Online working means earning an income by performing tasks for clients or companies over the internet, usually from home or any place with a computer or smartphone and a reliable connection. The work is found, carried out, delivered and paid for online. It includes freelancing, remote employment and short micro-tasks. For interior design graduates it opens a market for design drafting, 3D visualisation, product research and content creation beyond their own town.
Example: an interior design graduate in Kakamega earns extra income by producing 3D room renders for clients abroad through a freelance platform, while also doing short data annotation tasks in quiet weeks.
Online jobs fall into several groups according to the skill required.
Online job platforms are websites and apps that connect workers with clients or companies, manage tasks and process payments. Each platform has its own sign-up process, tests, rules and payment methods, and availability of tasks in Kenya changes over time, so a worker should always check the platform's current terms on its official website.
Remotasks is a micro-task platform owned by Scale AI where workers complete tasks such as image annotation, 2D and 3D labelling (LiDAR), text categorisation and AI training tasks. Workers take free training courses before qualifying for paid tasks, and pay depends on the task type and accuracy. Its operations in Kenya were suspended in 2024, which shows why workers should not depend on a single platform.
DataAnnotation (dataannotation.tech) recruits workers to train and evaluate AI chatbots through tasks such as rating responses, writing prompts and checking facts and coding answers. Applicants pass an assessment before receiving work; payment is hourly per project and is made through PayPal.
CloudWorkers is a platform offering remote micro-tasks and projects such as data entry, content moderation, transcription and AI training. Workers register, complete qualification tests and are paid per completed task or by the hour, usually through online payment services.
Upwork is one of the largest freelance marketplaces, where clients post jobs and freelancers submit proposals.
Interior design and 3D visualisation jobs are common on Upwork.
OneForma, run by Centific, offers projects in transcription, translation, data annotation, search evaluation and language data collection, many of them for speakers of particular languages, including Kiswahili. Workers apply for each project, pass qualification tests and are paid through Payoneer or PayPal.
Appen is a global company that provides data for AI through a crowd of contributors. Tasks include search relevance evaluation, social media evaluation, transcription, image and speech data collection. Contributors register on its contributor portal, apply for projects, pass exams and are paid monthly through PayPal or Payoneer.
| Platform | Main type of work | Entry requirement | Common payment method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Remotasks | AI data labelling | Training courses | PayPal, Airtm (where available) |
| DataAnnotation Tech | AI chatbot training | Assessment | PayPal |
| CloudWorkers | Micro-tasks, data entry | Qualification tests | Online payment service |
| Upwork | Freelance projects | Approved profile | Bank, M-Pesa, PayPal |
| OneForma | Language and data projects | Project tests | Payoneer, PayPal |
| Appen | Search evaluation, data collection | Project exams | PayPal, Payoneer |
Create a free account to open more of this chapter.
Free: practical guides, quick cards, workplace scenarios and more.
Create a free accountType: Individual
| Tools & Equipment | Materials |
|---|---|
| Phillips screwdriver No.2 | Isopropyl alcohol 70% 50ml |
| Compressed air canister 400ml | |
| Antistatic wrist strap | |
| Soft anti-static brush 50mm wide | |
| Microfiber cleaning cloth 20cm x 20cm | |
| Cotton swabs |
| S/N | Item | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Desktop computer case 450mm x 200mm x 400mm | 1 Pc per Candidate |
| 2 | Compressed air canister 400ml | 1 Pc per Candidate |
| 3 | Antistatic wrist strap | 1 Pc per Candidate |
| 4 | Soft anti-static brush 50mm wide | 1 Pc per Candidate |
| 5 | Microfiber cleaning cloth 20cm x 20cm | 1 Pc per Candidate |
| 6 | Phillips screwdriver No.2 | 1 Pc per Candidate |
| 7 | Isopropyl alcohol 70% 50ml | 1 bottle per 5 Candidates |
| 8 | Cotton swabs | 5 pcs per Candidate |
| Items to be Evaluated | Marks Available | Marks Obtained | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| TASK 1: Prepare and open the computer case | |||
| Wears antistatic wrist strap correctly before touching internal components (Award 2 marks for correct use of antistatic wrist strap or zero) | 2 | ||
| Powers off and unplugs the computer safely (Award 2 marks for safe shutdown and unplugging or zero) | 2 | ||
| Uses Phillips screwdriver to remove screws and open the case without damage (Award 3 marks for careful and correct removal of screws and opening case or zero) | 3 | ||
| Sub-Total | 7 | ||
