Janet first arrived to the Kakuma Refugee Camp from her home in Burundi when she was 20 years old. While Janet already had some ICT experience before starting the Digital Inclusion Program (DIP), these past six months have showed her how she can leverage tech to make a living from anywhere through freelancing online. Janet is now inspired to pass her knowledge on and bring these digital skills back to her home community.
As a part of our first-ever cohort of students in the Kakuma Refugee Camp, Janet and her peers represent an important milestone for the DIP. Our all-female group of 33 students are well-prepared for the world of work ahead: 100% of our students completed the program, and 85% gained at least one online job contract during their studies! These results affirm what we have long been saying about this group of students: they are highly resilient and extremely dedicated to mastering digital skills and achieving self-reliance.
At the graduation event, we chatted with a few students to share their reflections on the program. This interview with Janet is part one in a series of three.
Janet’s interview has been lightly edited for clarity and accuracy.
What is your name and background?
My name is Janet. I am of Burundian nationality, and I live in Kakuma camp. I wasn’t born here, I came in 2020. I am now 20 years old. I managed to complete my secondary education recently.
How would you describe the feeling of graduating?
I am so excited, as you can see. Very happy to complete this journey.
How was the experience?
It was okay. I knew most of the things already, but things like LinkedIn and Freelancer.com, I was wondering, “What is the point of these sites?” And now I know.
Were there parts of the DIP you found more interesting than others?
Of course. Data entry, I liked. Web scraping, too. Even scheduling, also.
Were there parts that you found more challenging than others?
The most challenging part for me was when I was passing through these job applications on freelancer.com.
How did you overcome that?
I just informed my facilitators that I was struggling, and they helped me.
What accomplishment would you say you are most proud of?
I’m very proud of doing the DIP, first of all. I have more knowledge now, and I’ve gained more skills from this. I can’t say anything bad about it.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to join the program?
The best advice I can give is to never give up in life. If you try hard, you will get more. A chance comes once, so if you let it go, it will not come back a second time. I would just tell them that, if they want to join the DIP, to put all their effort into the experience. I can show them the example of how I am now: I am not depending on my parents for money, I’m depending on myself, because I have the skills I got from the DIP.
Now that you’ve graduated, what plans do you have for the future?
I have a very big plan, for sure. Very very big. I don’t know if I’ll manage it, but I will try my best. My plan is to introduce these skills in the DIP from Konexio at home.
Do you feel like people there are going to benefit from it?
Of course they are. These digital tools are very helpful. If I introduce it there, they will understand how to do it.
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