Welcome to Voices of Resilience Season 3, brought to you by Na'amal, a non-profit and social enterprise dedicated to empowering forcibly displaced individuals through dignified remote work. In this episode, we delve into the exciting and sometimes challenging landscape of AI and Africa's digital future.
In this episode, we explore one of the biggest barriers to digital inclusion: connectivity. Without access to infrastructure and the internet, displaced individuals are excluded from the very systems meant to empower them.
Join host Clay Lowe and co-host Tessa Davis as they speak with two inspiring leaders who are tackling this issue head-on:
- Mea Thompson, Co-Founder & CCO of Unconnected.org: A telecom expert and passionate advocate for digital inclusion, Mea is building global partnerships to connect refugees, students, and women with affordable digital tools and infrastructure.
- Troy Etulain, Founder & CEO of EdgeCase: With over 25 years of experience spanning UNHCR, UNICEF, ITU, USAID, and the World Bank, Troy brings deep insights into policy, innovation, and public-private collaboration for refugee connectivity.
Episode Highlights
Why Connectivity Matters
- We begin by unpacking the importance of digital access for refugees and displaced populations. What does digital exclusion actually look like on the ground, and what does it take to overcome it?
Barriers to Access
- From missing infrastructure to limited policy support, Mea and Troy dive into the systemic issues that block connectivity in camps and host communities. They also share their experiences working with local authorities and international bodies to bring internet access to the most underserved.
What’s Working
- We hear real-life examples of success, including Unconnected’s work with community entrepreneurs and EdgeCase’s affordable edge connectivity systems. Both guests explain how partnerships across private, public, and nonprofit sectors are central to long-term solutions.
Big Ideas for Bold Change
In the second half of the episode, the group tackles key questions:
- How can we make connectivity meaningful, beyond just access?
- What ethical concerns arise when bringing vulnerable communities online?
- And if resources were no issue, what moonshot ideas would they launch to bridge the digital divide?
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