CSR Partner: Digital Divide Data
Technology skills open world of opportunity
In developing countries, poverty is a crushing reality for unemployed and underemployed young adults. But Digital Divide Data helps young men and women build sustainable careers through technology training, scholarships, and well-paying jobs. Their graduates typically earn three to four times the average local wage.
Impact sourcing helps break poverty cycle
Digital Divide Data (DDD) offers high-quality, web-based digital services to corporate and public sector clients. To build its workforce, the organization recruits, trains, and employs young adults from impoverished families. Workers not only transform their own lives, but help lift their families out of poverty and become role models in their communities.
- Through intensive job-readiness training, recruits build business, technology, English, and soft skills
- Successful trainees are hired as digital associates; they receive a partial scholarship and flexible work schedule so they can earn a college degree
- Half of workers are women, and the organization actively recruits people with disabilities
- Digital Divide Data delivers its services, known as impact sourcing, from offices in Cambodia, Laos, and Kenya
A sustainable model without boundaries
Product grants of equipment and financial support from Cisco have helped Digital Divide Data replicate its impact sourcing model and reach more beneficiaries.
- Cisco has helped the organization strengthen its financial sustainability in two ways: using automation to save on operations and offering higher value services to clients
- The organization expanded to the U.S. with the launch of Liberty Source, which hires and trains spouses of active duty military personal and veterans for portable careers in finance and accounting, human resources, and customer care
- Adding higher value services to the organization’s portfolio gives workers the chance to expand their technology skills, making them even more valuable in the job market
- 80% of revenue is now from earned income
Improving wages improves lives
US$175,000 increase in lifetime earnings for program employees
90% of participants retain jobs and advance their careers
50% of employees are women
“When I look back at my dream today, I see that DDD not only taught me to be a businesswoman, but also a good and strong person.”
Phabphada Dokbouathong, DDD Laos graduate 2008, DDD Operations Director
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