The gig economy is reshaping how people earn a living. Through digital platforms and apps, workers can access short-term tasks that provide income, experience, and professional connections. For refugees and host communities, gig work can open doors to self-reliance and entrepreneurship.
However, gig work also comes with challenges: unpredictable income, limited social protection, and reliance on internet access and digital skills. Unlike traditional jobs, most gig roles are freelance or contract-based, requiring workers to manage their own clients, projects, and finances. Algorithms that assign tasks and set prices add another layer of complexity.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is also transforming the labour market—creating new opportunities while automating some tasks. This makes continuous learning and upskilling essential.
The toolkit “Exploring the Gig Economy: Challenges and Opportunities” helps workers navigate this landscape. It covers types of gig work, income expectations, online safety, and how gig work can be a stepping stone into broader employment.[1]
Developed under the PROSPECTS Opportunity Fund project “Promotion, inclusion and protection of refugees and host communities in the gig economy”, funded by the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the toolkit draws from pilot activities and feedback from gig workers in Kenya and Uganda, including in rural and refugee-hosting areas.
1. Summarised extract from Exploring the gig economy: Challenges and opportunities (booklet)
