The Reality of Digital Freelancing in Kakuma: Why It’s Harder Than It Looks!

Digital freelancing in Kakuma refugee camp is often described as an open opportunity. With the rise of digital skills training in Kakuma, more young people are learning tools like 3D modelling and preparing to work with clients online.

At Creative Gateway, this is exactly what we are working toward. Once our graduates complete their 3D modelling training, the goal is to connect them with real freelance opportunities, particularly with clients in Europe. This has always been a core part of the program - not just training, but actual access to work.

However, as the program grows and the number of graduates continues to increase, it has become harder to secure enough projects for everyone through direct partnerships alone. The demand for opportunities is growing faster than the available work.

Because of this, we encourage many of our graduates to take initiative and explore freelance platforms such as Upwork, where they can apply for 3D modelling jobs and begin building their own client base.

But accessing freelance platforms is one thing. Securing consistent work is something else entirely.

The Promise vs The Reality of Digital Freelancing

From the outside, digital freelancing looks straightforward.

You learn a skill, create a profile, apply for jobs, and begin working with clients online. It is often presented as a flexible and accessible way to earn, especially for people who may not have access to traditional employment. This is part of what makes digital skills training in Kakuma so appealing. The idea is that once someone has the skill, the internet opens up a global market.

And in principle, that is true.

Freelance platforms like Upwork do make it possible for someone in Kakuma to apply for the same jobs as a freelancer in London, Mumbai, or New York. That level of access is real, and it is valuable.

But access is not the same as opportunity.

What is often left out of the conversation is how competitive these platforms actually are, and how much effort it takes before any real income begins to come in. For most new freelancers, getting started is not immediate. It involves long periods of applying for jobs, receiving no responses, and trying to understand what clients are really looking for.

From our experience working with graduates in Kakuma, this gap between expectation and reality becomes clear very quickly.

A new freelancer might spend days or even weeks submitting proposals without securing a single project. Not because they lack ability, but because they are entering a marketplace where clients are making decisions based on trust, experience, and visible track record.

What looks like an open marketplace is, in practice, a highly competitive environment where visibility must be earned over time.

This does not mean digital freelancing does not work. It does. But it does not work in the way many people expect at the beginning.

Digital Freelancing in Kakuma Is Global Competition

One of the most important things to understand about digital freelancing in Kakuma refugee camp is that it is not a local market.

It is a global one.

When a graduate from Creative Gateway logs onto a platform like Upwork and applies for a 3D modelling job, they are not competing with a handful of freelancers nearby. They are competing with freelancers from all over the world - people working from Europe, Asia, North America, and beyond.

In many cases, a single job posting can receive dozens, sometimes even hundreds, of applications within a very short period of time.

That means clients are not choosing between a few options. They are choosing from a large pool of candidates, many of whom already have years of experience, completed projects, and strong client reviews attached to their profiles.

This changes how decisions are made.

Clients are not just asking, “Who can do the work?”

They are asking, “Who is the safest choice to hire?”

A freelancer with a long history of completed jobs and positive ratings often feels like a lower-risk option, even if a newer freelancer has the technical ability to deliver the same result.

For graduates entering the market for the first time, this creates a difficult starting point.

They may have the skills. They may have trained for months and built solid portfolios through structured programs. But on the platform, they are still seen as new.

And in a system where trust is built through visible proof, being new can be a disadvantage. This is what makes digital freelancing in Kakuma particularly challenging.

Why Clients Choose Experience Over Potential

At this stage, it helps to look at the situation from the client’s point of view.

When a company posts a job on a freelance platform, they are usually working within a deadline, a budget, and a set of expectations they need met without delays. They are not just looking for someone who can do the work. They are looking for someone who can deliver it smoothly, with minimal back-and-forth, and without introducing unnecessary risk.

That is why experience matters so much.

A freelancer with a history of completed projects, strong reviews, and consistent communication gives the client something very important: predictability. It suggests that the person understands how to follow instructions, meet deadlines, and handle revisions without constant supervision.

For a new freelancer, even one with solid technical ability, that level of predictability is not yet visible.

From the outside, the difference between a capable beginner and an experienced freelancer is not always easy to measure. So clients tend to make decisions based on what they can see and verify.

In practice, this means potential is often overlooked in favor of proof.

This is not unique to Kakuma. It is how freelance platforms function globally. The system is designed to reduce uncertainty for clients, and that naturally favors freelancers who already have a track record.

For our graduates, this creates a very specific challenge.

They are not only learning how to do the work. They are also trying to prove, often without prior client history, that they can be trusted to deliver it.

The “Cold Start” Problem Every New Freelancer Faces

One of the other biggest challenges in digital freelancing - whether in Kakuma or anywhere else in the world -  is what is often referred to as the “cold start” problem.

It is simple to describe, but difficult to overcome.

