VINCE visits Rwanda
In November 2025, Annelie Ingmar from CAB-O joined the Swedish Migration Agency in visiting Rwanda for a unique opportunity to test the VINCE app with migrants, before they resettle to Sweden. The aim was to investigate the usability of the VINCE app for migrants before they reach their new home country.
Collaboration enabling new possibilities
“I am grateful for the collaboration with the Swedish Migration Agency in the Swedish quota program which made this study in Rwanda possible. The idea of being able to use VINCE as a part of the resettlement process and facilitating integration in Sweden is no longer a distant dream, but rather an actual possibility” says Annelie Ingmar after the trip.
International Organization for Migration (IOM) made the VINCE-testing possible by providing guidance and organizing the test sessions with refugees in Rwanda. IOM Finland is responsible for coordinating Pre-Departure Orientation (PDO), an intensive training about Sweden and the Swedish society, to prepare refugees who are resettling to Sweden. The programme is funded by the Swedish Migration Agency. IOM Rwanda made a short film about VINCE which can be seen here.
Encouraging results from the user testing
The results of the testing are gratifying; VINCE was very well received. The app was tested by 35 people, Arabic and Kinyarwanda speakers, with a majority of up to 35 years old and 63 % men, which is an accurate representation of the selection group. No presentation of the app was made before the testing; however, it was mentioned the app is still a prototype with many issues left to fix, it was made clear that the aim of the testing was the possible usability of the app.
Key learnings and identified issues
Some valuable learnings came from the sessions, and one issue that was made obvious was the fact there are still many bugs in the app. One example being that the Arabic translation is still not functioning which means that a big part of the app is not usable for Arabic speakers.
When it comes to the Ask AI chat, the users discarded the possibility of using keywords before starting to use the chat.
The concept of the virtual rooms should also be clearly presented in a testing session to make sure their purpose is apparent. Furthermore, the number of virtual rooms could be lower, it was mostly received as confusing with so many options. At the testing, most participants entered the virtual room “kitchen” to get an idea of how a Swedish home looks like.
Game changer
Despite these issues, the app was well liked and all participants stated that they want to use the app, and the vast majority before arriving in Sweden (91 %) and even more once in Sweden (94 %). VINCE engaged even the translators and the local team as they shared their appreciation of the app; one staff from IOM Rwanda even described it as “a game changer”.
Looking ahead
“I am delighted that VINCE was so well received, it shows that we are on the right track, developing something that there is a great need for. I am aiming to do a follow-up study with a few of the people who tested the app with me in Rwanda and now live in the county of Östergötland. It will be interesting to hear their points of view, if the app would have been usable for them during their resettlement process. I want to know if they see themselves using the app before and after settling in Sweden; could VINCE serve a purpose?” Annelie concludes.
Writer: Annelie Ingmar, County Administrative Board of Östergötland
Photo credit: Theogene CYIZA/IOM
