Janah’s work with the underprivileged people of the world began when she was sixteen and teaching English to sixty blind people in Ghana. They were thirsty for the connectedness that English could bring them, and eager to learn. During her time at Harvard University, Janah worked for the World Bank, which gave her the experience she needed to put her ideas into motion.
Targeting mostly women and youths from eighteen- to thirty-years-old, Samasource breaks larger projects down into individual segments called “microwork.” Each worker is given a task -- usually data entry, content moderation, and other outsourcing services -- to complete and submit to Samasource’s proprietary cloud-based work distribution system. The work is checked and then sent along to enterprise customers. In that way Samasource provides opportunities to people would would not have them otherwise. As part of Samasource’s agreements, the workers are paid a living wage and have a chance not only to advance globally but within Samasource itself. For workers like the ones in refugee camps in Kenya, the work gives them something that tireless working in the fields -- work that is difficult to come by -- does not: a way out. In the increasingly globalized world, the experience is invaluable.
With more than two thousand employees worldwide, Samasource has had some success advancing its goal of providing good work to people in need. Thanks to a $1.5 million grant from the tech giant Google, Samasource will be able to impact people’s lives in an even more meaningful way.