Congrats grad! Riana has completed the Digital Inclusion Program (DIP)!
Riana is one of our young, talented students at the DIP Nairobi site. Riana is an endlessly curious student who took a particular interest in transcription, though she remains open minded to adding all kinds of new tech skills to her repertoire!
Riana shared with us that the key to overcoming a lack of portfolio on Upwork is by having a compelling portfolio that demonstrates how her services can be useful to potential clients. We are impressed by her perseverance, and have absolute confidence that she will only have an increasingly easier time gaining job contracts on freelance sites like Upwork!
Our most recent Nairobi cohort was jointly launched by Konexio and our local partners, RefuSHE. This group of 42 students are all young, female refugees from across Africa. We are proud to announce that 100% of these students have completed at least one job contract during their studies. We are so impressed with their commitment to self-development, and we have confidence that they will continue to grow their accomplishments post-graduation!
We chatted with a few students at the graduation event to hear about their experiences and plans for the future. This is the second interview in a series of two. Riana’s interview has been edited lightly for clarity and accuracy.
Please introduce yourself. What is your name and background?
Riana: I’m Riana and I come from a family of six including my parents, two elderbrothers and a sister. My family are both hardworking and dedicated to their family.
How would you describe your feelings now that you are graduating from the DIP?
Riana: It brings the feeling of excitement, pride, and anticipation. Also the feeling that all your hard work has paid off. It allows you to brush away the stress of years of hard work. It's finally the happy moment to celebrate with friends and family who have been with you on this journey!
Which digital skills have you found the most useful or interesting?
Riana: The most useful and interesting digital skill that I learned was transcribing. Although I find all the skills I learned interesting.
What part of the program did you find most challenging? How did you overcome this challenge?
Riana: The challenging part is finding the client. It's an issue for new freelancers who haven't built up a body for work. I overcame this challenge by having a clear and compelling portfolio that showcases my skills and demonstrates the value I can bring to their projects.
What lessons have you learned through engaging with online platforms, for example Remotasks and Upwork, that you think will be useful for the future?
Riana: What I have learned on these platforms is that anticipation and preparation make way for opportunity. Time management is the key to get through all my projects, and communication helps me stay up to date with deadlines.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to study digital skills for remote work?
Riana: The best advice I can give is that digital skills can improve your confidence in technology learning for work and daily life. Many jobs today require digital skills. And this also improves your access to information, advice and services.
What are your plans after graduation?
Riana: Now that I have a solid foundation in the principles and techniques of digital skills, after graduation I plan to put my knowledge to work and start building my career in this exciting field.
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