Konexio Launches International Pilot in Malawi

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.

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Konexio is excited to go global! In March 2019, Konexio will take the fight for digital inclusion to the Dzaleka Refugee Camp in Malawi, home to nearly 40,000 refugees from neighbouring DRC, Rwanda, and Burundi. Partnering with local chapters of Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) and UNHCR, we will launch our first international pilot of our Digital Program which will fast-track trainees to gain digital employment through online freelancing. Accessing income through remote work has the potential to drastically uplift refugees in Malawi.

Malawi currently bars refugees from working, leaving them with limited economic opportunities. Meanwhile, the potential for digital freelance work is exploding, with the number of freelancers in the EU alone doubling since 2000.

Here’s where Konexio’s Digital Inclusion Program comes in. 

Our trainings 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 with just a wifi connection and a mobile device, opening the door to a living wage and opportunities for professional growth. The implications for health, well-being, and economic stability are immense.

The Malawi Digital Inclusion Program brings Konexio’s fight for the most vulnerable to new frontiers. Beyond providing much-needed income, employment returns dignity, self-sufficiency, and hope to displaced peoples. At Konexio, that’s what we’re all about.