To get hired on platforms like Upwork, freelancers need reviews and a history of completed work. These act as signals to clients that the freelancer is reliable and capable of delivering quality results.

But to get those reviews, a freelancer must first be hired. And to be hired, they are often expected to already have reviews.

This creates a cycle that is hard to break at the beginning.

For new freelancers, including many of our graduates, this means that even after completing their training, they may spend a significant amount of time applying for jobs without receiving responses. Not because they are unskilled, but because they do not yet have the visible proof that clients rely on when making decisions.

From the client’s perspective, this makes sense.

When faced with many applicants, clients tend to choose freelancers who already have a track record. It feels like a safer decision. There is less uncertainty, and the likelihood of a smooth project is higher.

For someone just starting out, however, this creates a slow and often frustrating entry into the market.

The first job becomes the hardest one to secure.

And until that first opportunity is unlocked, progress can feel limited, regardless of how strong the underlying skill may be.

Competing Without the Same Resources

Up to this point, the challenges we’ve described apply to new freelancers everywhere. But in Kakuma, there is an additional layer that is often overlooked.

Freelancers are not all starting from the same conditions.

In many parts of the world, working online comes with a basic level of infrastructure that people rarely think about. Stable internet, reliable electricity, quiet workspaces, and consistent access to computers are often assumed as a given.

In Kakuma, that is not always the case.

Working online often requires additional coordination and effort. Internet connectivity can be unstable. Power interruptions can disrupt progress. Even finding a consistent, quiet place to work is not always straightforward.

For freelance work, these things matter more than they might seem.

Clients expect timely responses, fast file uploads, and consistent availability during a project. Delays, even when they are outside the freelancer’s control, can affect how reliability is perceived.

This is especially important in fields like 3D modelling, where files can be large, revisions can be frequent, and communication needs to be consistent throughout the project. A slow upload, a missed message, or a delayed revision can affect how a client experiences the entire working relationship.

At Creative Gateway, we have tried to reduce some of these barriers. The container hub provides a stable working environment, with reliable internet, proper equipment, and a space where freelancers can focus and collaborate.

But outside of that space, the broader environment still presents challenges.

This does not mean it is impossible to succeed. It means that freelancers in Kakuma are often required to do more to achieve the same level of consistency that others might take for granted.

And when you place that reality on top of an already competitive global marketplace, it becomes clearer why progress in digital freelancing takes time.

What This Means for Creative Gateway Graduates

When you look at all of these factors together, a clear picture begins to form. The challenge our graduates face is not a lack of skill. They have spent months learning 3D modelling, building portfolios, and developing the ability to produce structured, professional work. They are motivated, consistent, and willing to put in the effort required to grow.

The real challenge is access. Access to first opportunities, access to clients who are willing to take a chance on new freelancers, and access to environments where their ability can be seen and evaluated fairly.

What we are seeing is not a skills gap, but an opportunity gap.

Without that initial layer of opportunity, progress becomes slower than it should be. Talent takes longer to translate into income, and capable freelancers spend more time trying to prove themselves than actually doing the work.

This is the stage where many freelance journeys either stall or begin to take shape.

Why Direct Client Partnerships Still Matter

This is why platforms alone are not enough.

Freelance platforms provide access, but they do not guarantee visibility. They allow anyone to enter, but they do not make it easy to get started. For new freelancers, especially those entering from places like Kakuma, the early stages can be slow and uncertain.

Direct client partnerships help bridge that gap.

When companies choose to work directly with Creative Gateway graduates, they are not just hiring individuals. They are engaging with a structured program that has already invested in training, mentorship, and quality development.

This changes the starting point.

Instead of competing blindly in a crowded marketplace, graduates are able to work on real projects, build experience, and develop the track record that freelance platforms require. Over time, this makes it easier for them to operate independently as well.

In that sense, partnerships do not replace freelance platforms. They strengthen a freelancer’s ability to succeed on them.

Work With Professionally Trained 3D Modellers from Kakuma

There is no shortage of talent in Kakuma. Across our cohorts, we continue to see graduates who are capable of producing strong, detailed work in 3D modelling and who are ready to apply those skills in real projects. What they need is consistent exposure to opportunities where they can continue building experience.

For companies, studios, and creative teams, this presents a practical opportunity.

Working with Creative Gateway graduates gives you access to emerging digital talent that has been trained, supported, and prepared for real-world work. Projects are not handled in isolation. They are supported through a structured system that ensures quality, communication, and accountability throughout the process.

If you are looking for reliable support on 3D modelling projects, or if you are interested in exploring how this model works, we would be happy to connect.

If you want to be part of that — as a partner, a funder, an employer, or someone simply curious — let’s connect.

📩 Email our Project Lead, Vincent: vincent@ambitiousafrica.org
🔗 Have questions about the program? Reach out here: Creative Gateway Contact Page