Techfugees Kenya
Nairobi - Kakuma - Dadaab
Kenya
In 2020 Kenya hosted about 500 000 registered refugees and asylum seekers on its territory. 84% of them lived in camps while 16% reside in urban areas with limited access to employment and income generating opportunities.Techfugees Kenya, UNHCR Kenya and Xavier Project are partnering to organise a digital sprint to foster access to employment for refugees in Kenya and will support three responsible digital projects creating tangible work opportunities with and for refugees.
About the event
The Digital Sprint is a two-day intense and fun tech working session gathering refugees and non-refugees to solve employment challenges faced by forcibly displaced persons in Kenya. Each team (3-6 participants) will pre-register to choose from one of the three guests projects they want to support on the following aspects:
👨🏿💻 Coding
👩🏿🎨 Design
🗣 Digital Communication
📈 Data analytics
The event will bring together teams from Nairobi, Dadaab and Kakuma both on-and-offline. Yes ! the event will be hybrid, with physical venues in each location to host the teams and provide a good working environment (Wifi, electricity, computers, design kits and intellectual social emulation) and will bring the three locations online for the course of the weekend (Challenge presentation, conferences, pitches…)
Detailed Agenda
📆 SATURDAY 12TH :
– 8am: Opening Keynote & challenges introduction
– 10 am – 1 pm: Installation of the teams and kick-off
– 1pm – 2pm : Lunch
– 2pm – 2:30pm: Conference #1
– 2:30 pm – 5:30 pm .: Work session + Mentoring sessions
– 5:30 pm – 7 pm: Conference #2
– 7pm – 8pm : Work session
– 8 pm .: Closing.
📆 SUNDAY 13TH:
– 8 am: Welcome session
– 8:30 am – 12am: Work session + Mentoring sessions
– 12am – 12:30: Conference #3
– 12:30 am -1:30 pm .: Lunch
– 1:30 pm – 5 pm.: Finalization and training on the pitches
– 5 p.m : Pitches
– 6 p.m .: Deliberation and announcement of the results
– 6:30 pm : Closure ceremony
– 7:30 pm : Closing
What’s in it for the participants ?
👉🏾 For the sprinters :
– During those 2 days, participants will get the incredible opportunity to meet and work with other tech enthusiasts; They will get in touch with experts & network with a series of successful entrepreneurs
– Each sprinter will be able to test and apply their digital skills on concrete social impactful projects to build on their portfolio and add as professional experience;
– For migrants seeking employment opportunities, they’ll get the change to meet some of these existing impactful organisations and resources and use them to access employment opportunities
⚡️ Disclaimer ⚡️ Some of the participants will also get the chance through a lottery to get computers as a reward for their participation in the sprint !
👉🏾 For the 3 guest projects:
– During the sprint, all 3 projects will benefit from a free tech boost to scale the impact of their work;
– The sprint is also a chance to pitch the tech project aiming to support refugee employment and gain high visibility.
– Last but not least, they’ll be able to meet with incredible tech enthusiastic profiles all over Kenya, will receive mentorship and guidance and hopefully through this unique networking opportunity will build long term partnerships !