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.

Co-hosted by Clay Lowe and Camila Massa, this conversation features Vestine Ihimbazwe, a business development leader, digital strategist, and youth tech mentor who grew up in Kakuma Refugee Camp and has lived there for over 16 years. Vestine shares her journey from navigating limited educational opportunities to leading initiatives that equip young women with coding, AI, and remote work skills, proving that refugee talent is not just employable but a driver of Africa’s digital future.

About Our Guest:
Vestine Leila Ihimbazwe is known for bridging global clients with African refugee talent. Through her work with refugee-led hubs like the Solidarity Initiative for Refugees (SIR), she mentors young women in tech, opening pathways into coding, AI, and freelancing. A proud Pan-Africanist, she is dedicated to shifting the narrative from refugees as aid recipients to innovators and changemakers in the digital economy.

About Our Co-Host:
Camila Massa is the Program Coordinator for MIT Emerging Talent and the MIT Refugee Action Hub (ReACT), where she develops education-to-employment programs for underserved communities worldwide. She also supports the MIT Jameel World Education Lab (J-WEL) and coordinates the Migration Summit, a global event bringing together stakeholders to address challenges faced by refugee and migrant communities. With a background in business and a passion for social development, Camila brings both global perspective and practical experience to the conversation.

Episode Highlights

From Kakuma to the Global Digital Economy

• Vestine’s life growing up in Kakuma and the turning points that made remote work seem possible
• The steep challenges of accessing quality education and career pathways in a refugee camp
• Early steps into digital skills training and securing her first remote clients

Breaking Barriers in Displacement

• Overcoming limited internet access, scarce technology, and gender-based barriers
• How family and community perceptions of “remote work” have shifted over time
• The role of mentorship, peer networks, and online communities in building confidence and expertise

Remote Work as Africa’s Next Big Leap

• Why remote work is reshaping traditional ideas of employment for African youth, especially in displacement
• The digital skills Vestine believes will be most in demand for the next generation
• How companies and platforms can design systems that include talent from refugee camps and rural areas

A Vision for Africa’s Future of Work

• Predictions for what digital work in Kakuma and similar contexts could look like in 5–10 years
• Practical steps governments, NGOs, and global businesses can take to scale digital inclusion
• How storytelling can shift mindsets and influence policy

Advice and Inspiration

• Vestine’s message to young Africans who feel “stuck” in their current circumstances
• The crucial role mentorship and networks play in turning skills into opportunity
• Why the world should see refugee camps not just as humanitarian spaces, but as hubs of innovation and talent

Discussion Topics:

• Bridging the digital divide in displacement contexts
• Gender equity in remote work
• The role of refugee-led hubs in digital skill development
• How policy and infrastructure shape access to remote opportunities
• Global collaboration for inclusive future-of-work systems

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.

Co-hosted by Clay Lowe and Lorraine Charles, this conversation features Nick Murphy, CEO and Co-Founder of Kutana Pay, a fintech company reimagining payments across Africa and other emerging markets. Nick shares how his decade of experience helping UK and EU companies expand into Africa revealed a massive problem, slow, expensive, and inaccessible payments, and why removing that friction is essential for unlocking economic opportunity.

About Our Guest:
Nick Murphy leads strategy, growth, and mission at Kutana Pay, which is working to build a world where financial borders no longer hold people or businesses back. Kutana Pay’s platform enables companies in the Global North to send payments into emerging markets, while giving African SMEs and individuals access to global currencies in a secure, cost-effective, and compliant way.

About Kutana Pay:
With a focus on robust compliance, smart treasury systems, and financial inclusion, Kutana Pay addresses the two-way challenge of moving money into and out of African markets. Their mission is rooted in creating payment infrastructure that supports trade, digital work, and the participation of marginalized communities in the global economy.

Episode Highlights

The Payments Barrier and Why It Matters

• How slow, expensive cross-border systems, built for the West, exclude much of Africa from global markets
• Why access to USD and other major currencies is critical for importing goods, paying workers, and enabling digital work
• The two waves of African fintech: sending money in (diaspora remittances) vs. sending money out (trade and services)

The Role of Compliance and Documentation

• How KYC (Know Your Customer) rules can exclude refugees and people without formal IDs
• Balancing compliance with access, Kutana Pay’s approach to saying “yes” first and solving documentation hurdles creatively
• The human impact of being shut out from financial systems, particularly for displaced individuals earning digitally

Kutana Pay’s Model and Innovations

• What onboarding, verification, and secure transfers look like in practice
• Building trust through infrastructure and partnerships with NGOs, employers, and payment processors
• Stories that show the tangible impact of inclusive payment systems

Systemic Solutions for Financial Inclusion

• Policy and regulatory changes that could open up access for millions
• The role of private sector innovation vs. government-led reform
• What an inclusive, human-centered payments ecosystem could look like, and how to avoid replicating old patterns of exclusion

Discussion Topics:

• Why cross-border payments are critical for enabling digital work in Africa
• Financial barriers faced by refugees and marginalized people
• Trust, infrastructure, and systemic reform in Africa’s financial landscape
• Designing inclusive systems that work for everyone, everywhere

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 powerful episode, we are joined by Sherrifa, a resilient learner originally from Sudan, now based in Ethiopia. Her story is one of determination, heartbreak, and healing, a journey shaped by years of systemic exclusion from education and reignited by a single opportunity to learn again.

Hosted by Clay Lowe, this conversation highlights the emotional and practical realities of navigating displacement, and how trust-based learning and community support can help restore confidence, purpose, and dreams once thought lost.

About Our Guest:

Sherrifa arrived in Addis Ababa six and a half years ago with a dream to continue her education. But she was repeatedly denied access due to bureaucratic barriers and expired academic documents. Despite the setbacks, she found ways to survive, tutoring, taking informal jobs, and confronting depression and self-doubt.

Everything shifted when she joined Na’amal. The program reconnected her to learning, introduced her to digital skills and remote work, and most importantly, helped her reclaim her sense of worth and possibility.

Episode Highlights

Fighting for Education in Exile

• The heartbreak of being accepted into her dream program, only to be turned away again
• Navigating a complex system that often excludes displaced learners
• What survival looked like while waiting for another chance

Healing and Rebuilding Through Learning

• The mental and emotional toll of prolonged uncertainty and rejection
• Discovering Na’amal and reconnecting with digital learning
• How personalized support and community helped rebuild her confidence

Skills, Growth, and a New Beginning

• The digital and professional skills that opened new doors
• How her mindset has transformed since completing the program
• What Sherrifa is dreaming of now

Advice for Others

• Words of encouragement for displaced youth who feel stuck or hopeless
• Her vision for a world where access to education and opportunity isn’t limited by borders or paperwork

Discussion Topics

• Education in exile: systemic barriers and hidden costs
• The role of mentorship and community in restoring hope
• Mental health and meaning: how learning can support healing
• Digital inclusion: making upskilling accessible to displaced learners
• Youth resilience: why agency and opportunity must go hand-in-hand

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 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:

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_

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 forced migrant from Venezuela. 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_