Sharjah24: The Big Heart Foundation (TBHF), a global humanitarian organisation dedicated to assisting refugees and those in need worldwide, announced that ConneXio Africa has won the 2025 Sharjah International Award for Refugee Advocacy and Support. The award recognises the organisation’s efforts in creating a humanitarian model that links education to employment, helping lift refugees out of poverty in East Africa—particularly in Kenya, Malawi, and Uganda—by transforming digital skills into sustainable job opportunities.
Global recognition for sustainable refugee empowerment
ConneXio Africa was selected from 790 global nominations for its sustainable approach and tangible impact in refugee empowerment. The organisation bridges the gap between education and income generation, providing hands-on training in advanced digital skills that directly translate into freelance work and long-term employment.
Since its establishment in 2019, ConneXio Africa has pioneered the use of digital education to enable refugees to build knowledge-based, productive livelihoods. The organisation has trained over 1,000 refugees across Kenya, Malawi, and Uganda, indirectly benefiting more than 7,000 people. Employment rates among graduates have risen to 90%, with monthly incomes increasing from less than $1 to around $200.
Women’s empowerment at the core
Women make up 66% of beneficiaries, reflecting ConneXio Africa’s commitment to gender equality and empowering women as central drivers of self-reliance and community development.
Innovative digital empowerment model
The organisation combines advanced digital training, business process outsourcing (BPO), and remote work, giving young people and women genuine opportunities for economic and social integration. Its programmes overcome legal and administrative barriers that often limit refugees’ access to formal employment.
Training is delivered in state-of-the-art digital centres inside camps, equipped with high-speed Starlink internet, solar power, and childcare facilities to enable mothers to study and work in a safe environment. A hybrid learning model addresses mobility restrictions, while the organisation leverages its databases and networks to recruit, employ, and mentor refugees, creating professional pathways for graduates.
Integrated programmes for sustainable impact
ConneXio Africa’s programmes include digital skills training, capacity building, and sustainable job placement. Graduates are connected to global freelance platforms like Upwork and Appen, opening international work opportunities. Advanced digital skills programmes, in partnership with Africa Career Networks and companies like TotalEnergies, provide mentorship and employment in technology and renewable energy, equipping refugee communities with marketable skills.
The Global Business Services programme links trained refugees to international companies through safe operational hubs with advanced digital infrastructure. Refugees can access two-year contracts with monthly salaries of approximately $250, providing services in AI, customer service, research, and marketing for companies such as SEB, Teleperformance, and TotalEnergies.
Long-term, sustainable solutions
Her Excellency Alya Al Musaiebi, Director of The Big Heart Foundation (TBHF), said: “The Sharjah International Award for Refugee Advocacy and Support aims to shift humanitarian work toward lasting results, prioritising dignity, self-reliance, sustainable development, and economic participation. ConneXio Africa exemplifies this mission by empowering refugees with digital skills, treating them as talented contributors rather than aid recipients, and providing a clear pathway to success.”
She added: “Through this award, the Big Heart Foundation encourages donors and policymakers to invest in capacity-building solutions that strengthen markets and communities over the long term.”
ConneXio Africa is the regional branch of ConneXio, founded by Jane Jou in 2016 in Paris. Her personal experience as a refugee inspired the global initiative to harness technology for humanitarian impact. ConneXio Africa’s recognition complements previous accolades, including the Google Impact Challenge (2019, 2021), MIT Solve Digital Inclusion Challenge (2021), and the Digital Innovation Warriors Award (2025).
The organisation will receive AED 500,000 (approximately $136,000) to expand its operations and deepen its impact in vulnerable communities. The Sharjah International Award for Refugee Advocacy and Support not only honours winners but also provides a platform for practical humanitarian solutions, emphasising digital skills and economic integration as essential tools for enabling refugees to live dignified lives.
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