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AGENY
TAGANYA

Product & Visual Designer and Bezalel graduate. I turn complex systems into simple, human experiences.
Index (04)
01
R-Fuge
Bureaucracy Assistant App
02
Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS)
Interactive Web Experience
03
Israel Competition Authority
Conference Branding
04
Rosy Is My Relative
Title Sequence
R-FugeBureaucracy Assistant App2026
Role
Product Lead (Strategy, UX Research), Illustrator

Team & Partners
Bezalel Academy (Design)
Hebrew University (CS Devs)
HIAS Israel (NGO)

Tools
Figma, After Effects

Digital mediation of bureaucratic gaps for asylum seekers in Israel.


Visit App
60K
asylum seekers living in Israel
3
key barriers: language, complexity, fear
1×
one-time data entry, auto-filled forever

Project Overview

         As part of a joint "Jam" course between Bezalel Academy and the Hebrew University, I collaborated with HIAS, an international NGO supporting refugees. Our goal was to close the gap between complex Israeli bureaucracy and asylum seekers' ability to understand and act on it.    

The Challenge

         Approximately 60,000 asylum seekers are currently living in Israel, about half of them from Sudan and Eritrea. Based on our work with HIAS social workers and the research we conducted, we identified three main barriers:        
  • Language barrier: Most government forms and digital interfaces are available only in Hebrew, a language many refugees cannot read.
  • Bureaucratic complexity: Renewing visas, registering children, and obtaining medical rights involves complicated forms that even many Israelis struggle to understand.
  • Fear and lack of trust: Concern about direct interaction with state authorities causes many people to avoid exercising their rights.

The Solution

         R-Fuge is a mobile-first digital wallet and voice-based assistant that mediates between refugees and state bureaucracy. Users interact in Arabic, while the system translates their information into formal Hebrew and generates ready-to-submit government forms.    

Key Feature: The Intake Process

         One of the biggest challenges was entering the initial information. Instead of asking refugees to fill out an endless form alone, we created a smart hybrid process:        
  • Guided intake: The process takes place during the first meeting with a HIAS social worker, who helps complete the information together with the user.
  • Smart OCR: Instead of typing data manually, the system scans the passport or visa and automatically extracts details such as name, ID number, date of birth, and visa validity.
  • One-time entry: All information (children, address, legal status, etc.) is stored in a secure database. From that point on, every future form in the app automatically pulls this data (auto-fill), so the user never needs to enter it again.

How It Works

         In collaboration with the development team, we designed a smart engine that bridges the language gap:        
  • The user: Speaks or selects answers in Arabic within the app.
  • The system: Uses an LLM (Large Language Model) to translate the information into formal Hebrew.
  • The output: The system generates an official Israeli government PDF document (for example, "Child Registration Request"), fully completed and ready for signature.
  • Flexibility: The user can review, edit, and change details at any time before final submission.

Happy Flow

The Features

● Real-time translation

● Tracking and storing forms in one place

● Form filling through automation

        ● LLM chatbot and FAQ section    

The Campaign

         As part of the project, I created a bilingual campaign to raise awareness of the bureaucratic struggles refugees and their children face, and of the important work HIAS does.

Download Posters 

Illustration

         After learning that a large portion of the refugee population is illiterate, we implemented two features: a speaker button for every piece of text, so anything can be read out loud in either Hebrew or English, and illustrations. The illustrations not only show what each part of the app relates to, but also provide a sense of comfort when dealing with bureaucratic overwhelm.    

Personal Connection
Coming from a family that immigrated from Ethiopia, I witnessed firsthand the challenges of navigating a complex, unfamiliar bureaucracy in a new country.

        I approached R-Fuge with a deep understanding of these systemic barriers. My goal was to use design and technology to bridge this gap, empower vulnerable communities, and restore their agency.    

Read more from HIAS
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