Digital Remote Jobs from A Refugee Perspective
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:
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_