As one of the largest refugee camps in the world, Dadaab in Kenya offers few chances for decent work for its 425,000 residents.

Now some are bringing new meaning to the term digital nomads, creating the Dadaab Collective Freelancing Agency to win online jobs that are changing their lives.

Hawo Abdi, a 30-year-old single mother of two, was working as a refugee community worker in Dadaab, Kenya. She earned 8000 Kenyan shillings ($70) monthly. Living with her mother and raising two children, Hawo’s income could barely cover basic needs. 

Fleeing from conflict in Somalia, with a lot of uncertainty about what the future holds, Hawo, like other refugees in Dadaab, was only hopeful to earn income legitimately and live a meaningful life. 

For some youth, including Hawo, this hope took shape when the International Trade Centre (ITC) and the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) launched a training on digital freelancing in 2018. The goal was to open the door to employment and better incomes. What began with just 19 trainees has grown into a vibrant Collective with 117 active members today.

For three months, 100 refugees in Dadaab and local Kenyans underwent intensive training and mentorship in digital freelancing. They learned skills such as data entry, translation, web research and photography. 

From that first cohort, 83 people successfully graduated. As a next step, ITC and NRC launched the Dadaab Collective Freelancing Agency. The collective started with 19 active members in 2019. 

Through the agency, the refugees and the Kenyans used their skills to secure freelancing opportunities online. Clients can either hire Collective members directly through their website, via email or through Upwork, a top freelancing platform.

Dadaab Collective Freelancing Agency has completed over 1,350 projects and earned $47,000, an impressive sum in a country where the average worker earns about $600 a month.

Why digital freelancing 

Many refugees, including those in Dadaab, can’t get traditional jobs. Refugee camps offer few opportunities, and the formal labour market is often out of reach. 

That can leave them trapped, poor and uncertain about the future. But digital freelancing offers a solution. 

Digital freelancing lets refugees, in the comfort of their homes, connect with clients worldwide and earn income. 

‘Freelancing gave me financial independence, and I now earn money using the skills I learnt,’ said Ali Hassan Abdi, a member of the Collective. 

Freelancing also provides flexibility. Refugees can balance work with family responsibilities, engage directly with clients, and build professional reputations in the global gig economy. 

‘You can manage your timeline,’ said Hawo Abdi. ‘You engage with the clients directly and you earn self-respect, regardless of being a refugee.’

‘It has changed me’

Hawo Abdi, who was barely making ends meet, earned $250 on her first gig. 

‘Working as a refugee community worker had low prospects, the working conditions were not favourable,’ she said. ‘After my training, I got this Somali-English interpretation job and the payment was good, almost $250.’ 

Hawo recalled her delight at finally earning enough to live independently.

‘The money helped me to pay my children’s school fees and purchase foodstuff. I even moved out of my mum’s house and was able to get a decent apartment for myself.’

Likewise, Khalif Mohamed, who arrived in Dadaab in 2010, joined the Collective in 2020 after completing an ITC/NRC training. ‘It has changed me, especially making money and gaining skills while working with teams,’ he said. ‘I am also proud of the work that I do. I focus on interpretation, especially in healthcare, where I can help people be understood.’ 

Khasana Abdi Abdullahi, 27, fled Somalia as a toddler with her grandmother. Orphaned at a young age, she found in freelancing a new path forward. 

‘I have started to achieve the growth that I was aiming for. The Collective created a path for me to grow. Now, I can conveniently give back to my grandmother who spent all her life raising me,’ Khasana said. 

Six years and getting stronger 

Within six years of existence, the Collective has completed over 350 projects, generating $47,000 through freelancing platforms, digital contracts, and partnerships with organizations such as the International Labour Organization (ILO), NRC, and ITC. Former trainees have grown into trainers and mentors for others, which lets the Collective expand. 

It has evolved from a training group into a legally registered cooperative agency with structured management and a bank account, allowing it to operate professionally and sustainably. 

"With just 19 members when it started in 2019, the Collective has grown to 117 members."

Abdullahi Abdirahman Noor, 30, the Chairman of the Collective, says the growth of the Collective represents more than just economic opportunity for a select few. ‘It’s not just about freelancing, it is about becoming active contributors,’ he said.

Ali Hassan Abdi, who started as a trainee in 2019, is now a mentor helping newcomers navigate freelancing platforms, polish their online profiles, and secure contracts. 

‘Mentoring others is my proudest achievement, because I see them transform their lives just as I did,’ he said. 

Osman Abdullahi Osman, 29, who fled Somalia in 2006 at age 10, now serving as a peer coaching team leader, emphasizes that the transition from learner to leader is part of what makes the Collective unique. 

‘We began with limited opportunities, but today we are guiding others. The Collective is not just about finding work for refugees, it is about building leaders among us.’

As the humanitarian space evolves, the Dadaab Collective Freelancing Agency reflects how a shift from aid dependency to trade-based solutions can unlock financial independence. By leveraging digital trade and equipping refugees with market-relevant skills, the Collective has shown that displaced communities can move beyond survival to become active participants in the global economy.

About Dadaab Collective 

The Dadaab Collective Freelancing Agency is the world's first Digital Freelancing Agency Led by refugees from Dadaab-Kenya. They offer a wide range of digital freelancing services from website design and development, Graphic design, logos, image editing, flyers, brochures, Video Editing, Translation, Transcription, Proofreading, Voice-over, Data Entry, Data Collection, Web research, Digital Marketing, and Virtual Assistant. 

The Collective was launched by ITC and NRC through its Refugee Employment and Skills Initiative (RESI) programme. RESI is now known as Refugees and Trade.