Welcome to Voices of Resilience Season 3, brought to you by Na’amal, a non-profit and social enterprise dedicated to empowering forcibly displaced individuals through dignified remote work. In this episode, we take a closer look at the world of digital remote jobs, through the eyes of refugees living and working in Kenya.

Co-hosted by Clay Lowe and Gerawork Teferra (Gera), this conversation features Daniel, a digital entrepreneur and Na’amal alumnus who grew up in Kakuma Refugee Camp. Together, they unpack the complexities of accessing and sustaining remote digital work while navigating life as a refugee in Kenya.

About Our Guest:

Daniel is a South Sudanese refugee, digital entrepreneur, and graduate of the Na’amal program. Raised in Kakuma Refugee Camp, Daniel carved out a path in the online freelancing world, becoming not only self-reliant but a role model and resource for others in his community.

About Our Co-Host:

Gerawork Teferra (Gera) is an Ethiopian refugee who has lived in Kakuma since 2011. He is currently a Resident Research Fellow at Columbia Global Nairobi, where his work focuses on refugee-host dynamics, mobility, and belonging. As co-host, Gera brings firsthand understanding and thoughtful inquiry to this conversation.

Episode Highlights:

Finding Opportunity Amidst Displacement

• Gera and Daniel share their personal journeys from Kakuma to digital careers
• Reflections on the absence of digital training in refugee camps, and how they filled the gap
• Moments of breakthrough, self-teaching, and growing digital confidence

What Digital Work Looks Like for Refugees

• Daniel walks us through a day in his life as a remote worker in a refugee setting
• Benefits and trade-offs: digital work vs. traditional jobs in and around the camp
• What dignity in work means when you're working across borders, but living with limited infrastructure

Barriers, Protections, and Power

• Freelancing challenges: client relations, job security, and fair payment
• Why digital work needs to be shaped with refugee perspectives at the center
• How Daniel protects himself as a digital entrepreneur—and advice for others doing the same

Building a Digital Future That Includes Everyone

• The role of gender, peer networks, and community support in the remote work space
• What the private sector and tech platforms can do to close the digital divide
• Big ideas for creating inclusive infrastructure, especially in under-resourced camps like Kakuma

Discussion Topics:

• Bridging the digital skills gap in displacement contexts
• Redefining professionalism from a refugee lens
• Labor rights and ethical concerns in the gig economy
• Representation and refugee-led storytelling
• Community trust, family perceptions, and social shifts
• Structural changes needed to support digital inclusion

Connect with Us:

• Na'amal Website: namal.org
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/naamal/posts/?feedView=all
• Instagram: _naamal_

Welcome to Voices of Resilience Season 3, brought to you by Na'amal, a non-profit and social enterprise dedicated to empowering forcibly displaced individuals through dignified remote work. In this episode, we delve into the exciting and sometimes challenging landscape of AI and Africa's digital future.

In this episode, we are joined by Seid and Maria, two individuals whose lives have been reshaped through meaningful work after displacement. Co-hosted by Clay Lowe and Amber, this conversation goes beyond headlines and statistics to center the lived realities of refugee communities, reminding us of the humanity, resilience, and ambition often left out of mainstream narratives.

About Our Guest:
Seid is a refugee and digital worker currently based in East Africa. Originally displaced from his home country due to conflict, Seid rebuilt his life through digital skills training and remote work. Today, he supports others on similar journeys.

Maria Vale is a forced migrant from Venezuela. Her story is one of reinvention, from surviving displacement to building a career that gives her independence, confidence, and a renewed sense of purpose.

Episode Highlights

A Journey of Transformation

• Seid and Maria share their personal journeys, from displacement to finding meaningful work
• How initial uncertainty gave way to discovery, learning, and new possibilities
• Their first digital jobs and the role they played in rebuilding their lives

The Power of Dignified Work

• Beyond income: how work restored confidence and redefined purpose
• Shifting community perceptions: from being seen as a burden to becoming a role model
• “Work made me feel human again.” Seid

Barriers and Enablers

• Legal and technological hurdles to accessing online work
• The power of mentorship, training, and community support
• What needs to change in policies and systems to open up work for more refugees

Owning the Narrative

• The importance of storytelling in shifting harmful stereotypes
• Moments where their stories helped others see refugees differently
• “When we speak for ourselves, we reclaim power.” Maria

Words of Hope

• Advice to displaced youth who feel stuck
• What keeps them hopeful in the face of ongoing challenges
• Their vision for a future where refugees are seen not as victims, but as contributors and leaders

Discussion Topics

• Refugee agency: Moving from charity to choice
• Digital work: Creating borderless opportunities
• Representation: The need for refugee voices in shaping policy and perception
• Mental health and work: How purpose supports healing
• Equity in access: Ensuring women and less connected communities are not left behind

Connect with Us:

• Na'amal Website: namal.org
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/naamal/posts/?feedView=all
• Instagram: _naamal_

Welcome to Voices of Resilience Season 3, brought to you by Na'amal, a non-profit and social enterprise dedicated to empowering forcibly displaced individuals through dignified remote work. In this episode, we delve into the exciting and sometimes challenging landscape of AI and Africa's digital future.

In this episode, we explore one of the biggest barriers to digital inclusion: connectivity. Without access to infrastructure and the internet, displaced individuals are excluded from the very systems meant to empower them.

Join host Clay Lowe and co-host Tessa Davis as they speak with two inspiring leaders who are tackling this issue head-on:

• Mea Thompson, Co-Founder & CCO of Unconnected.org: A telecom expert and passionate advocate for digital inclusion, Mea is building global partnerships to connect refugees, students, and women with affordable digital tools and infrastructure.
• Troy Etulain, Founder & CEO of EdgeCase: With over 25 years of experience spanning UNHCR, UNICEF, ITU, USAID, and the World Bank, Troy brings deep insights into policy, innovation, and public-private collaboration for refugee connectivity.

Episode Highlights

Why Connectivity Matters

• We begin by unpacking the importance of digital access for refugees and displaced populations. What does digital exclusion actually look like on the ground, and what does it take to overcome it?

Barriers to Access

• From missing infrastructure to limited policy support, Mea and Troy dive into the systemic issues that block connectivity in camps and host communities. They also share their experiences working with local authorities and international bodies to bring internet access to the most underserved.

What’s Working

• We hear real-life examples of success, including Unconnected’s work with community entrepreneurs and EdgeCase’s affordable edge connectivity systems. Both guests explain how partnerships across private, public, and nonprofit sectors are central to long-term solutions.

Big Ideas for Bold Change

In the second half of the episode, the group tackles key questions:

• How can we make connectivity meaningful, beyond just access?
• What ethical concerns arise when bringing vulnerable communities online?
• And if resources were no issue, what moonshot ideas would they launch to bridge the digital divide?

Connect with Us:

• Na'amal Website: namal.org
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/naamal/posts/?feedView=all
• Instagram: _naamal_