The Digital Inclusion Pilot Program in Malawi: Creating New Job Opportunities Through Online Freelancing

Konexio is happy to report that our first international pilot program has wrapped up with promising results. In partnership with Jesuit Refugee Service Malawi (JRS), Konexio trained 60 students and five trainers in digital skills and online freelancing. 
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Our training course focused on online freelancing as an innovative solution to the persistent employment challenges faced by displaced people in Malawi. ​

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Without the legal right to work locally, many displaced people struggle to find jobs with decent wages and safe working conditions. With the development of digital services, companies are increasingly leveraging digital freelancers to fill their business needs. Global Workplace Analytics reports a 91% increase in remote work since 2010, resulting in a projected 149 million new digital jobs by 2025. Freelancing online in tasks such as translation, image tagging, or data management opens up the opportunity for income that would uplift displaced people, their families, and their communities.
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Thanks to the hard work of the students and trainers, all participants increased their income within six months of completing the course, with average monthly earnings hovering around $500 USD. Students also increased their well-being: over 90% of students reported a greater sense of integration. The pilot ran from February 2019 to October 2020 and was based in Dzaleka Refugee Camp, where we hope to continue supporting communities in need. Konexio aims to scale the DIP based on learnings from the Malawi pilot project with the ultimate goal of helping refugees achieve agency and security.

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