
Obang is one of our new DIP students in the Kakuma Refugee Camp. Obang is a refugee from Ethiopia who is determined to show her home community what you can achieve by investing in your own education.
This new cohort includes 35 female refugees from diverse backgrounds, who started their freelancing journey April 25th. We asked our new students to share a little about themselves. This is the first interview in a series of four.
Obang’s interview has been lightly edited for clarity and accuracy.
Q1: Tell us a little about yourself and your background.
My name is Obang Ochala. I am from Ethiopia. I live here in Kenya as a refugee, in Kalobeyei [an informal settlement adjacent to Kakuma refugee camp]. I grew up in a family of six siblings. I grew up with my mom and dad, so now we stay here. My education level is up to high school, I graduated in 2018. I am 26 years old, and I am a single mother of two.
Q2: What drew you to digital upskilling programs? Why is digital skills training important?
I want to do something more with myself. I want to do something different. In our community, girls are more looked down upon than boys. Like [they say] “girls cannot do this, girls cannot do that.” I want to prove to them that I can do better. And I believe that I can do better, I believe in myself, and I work hard.
In our community, we have a group on WhatsApp. If the admin comes across any job advertisements they let us know, and this is how I found out about the program.
Q3: What profession would you like to focus on?
I want to be able to work from home. If I have a business then I can also work from home using a laptop or a phone. I am interested in starting a shop. Career wise, I am not sure. But my dream is one day to become a doctor, maybe in my country back home, because there is a lack of doctors there.
Q4: How do you see the Digital Inclusion Program benefiting communities in the Kakuma Refugee Camp?
It will have a great impact. I am the only girl [in the DIP] from Kalobeyei. I am the only one who applied. I want to show them that it is possible. Nothing is impossible, you can make the impossible possible by working hard. Whatever a boy can do a girl can do better, so I want to show them that, and be a good role model to the ladies.
Q5: What do you hope to achieve from this program?
I will have greater skills and knowledge. I will be learning so many things here.
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