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 mother, refugee, and skilled remote worker now thriving in Portugal. 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_

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.

We're thrilled to welcome Elvis, a renowned researcher and consultant specializing in the future of work in Sub-Saharan Africa. He's joined by our fantastic co-host, Lorraine, as they explore the transformative power of AI and its implications for employment, skill development, and cross-border collaboration.

Episode Highlights

• Na'amal's Impact: Discover how Na'amal has empowered over 1,500 refugees and underrepresented individuals through remote work training, mentorship, and digital employment. With the launch of the NAMAL Agency, more than 40 graduates have secured paid tech projects, proving that talent truly has no borders. Learn more at namal.org.
• The Future of Work in Sub-Saharan Africa: Elvis shares his insights on why Sub-Saharan Africa, with its incredibly young demographic, is at the forefront of discussions about the changing world of work.
• AI's Impact on Junior Jobs: A critical conversation unfolds around how AI is impacting entry-level positions, traditionally crucial for career development. Elvis shares findings from his research, noting that AI often helps novice workers the most in controlled experiments, yet companies are sometimes hiring fewer junior staff in favor of more experienced professionals who can effectively manage AI.
• The Conundrum of AI and Employment: The discussion tackles the potential for AI to automate first-line support in customer experience roles, a sector that currently provides significant employment in Africa. The hope is that these companies can evolve and move up the value chain.
• Learning and Developing with AI: Clay and Elvis discuss the shift from traditional learning to an AI-driven approach, where learners are in the "driver's seat," using AI as a tutor to address specific knowledge gaps. This approach allows for a focus on advanced skills and personalized learning experiences.
• Managing AI for Enhanced Productivity: Learn why effectively managing AI is a crucial skill. The hosts emphasize that AI is a tool to enhance, not replace, human creativity and problem-solving, underscoring that the quality of input directly affects the quality of output.
• Gender Disparities and AI Adoption: Lorraine raises important questions about gender disparities in accessing skills and jobs in the digital economy. Elvis shares anecdotal but hopeful observations from his workshops, where women often demonstrate strong capabilities and produce highly-rated projects once they overcome initial skepticism about AI.
• Global Business Services (GBS) and its Role: The episode delves into the GBS sector (also known as BPO, ITO, CX, etc.) and its significance in knowledge transfer and job creation, particularly in regions like Africa. The discussion touches upon how AI might necessitate a shift in the GBS model towards higher-complexity tasks.
• Policy and Protection in the Age of AI: The conversation wraps up with a look at the policies needed to protect individuals in an AI-driven world. Elvis advocates for a cautious, step-by-step approach to legislation, acknowledging the "known unknowns" and the need for rapid adaptation in a fast-moving technological landscape.
• Opportunities in the Gaps: A powerful takeaway from the episode is the idea of "opportunity in the gaps" – leveraging AI to solve local and regional problems and create new entrepreneurial ventures that might fall outside the focus of larger corporations.

Connect with Us:

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

In this compelling episode of Voices of Resilience, host Clay Lowe sits down with Daniela Alba, an advocacy and communications specialist at Jesuit Refugee Service in Rome. Daniela shares her powerful personal story as a Mestizo woman from Colombia who experienced forced displacement as a child and has since dedicated her career to fighting for the rights of forcibly displaced people worldwide.

Together, they unpack the evolving landscape of labor rights in the digital economy, the increasing exploitation of vulnerable workers, and the systemic challenges facing forcibly displaced individuals. Daniela provides insight into the post-pandemic shift in labor policies, the lack of protection for climate migrants, and the grassroots advocacy efforts driving change.

In this episode, host Clay Lowe speaks with Giselle Gonzalez, Founder and CEO of EqualReach, and Susan Achiech, Founder of Tech-Femme Algorithms and a full-stack developer from Kakuma refugee camp. Together, they explore how transitioning from traditional freelancing to team-based project work can create meaningful opportunities for displaced talent. Giselle shares how EqualReach connects skilled refugee talent with global businesses through streamlined processes, while Susan discusses her journey as a South Sudanese leading Tech-Femme Algorithms, a platform training refugees in tech skills.

The two guests delve into the challenges refugees face in freelancing, including steep competition and limited visibility, and highlight how team-based models foster shared learning, collaboration, and better outcomes.

Susan also reflects on her mentorship experience with Giselle through Na’amal, gaining critical skills in client management and confidence. The discussion also emphasizes the importance of building trust, addressing systemic barriers such as platform access and payment systems, and fostering collaboration across sectors to unlock the digital economy for marginalized communities.

With actionable insights for businesses, displaced talent, and the broader ecosystem, this episode is a powerful reminder of the potential for resilience and transformation. Don’t miss Giselle’s and Susan’s inspiring takeaways: “Trust is our most valuable currency,” and “There is no shame in not knowing; that’s the only way you can learn.”

In this episode of Voices of Resilience, we explore the transformative potential of Jobtech in fostering inclusivity for refugees. Guests Brenda from the Jobtech Alliance and Simon from the African Youth Action Network, share their expertise, highlighting innovative approaches to reducing barriers, empowering displaced individuals, and integrating them into the digital economy. Key topics include scaling tech-enabled skilling platforms, bridging gaps in digital literacy and advanced training, and addressing systemic challenges like asset access and ecosystem fragmentation. They also discuss the importance of mentorship, mindset shifts, and collaboration between private and humanitarian sectors. Tune in to discover how job tech is reshaping the future of work for refugees and creating sustainable pathways to economic resilience.