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As we face the COVID-19 pandemic together, Konexio continues its advocacy and support for those without digital skills. Digital skills have taken on a particular importance these past few weeks, as whole societies isolate at home. Whether teleworking, getting the latest public health guidelines, or checking in with loved ones over a video call, we rely on digital skills to keep our lives going and our communities safe. Meanwhile, those who lack computers, smartphones, internet connections, or the skills to use these technologies suffer disproportionately. This is why Konexio’s work matters more now than ever. COVID-19 has thrown a spotlight on the digital divide and highlighted the consequences of digital inequality. In this moment of collective awareness, Konexio is increasing its mobilization, so that no one will have to be left behind. Konexio’s COVID-19 Actions Online class for our DigiStart Program Online training In order to ensure continuity and not compromise the skills development of our beneficiaries, we are adapting some of our courses to an online format How you can help: Do you have some free time and want to help people in exclusion to integrate into the job market? Come join the Konexio team to support our students as part of our Digistart computer code learning program https://bit.ly/2KbCwpk Online Mentoring As a part of Konexio’s commitment to holistic soft-skills development, we have developed an online mentoring program which offers one-on-one support for topics relating to professional integration, such as writing a CV and cover letter, preparing for a job interview, and strategizing for career growth. How you can help: Sign up to mentor a Konexio trainee! Malawi In Dzaleka refugee camp in Malawi, in partnership with JRS, we distributed laptops and data bundles to the students of the Digital Inclusion Programme so they can connect from home and continue improving their digital skills. Mobilization in the Greater CommunityIsolating at home doesn’t mean an end to collaborative problem-solving. Through this crisis, organizations and communities have come together to address issues caused by COVID-19. Konexio has been part of this collective mobilization by participating in a digital inclusion initiative co-piloted by the Mednum and the French Secretary of State in Charge of Digital Affairs, entitled “Solidarité Numérique” (Digital Solidarity), as well as a working group led by the High Commissioner for Refugees and the Interministerial Delegation for the Reception and Integration of Refugees focused on sharing good information and maintaining social ties. As part of this initiative, Konexio reaches out to community members who have difficulty speaking French and ensure that they receive relevant, up-to-date information. We are actively seeking volunteers to help us extend our reach in this project.
How you can help: Do you speak a foreign language and want to help as a digital mediator? Send us an email at volunteer@konexio.eu to let us know of your interest! Thanks for taking a moment to connect with our mission of uplifting digitally underserved people. We will keep you informed on our website and social networks as our actions progress and evolve. Until then, take good care of yourself and your loved ones.
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 Konexio Co-founder and CEO Jean Guo with potential new Konexio recruits at the Dzaleka Refugee Camp // Lilongwe, Malawi In February 2019, Konexio will take the fight for digital inclusion to the Dzaleka Refugee Camp in Malawi, home to nearly 34,000 refugees from neighbouring DRC, Rwanda, and Burundi. Partnering with local chapters of Jesuit Refugee Services (JRS) and UNHCR, Konexio will launch a version of Digital Basics that fast-tracks trainees to gain digital employment through online freelancing. Accessing income through remote work has the potential to drastically uplift refugees in Malawi.
Currently, Malawi’s official refugee policy barrs asylum-seekers from working, leaving refugees with limited economic opportunity. Meanwhile, the potential for digital freelance work is exploding, with the number of freelancers in the EU alone doubling since 2000. Enter Konexio’s Digital Inclusion Program, which will provide a pathway to life-changing employment for Dzaleka residents, who currently live on less than €1 a day. By acquiring in-demand digital skills, trainees will be empowered to access online freelance work, opening the door to a living wage and opportunities for professional growth. The implications for health, well-being, and economic stability are immense. With the growth of freelance opportunities and demand for digitally-skilled workers, the Konexio-JRS program has the potential to substantially transform the earning power and potential of refugees in Dzaleka, Malawi. In the third session of our Salesforce Summer Workshops, Konexio students will be putting their personal and professional presentation skills to the test! Students will learn and practice key tips for how to not only present themselves in professional settings, but how to prepare group and project presentations as well.
 In a borrowed room in the northeast of Paris, a dozen or so students typed determinedly. This seemingly quotidian scene masked an important social and economic transformation; these students had generally come from interrupted educations and lives, and they were now seeking to build the competencies necessary to support themselves and their families, as well as to contribute to the new society in which they found themselves. One of the greatest challenges faced by refugees in France is developing the skills and qualifications necessary for career advancement. In this class, Konexio was helping them meet that challenge.
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