Refugee Digital Workers in Kenya Face Falling Pay as AI Cuts Jobs
Kakuma, 9 October 2026
A 50% collapse in entry-level digital tasks since 2022 has left Kakuma refugees facing plummeting pay and intense competition as AI automation rapidly replaces remote gig work.
Resilient Talents in the Heart of Kakuma
In the sprawling Kakuma refugee camp, home to over 300,000 residents [1], a remarkable wave of digital entrepreneurship and collaboration is proving that talent knows no boundaries. Since its inception in 2016, the Solidarity Initiative for Refugees (SIR) has served as a beacon of hope, training over 2,000 refugees in vital digital skills [1][3]. Founded by Congolese refugee Bahana Gidrogen (also referred to as Bahana Hydrogene) [1][3], SIR has successfully connected more than 50% of its graduates to remote technology opportunities, ranging from short-term gigs to long-term contracts [3]. On 28 September 2026, the vibrant energy of local talent was on full display as freelancers filled the SIR centre, actively utilising digital platforms to carve out independent livelihoods [1][3].
Navigating the Shifting Winds of the Tech Economy
The landscape of remote digital work has shifted rapidly, requiring refugees to continuously adapt. Previously, platforms like Remotasks—which closed its Kenyan operations in 2024 [1][3]—offered basic microtasks that paid workers between 500 and 1,000 Kenyan shillings ($3 to $6) per day [1][3]. The daily earning variance of 500 Kenyan shillings was a vital lifeline in a region where over half of households survive on less than $50 monthly [3]. However, the International Trade Centre (ITC) estimates that entry-level tasks such as transcription, data entry, translation, and web research have declined by approximately 50% since 2022, largely due to the rapid rise of automation and tools like ChatGPT [1][3][5].
Cooperating for a Brighter, High-Skilled Future
Far from being discouraged, Kakuma’s digital community is actively pivoting toward higher-value opportunities to stay ahead of the automation curve. Forward-thinking organisations like Na’amal and Konexio are shifting their training curricula away from basic microtasks and graphic design toward advanced software programming, digital marketing, and e-commerce [1][3]. Fabien de Castilla, director of Konexio, notes that while interrupted education presents challenges, new roles in data cleaning and verifying AI outputs offer promising pathways for skilled refugees [3]. This strategic shift is designed to equip local talent with the specialised skills needed to thrive in a more sophisticated global market [GPT].