through a planned Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), we will be providing the Ministry free access to our platform so they can produce informative videos using AI avatars, designed to help Ukrainian citizens and social workers navigate the country’s vital social programs and services.

Why this partnership matters

Ukraine is currently undergoing a significant social and economic transformation as part of their European integration while dealing with a long and ongoing conflict on their borders. Providing clear, reliable information to their citizens and social workers about available support programs is more important than ever. From pension programs and social benefits to housing assistance and healthcare services, many people rely on these programs and the social workers providing them to manage their day-to-day lives.

Our platform will allow the Ministry of Social Policy to create engaging, multilingual videos that simplify complex information, making it easier for their social workers to understand and citizens to access the support available to them.

With AI-generated avatars, the Ministry can quickly scale the production of these videos, ensuring that they reach as many people as possible, in formats they are comfortable with, regardless of geographical or literacy barriers.

The Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine recently had the opportunity to use Synthesia during a free trial period, and the initial results have been outstanding. We reached tens of thousands of social workers and millions of people through the Ministry's website and social media channels. Given the positive impact and the critical role these videos have played in our ongoing efforts to train social workers and disseminate essential information to the Ukrainian public, we are delighted that Synthesia has now given us full access to their platform. This will enable us to continue and expand our digital transformation work over the next twelve months, using Synthesia to further our educational and informational outreach during these challenging times and support people internally displaced by the war, people with disabilities, orphans, veterans, and pensioners. - Kostiantyn Koshelenko, Deputy Minister of Social Policy of Ukraine for Digital Development, Digital Transformation, and Digitalization

The partnership began with a trial where the Ministry created and published AI videos such as the one below that reached 20,000 social workers in July and August. Through the upcoming MoU, the Ministry will have full access to Synthesia to create video content at scale similar to the one below:

‎Benefits of the collaboration

The Ministry evaluated several AI video solutions and decided Synthesia provided the features and functionality that best serves their needs, including:

• Increased accessibility: Our Expressive AI avatars can be used to deliver content in a more engaging and accessible way compared to text-only updates, ensuring that no one will be left behind due to accessibility issues.
• Speed and efficiency: Before Synthesia, the Ministry of Social Policy relied on traditional video production processes that took weeks. Our AI platform will accelerate their capability to produce content, by allowing rapid generation of videos at scale, enabling the Ministry to release timely and accurate information to the public.
• Personalized communication: With AI avatars, the Ministry can create videos that cater to specific demographic groups—whether it’s seniors seeking pension information or young families inquiring about child benefits. 
• Cost-effective: Producing high-quality informative videos can be resource-intensive and cost prohibitive, which is a particular issue in Ukraine where the government has to rely heavily on international aid. Our AI platform significantly will reduce costs by eliminating the need for filming, editing, and post-production efforts while maintaining professional-grade quality.

A step towards Ukraine’s digital transformation

This collaboration is a significant step towards the digital transformation of public services in Ukraine. By embracing AI technology, the Ministry of Social Policy is taking a forward-thinking approach to citizen engagement, ensuring that vital information is delivered in a way that is both modern and effective.

In May, Synthesia supported a similar initiative in Ukraine, giving free access to its platform to OpenDataLab, an organization that partnered with the NGO Conscious Bucha Community to release Sympto.me. Sympto.me is a mobile app for iOS and Android that provides medical information and advice to Bucha residents who had difficulty accessing medical and psychological care due to the ongoing conflict in the region.. More than 3700 people used the app during the first month of its operation. 

‎We are proud to support Ukraine in these endeavors, contributing to their mission of making social services more accessible, transparent, and efficient for all citizens and social workers.

What’s next?

In the coming months, the Ministry will begin releasing a series of informative videos that cover a range of topics, including pension eligibility, social benefits, childcare subsidies, and healthcare services. These videos will be distributed across multiple platforms, including social media, government websites, and mobile apps, ensuring maximum reach.

At Synthesia, we believe in the power of AI to drive positive change and are excited to see how our technology can support Ukraine's citizens and social workers as they navigate important social services. We look forward to a successful collaboration with the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine and to empowering millions of people with accessible, reliable information.