This start-up makes job searching – and finding – a lot easier. Souktel, a technology enterprise in Palestine, was launched back in 2006, and has helped more than 20,000 job-seekers find work in conflict-ridden markets.
By using mobile technology, Souktel can access far more people than the web. Cell phone usage across developing markets, including Palestine, outpaces internet users. “In Kenya, cell phone ownership has risen by 160% in the past two years,” Souktel’s website says. “In Palestine, 80% of youth own mobiles. In Bangladesh there are 30 mobile owners for each web user.”
Job-seekers sign up for Souktel’s services by sending a series of text giving their location, skills and work abilities, and pay a small, $0.09 per-text fee. Souktel also matches aid organizations to people who need help, taking its services beyond the private job-seeking market.
To learn more – www.souktel.org
