‘I heard about Ajira on social media and with my curious spirit registered and joined different digital work training. This opened my mind to the vast opportunities in the digital space and from there on I started exploring and applying for different tasks and jobs available online. Guided by my passion for teaching I am offering virtual assistance through various online platforms and teaching in early childhood development. This has not deterred me from my day job as I am able to balance and deliver efficiently. The digital work opportunity has greatly improved my livelihood and in addition, I have managed to pay up the entire college fee for my sister who is now working with Pollman’s. My sister and I have also founded a company called Wakanda Expeditions that deals with booking flights, airport transfers and hotels online. We also enrolled our younger brother on Ajira Digital Program and we believe it will really help him,’ Said Maureen Obuya, a digital worker from Likoni in Mombasa County during the forum.

The Pwani Innovation Week kicked off on 28^th March 2022. The four-day event was organized by the SwahiliPot Hub Foundation and its partners to foster a culture of innovation and technology in Kenya’s coastal counties with an aim to encourage innovators, policymakers, corporations, funders, researchers, and other stakeholders to embrace new ideas and trends. This year’s theme focuses on the innovative ways of working that have evolved as a result of the pandemic, despite its catastrophic impacts. Ajira Digital Program took part in the event and has hosted the first discussion panel on the sustainability of digital work.

The panellists moderated by Dr. Ehud Gachugu – Project Director, Ajira Digital Progam and Youth Employment at KEPSA, included Mr. Kaye Matereke, Founder Tactive Consulting a management consulting firm focusing on supporting SME business growth; Mr. Peter Kironji, Co-founder and CEO Twiva an influencer marketing and social commerce platform; Ms. Edna Karijo, Program Manager at eMobilis; Maureen Obuya, a virtual assistant and digital worker; and Rachel Gathu, Private Sector Engagement Officer, Ajira.

Dr. Gachugu fire started the session by highlighting that currently, Kenya has an estimated 1.2 million online workers who are earning an average of Ksh 21,000. In addition, there is a forecast that by 2025 Kenya will have a digital economy adding to 1.4 trillion of the GDP in Kenya’s economy. The formal employment sector can only take up to 16% thus the need to explore and create sustainable digital jobs to absorb young people and reduce the unemployment crisis in the country.

Illuminating the discussion, Mr. Matereke said that Africa is full of opportunities and surrounded by knowledge capital which is key to thriving the digital economy. Being a business consultant, Mr. Kaye explained that entrepreneurs are trying to grow at the lowest cost possible and therefore advised start-ups and entrepreneurs present to take advantage of emerging innovators who can offer brilliant solutions at affordable rates. He added that there is a need for human skills management to identify, organize and integrate solutions to have a breakthrough in this fourth revolution.

Speaking at the panel discussion, Mr. Kironji, explained his journey of starting the platform Twiva and how keeping in touch with trends and technology disruptiveness has seen to the platform’s growth. Peter advised young people to not focus on too complex and advanced skills but start with foundational and locally available skills as there are adequate digital opportunities for these skills. As a social e-commerce supply platform, Twiva looks at engaging SMEs to explore the value of the digital economy by leveraging young talents and digitization.

The panel discussion also explored other issues including how Ajira Digital Program is enabling young people to upskill, commercialize their talents and navigate online space. Ms. Edna encouraged young people to take advantage of the free training and mentorship in the Program that will equip them for digital work while providing innovative solutions to businesses and make a livelihood like that of Maureen. She also illustrated the need for young people to join online workers’ communities and the established Ajira Youth Empowerment centres where young people can identify opportunities and business problems and address them with workable solutions. For instance, there is an Ajira trainee from Webuye East who felt empowered by the Program and started a Community Based Organisation for poultry chain business where he has brought on board over 30 other young people.

‘Young people have Solutions. Elements like youthful resources, cultural heritage and agility have pushed us to identify the need for digitalization and we are supporting Africa owned organizations to explore the opportunities to increase efficiency and scale,’ said Mr. Kaye in closing.