Access to digital technology represents a vital step in the refugee resettlement process. Since 2015, over 1,800,000 refugees have entered Europe. Their integration into the job market is key, in order
to combat poverty and radicalization, and to foster long-term interaction with the local community.
Digital skills can also aid integration into the host country due to their easily and universally
transferable nature. To add to the list of benefits, digitally competent refugees will increase the
diversity of their host country’s workforce.
However, during the COVID-19 lockdown, it became very clear that there exists a deep digital divide between those who have access to the internet and are trained to use digital technologies, and those who do not. Among them are migrant and refugee women and girls, undocumented women, whom typically have a low income.
In order to help this specific group of women, Road of Hope created the “Digital Marketing Workshop”. The idea stemmed from a need that refugee women themselves had highlighted. A couple of women have been preparing meals at home, and wanted to learn how they could market themselves online, in order to sell the meals locally. The goal of this workshop is to teach participants how to sell and advertise products on the internet using (mainly) social media.