The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and Gebeya Inc., a Pan-African talent cloud tech company Thursday jointly launched a digital platform that will help refugees better market their skills and talents in Ethiopia.
The platform, dubbed BoundlessSkills.com, aims at connecting skilled refugees and members of the communities that host them, with potential employers.
Nearly 300 refugees have been fully onboarded on the platform since its inception in November 2023.
“We’re thrilled with the tremendous potential this initiative has already demonstrated in just a few months,” said Leul Girma, Gebeya’s Chief Operating Officer.
“And this is just the start,” according to the COO.
“The digital economy offers a powerful pathway toward greater self-reliance for displaced populations,” he said.
“We’re eager to replicate and expand models like Boundless Skills Talent Cloud to help refugees safely access decent work opportunities online.”
The boundless Skills platform has become a reality with the support of the Netherlands foreign ministry through the PROSPECTS Opportunity Fund.
The move aligns with the pledge by the Government of Ethiopia at the Global Refugee Forum 2023 to create economic opportunities for refugees and host communities.
Ethiopia currently hosts close to 1 million refugees and asylum seekers, being the third main refugee hosting country in Africa.
Margaret Atieno, UNHCR’s Deputy Representative, said refugees “struggle to access dignified work despite their skills, professional experience and higher education degrees.
“Through this partnership, UNHCR and Gebeya are working to empower refugees to earn a living, to become self-reliant and contribute to the digital economy,” Atieno added.
Skillsets available on the platform include both technical and non-technical skills, ranging from software development and data analysis to digital marketing and customer care services.
MG/as/APA