Meet Fardosa, aspiring techie and DIP student in Nairobi

Could you introduce yourself?
My name is Fardosa and I am from Somalia. In 2009, our family fled to Kenya from the conflict in our country. There’s eight of us: our parents, five girls and one boy. 
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How did you join the digital freelancing program?
After I completed my secondary education, I heard about the opportunity to learn digital skills and I decided to apply. I became a beneficiary [of RefuSHE] in June 2021. [Fardosa continued to the digital freelancing course in spring of 2022].

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What was your motivation for joining this training?
I had a great interest in computer studies, but my mother could not afford the costly university fees. When I heard about the training, I knew this was a great opportunity to pursue my interests. I have learned a lot through the program and it has opened up other opportunities for me. 

Tell us more about those opportunities. 
I have learnt about online jobs which have less barriers for refugees compared to physical jobs. In Kenya, being a refugee means you cannot have the national identification card. This is a great barrier in accessing jobs for refugees as employment across the country requires proof of citizenship. For online jobs, on the other hand, one only has to show proof of skills in undertaking the work. Personally, I love transcription jobs.

What do you love about transcription jobs?
I tried other online jobs such as data annotation and they were more challenging. When I started doing transcription work, I realized I did it easily and well.

What are your hopes/ dreams?
I hope that through this training, I can expand my skills and become a great freelancer. This is important because it would make it easier for me to access job opportunities that are otherwise more challenging to access, especially for refugees. Financially, I hope through this training I can earn a living from an online job, become more self-reliant, and support my family.

What does that income mean for you and your family?
It means a lot. It would enable me to take care of myself without relying on my parents. I could then provide for my own needs such as clothing and medicine. Most young people around here depend on their parents. Having an income, one becomes more independent. It feels good.
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Do you want to share anything else? 
Learning digital skills was the best. Through this learning opportunity I can see myself growing even at a young age. In Kenya, most jobs require a university degree qualification, but thanks to the skills I’ve learned I don’t need that. All that is required for an online job, is proof that I can undertake the tasks within the given job diligently. I hope to continue to improve my skills through learning so that I can one day become a great online freelancer.