| TASK 2: Clean internal components | |||
| Uses compressed air canister to blow out dust from motherboard, fans, and power supply (Award 4 marks for effective dust removal using compressed air or zero) | 4 | ||
| Uses soft anti-static brush to gently remove dust from sensitive components (Award 3 marks for proper brushing technique and care or zero) | 3 | ||
| Uses cotton swabs dipped in isopropyl alcohol to clean tight areas such as fan blades and ports (Award 3 marks for careful and appropriate use of cotton swabs and alcohol or zero) | 3 | ||
| Wipes accessible surfaces with microfiber cloth without leaving lint or marks (Award 2 marks for neat wiping and no damage or residue or zero) | 2 | ||
| Sub-Total | 12 | ||
| TASK 3: Reassemble and finalize | |||
| Closes the computer case and secures screws properly (Award 3 marks for properly securing case or zero) | 3 | ||
| Ensures no tools or debris remain inside before closing (Award 2 marks for clean work area inside case or zero) | 2 | ||
| Reconnects power cord and powers on computer to check for normal operation (Award 4 marks for successful power-on without errors or zero) | 4 | ||
| Sub-Total | 9 | ||
| PRODUCT CHECKLIST | |||
| Computer case opened without damage and screws accounted for (Award 3 marks for intact case and screws or zero) | 3 | ||
| Internal components visibly free of dust and debris (Award 5 marks for thorough dust removal as per task or zero) | 5 | ||
| No damage to internal components or connectors (Award 4 marks for damage-free components or zero) | 4 | ||
| Computer powers on and functions normally after cleaning (Award 7 marks for fully operational computer or zero) | 7 | ||
| Sub-Total | 19 | ||
| GRAND TOTAL | 47 | ||
Type: Individual
| Tools & Equipment | Materials |
|---|---|
| Philips screwdriver | Replacement 120mm computer cooling fan |
| Anti-static wrist strap | Isopropyl alcohol (70%) |
| Cleaning brush | |
| Lint-free cloth |
| S/N | Item | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Philips screwdriver | 1 Pc per Candidate |
| 2 | Anti-static wrist strap | 1 Pc per Candidate |
| 3 | Replacement 120mm computer cooling fan with 3-pin connector | 1 Pc per Candidate |
| 4 | Desktop computer (with faulty fan installed) | 1 Pc per Candidate |
| 5 | Cleaning brush (soft bristle) | 1 Pc per Candidate |
| 6 | Isopropyl alcohol (70%) and lint-free cloth | Sufficient supply per Candidate |
| Items to be Evaluated | Marks Available | Marks Obtained | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| TASK 1: Replacing the Faulty Computer Fan | |||
| Wore anti-static wrist strap correctly before starting work (Award 2 marks for correct wrist strap use, 0 if not) | 2 | ||
| Powered off and unplugged the desktop computer before opening the case (Award 2 marks for safe power off and unplugging, 0 if not) | 2 | ||
| Removed the computer case side panel carefully using the Philips screwdriver (Award 2 marks for careful removal of side panel, 0 if damage or improper method) | 2 | ||
| Identified and disconnected the faulty 120mm fan’s power connector properly (Award 3 marks for correct identification and disconnection, 0 if incorrect or forced) | 3 | ||
| Unscrewed and removed the faulty fan without damaging surrounding components (Award 3 marks for careful removal without damage, 0 if damage or improper method) | 3 | ||
| Cleaned the fan mounting area and surrounding dust using brush and isopropyl alcohol (Award 3 marks for thorough cleaning with correct materials, 0 if skipped or poor cleaning) | 3 | ||
| Mounted the replacement 120mm fan securely using screws and screwdriver (Award 4 marks for secure mounting with all screws tight, 0 if loose or missing screws) | 4 | ||
| Connected the new fan power connector correctly to the motherboard or fan header (Award 3 marks for proper connection with no loose wires, 0 if incorrect or loose) | 3 | ||
| Replaced the computer case side panel and secured it properly (Award 2 marks for correct panel replacement and fastening, 0 if loose or missing screws) | 2 | ||
| Powered on the computer and checked that the new fan operates correctly without unusual noise (Award 4 marks for successful start and proper fan operation, 0 if fan does not run or noisy) | 4 | ||
| Sub-Total | 28 | ||
| PRODUCT CHECKLIST | |||
| Replacement fan is mounted firmly in the original position with all screws tight (Award 5 marks if fan is firmly fixed and aligned, 0 if loose or misaligned) | 5 | ||
| Fan power connector is correctly plugged in with no exposed wires or loose connections (Award 4 marks for secure and proper electrical connection, 0 if loose or incorrect) | 4 | ||
| Computer powers on without error and the new fan runs smoothly without abnormal noise (Award 5 marks for normal operation and quiet fan, 0 if errors or noise present) | 5 | ||
| Work area and computer interior are clean and free of dust or debris after replacement (Award 3 marks for cleanliness and neatness, 0 if dust or debris remain) | 3 | ||
| Sub-Total | 17 | ||
| GRAND TOTAL | 45 | ||