In Egypt, Digitalize Your Business was adapted and launched to support the training to help micro and small enterprises, aspiring freelancers and digital entrepreneurs adopt digital tools to expand market reach and improve operations.

The programme supported the Ministry of Innovation and Technology in elaborating the Five-Year Digital Inclusion Strategy, which considers the specific needs of refugee and host communities. To promote digital transformation and youth employment downstream, a Digital Innovation Hub was launched in the Somali Region in partnership with the regional Bureau of Innovation and Technology. The hub has provided digital skills training, co-working space, and internet connection for young entrepreneurs.

The programme helped establish and operationalise a Community of Practice (CoP) on Digital Jobs and Skills, co-organised by the Ministry of Innovation and ICT and the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, to break down policy silos. Through the CoP, PROSPECTS supported the institutional capacity and representation of the Kenya Union of Gig Workers (KUGWO), a newly registered affiliate of the COTU-K. Through an awareness raising campaign and mobilization in refugee hosting areas, it mobilized 5,000 gig workers, including 750 refugees. To inform work downstream, PROSPECTS conducted a mapping study titled “Digitally Empowering Young People in Refugee and Host Communities – What is Possible?” This was applied in Turkana and Garissa counties where the digital and gig economies had emerged as a key sector with potential to contribute towards the creation of decent jobs, especially for Kenya’s youth. PROSPECTS scaled up digital skills development and supported access to digital hubs to enable refugees and host communities to engage in remote and platform-based work. After piloting skills development initiatives were completed for entry level skills ("micro-work"), it shifted to intermediate digital skills (e.g. software development) that provided better decent working conditions. Efforts focused on strengthening the local Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) landscape, which was regulated under national laws, as opposed to offshore companies that were not regulated under domestic labour laws and work place protections. Success story: From Refugee to Digital Worker.

The programme conducted a survey on the working conditions of traditional and platform-based delivery workers, with half of the respondents being Syrian refugees.

The programme piloted Digital Employment Diagnostic Guidelines to measure the job creation potential of the digital economy, including for refugees. The programme also supported the formulation and integration of refugees in Uganda’s National Employment Policy and Strategy. These frameworks support a more competitive workforce in high-growth sectors such as information and communications technology (ICT). A Community of Practice (CoP) on Digital Jobs and Skills, initially established in Kenya, was replicated in Uganda, led by the Federation of Uganda Employers. Training and support were provided through a network of national organizations, including in refugee areas, to help micro and small enterprises, aspiring freelancers and digital entrepreneurs adopt digital tools to expand market reach and improve operations. This includes leveraging social media, e-commerce platforms, online marketplaces and digital payment services, while ensuring compliance with regulations on data protection and privacy. In addition, collaboration with UNICEF enabled the acquisition of connected devices and mobilized youth with basic digital skills for upskilling through the ILO’s Gig Work Programme.