Gebeya Inc., a leading Pan-African tech leadership company that specializes in Saas-enabled custom Talent Cloud innovation, and UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, in Ethiopia have officially launched a digital platform that will help refugees better market their skills and talents, unlocking professional opportunities in the digital economy.

Dubbed BoundlessSkills.com, this platform 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, COO of Gebeya. “Thanks to support from visionary partners, we’re now mobilizing to match these skilled refugee professionals with rewarding career opportunities. And this is just the start. The digital economy offers a powerful pathway toward greater self-reliance for displaced populations. 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 partnership between Gebeya and UNHCR is made possible through the generous support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands through the PROSPECTS Opportunity Fund. This partnership also  aligns with the pledge by the Government of Ethiopia at the Global Refugee Forum 2023 to create economic opportunities for refugees and host communities.

“Solutions that ensure forcibly displaced populations in Ethiopia, including refugees, are included in the country’s economic sector remain critical,” said Margaret Atieno, UNHCR’s Deputy Representative in Ethiopia. “Despite their skills, professional experience and higher education degrees, displaced people struggle to access dignified work. 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,” said Atieno.  

The skill sets 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. 

To strengthen the impact of the Boundless Skills platform, Gebeya has partnered with various organizations including the Refugee Investment Network (RIN), an organization dedicated to creating solutions to global forced migration, which has the ultimate goal of successfully matching refugees with decent work opportunities,  and the Amahoro Coalition working towards providing solutions for refugees through decent work opportunities. In particular, Amahoro will be supporting the scaling of the talent pool by onboarding a pipeline of more than 2,000 skilled and qualified refugees across Gebeya’s Talent Cloud ecosystem. Amaharo will then work to connect these pre-vetted refugee talents with jobs available through their network of private sector partners.

Ethiopia currently hosts close to 1 million  refugees and asylum seekers, being the third main refugee host country in Africa.

Since meeting their goal to fully onboard 300 refugees by April 2024, the Boundless Skills Talent Cloud is now exploring possibilities to scale up to greater numbers across the continent in the near future.

Businesses and organizations interested in accessing hiring opportunities and getting involved on the Boundless Skills Talent Cloud can visit BoundlessSkills.com to learn more.

About Gebeya Inc.

Gebeya Inc. is a leading Talent Cloud technology company specializing in Saas-enabled custom talent cloud innovation focused on opportunity-creation for Africans across the continent.

About UNHCR

UNHCR, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, is a global organization mandated to protect and assist refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people worldwide. It provides emergency relief, safeguards human rights, and seeks long-term solutions for refugee self-reliance and inclusion.

Africa’s Business Heroes (ABH) Prize Competition, the charitable initiative of the Jack Ma Foundation and Alibaba Philanthropy, recently launched its sixth annual quest to discover and support exceptional entrepreneurs from all 54 African countries dedicated to driving positive change in their local communities. Until May 19th, aspiring applicants can access the application form on ABH’s official website to apply for the free shareable grant totaling $1.5 million USD. Interested applicants are encouraged to create a free profile and start their application here: ABH Application Form.

Since its establishment in 2019, ABH has been a beacon for Africa’s brightest entrepreneurial talents. The ABH top 10 finalists, known as Heroes, over the past five years, have collectively achieved remarkable milestones, including:

• Created 123,000 direct and indirect jobs across Africa.
• Serving over 37.5 million customers within Africa and beyond.
• Raised a staggering US$153 million in funding, excluding debt raises.
• Operate in 52 African countries.

In 2023, ABH unveiled a comprehensive five-year impact report, showcasing the tangible contributions made by ABH Heroes. The full report is available for download on ABH’s official website: ABH Impact Report.

Now in its sixth year, ABH continues to extend a call to entrepreneurs from all corners of Africa to showcase their ventures on the continent’s largest entrepreneurial platform. ABH encourages applications from individuals of all ages, genders, and business sectors, from each of the 54 African countries. Applicants can submit their entries in either English or French. Alongside invaluable benefits such as training, exposure, and networking opportunities, the top 10 finalists will vie for a share of $1.5 million in grant money. Other benefits include free entrepreneurship training, pan-African publicity, mentorship, and networking with outstanding entrepreneurs from all over Africa.

Zahra Baitie, Managing Director, Africa, at Africa’s Business Heroes, expressed enthusiasm for the journey ahead: “Over the past five years, we’ve witnessed the remarkable growth of our Heroes. Many have utilized grant funds to expand their reach, recruit talent, enhance operations, and innovate new products and services. It’s inspiring to see our Heroes collaborate and tap into the ABH network of judges and experts. We are committed to continuing our support for the African entrepreneurial ecosystem, and we invite all eligible entrepreneurs creating positive impacts to join us on this journey!”

To date, nearly 100,000 entrepreneurs have engaged in the ABH Prize Competition. Last year’s winners emerged from a pool of 27,267 applicants representing diverse sectors, including agriculture, education, energy, financial services, healthcare, manufacturing, and retail. The competition culminated in a Grand Finale, where the top 10 finalists graced Africa’s largest augmented reality-powered stage to present their businesses to a panel of esteemed judges.

How to Apply: The ABH application deadline is set for May 19, 2024. Ethiopian and all African entrepreneurs, both founders and co-founders of any type of business that has been in existence for at least 3 years and is registered in any African country, are called upon to apply and participate in this prestigious pan-African prize competition. No matter the sector, age, or gender, interested applicants must be Africans and should submit their applications in either English or French before the deadline. More details about the prize, eligibility, and application criteria can be found on ABH’s official website: ABH Application Guidelines.

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