Dalili App
Empowering Syrian Refugees
in Lebanon
🤙 Through emojis 😎
How emojis and icons helped us creating an app that helped Syrian refugees optimize their resources and increase their purchasing power by 20%
The Challenge for World Food Programme
Supporting Resilience
in lebanon
In 2017, the World Food Programme (WFP) aimed to enhance the living conditions of Syrian refugees in Lebanon. Refugees were provided with a daily allowance of 28 USD, preloaded onto Mastercard debit cards issued to heads of households, to purchase basic necessities.
Our task? To help them stretch their resources further and improve their quality of life.
Initial Hypothesis
A Simple Price Comparison Tool
But real-life challenges told a different story.
We initially assumed that creating an app to compare prices across different stores would be enough to maximize refugees’ purchasing power.
Validating Assumptions
Listening and Learning
Through interviews, usability testing, and conversations, we uncovered critical insights
Smartphones?
Do they have data?
Can they read?
How do they shop?
What we did
to validate initial assumptions
Workshop verbatims
Emoji for their mood
The challenge of RTL Prototyping
Benchmark Usability Testing
Beneficiary Debit
Cards Experience
AS-IS Mapping Opportunities
RTL Prototyping with Material Design
Prototype Usability Testing and Interviews
Prototype Usability Testing and Interviews
Happy faces after usability testing
Do they have smartphones?
They had mostly Android devices, they used that to communicate for their family members in other camps.
Literacy?
Not all beneficiaries could read fluently, but they recognized icons and emojis, especially when their children showed them how audio messages worked.
Shopping Habits
Many took taxis to compare prices between stores, often spending more on transportation than they saved on groceries.
The Discovery
It’s About More Than Just Prices
We realized the app needed to optimize not just price comparisons, but the balance between cost and convenience.
Refugees needed a tool to minimize trips, reduce taxi expenses, and make smarter purchasing decisions overall.
Designing for Impact
Here’s how we adapted the app to truly meet user needs:
Cultural Empathy
Cost Effectiveness
Rapid Prototyping
Hi-Fi at the end of the process
The result?
Real Impact, Real Stories
🔍 Insights Unlocked:
20% of purchasing power was affected by transportation costs.
Emojis became a bridge for communication, especially for non-literate users.
💡 Outcomes Delivered:
A tailored solution that saved time and money for refugees.
An app that truly empowered users by addressing their daily realities.
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