6.1 Introduction to online working

Online working is earning an income by doing work through the internet for clients or employers who may be anywhere in the world, using a computer or smartphone and a reliable connection. It includes freelancing on job marketplaces, completing small paid tasks that help train artificial intelligence, working remotely for a single employer, tutoring, and running online businesses. Online work gives young people in Kenya access to global clients and payment in foreign currency without leaving home, but it also requires digital skills, self-discipline and caution against scams. Example: a graduate in Kisii writes product descriptions for a European online shop through a freelance platform in the evenings, while an ICT student in Eldoret labels images for an AI company on a data annotation platform.

6.1.1 Types of online Jobs

Online jobs vary from short tasks that take a few minutes to long-term remote positions. They differ in the skills needed, how work is found, how pay is calculated and how stable the income is. Example: a SACCO's former clerk uses her bookkeeping skills to offer remote accounting services, while her younger brother completes transcription tasks for a language data company.

Microtasks and project-based work compared

6.1.2 Online job platforms

An online job platform is a website or app that connects people offering work with people who need it, and usually handles task assignment, communication and payment. Platforms differ in the type of work they offer, the countries they accept workers from, how they test applicants and how stable the work is. Because platforms change their rules and sometimes stop operating in some countries, workers should always confirm a platform's current status and eligibility on its official website before investing time in it. Example: a group of young people at a county youth empowerment centre checks each platform's official site for Kenyan eligibility before creating accounts.

Choosing a legitimate platform

• Check the official website: Apply only through the platform's own website, never through links shared on social media groups.
• Confirm country eligibility: Ensure the platform accepts workers living in Kenya, since using a VPN to hide one's location leads to bans.
• Never pay to join: Genuine platforms do not charge fees to apply or to be given tasks.
• Research the company: Look up the owner company, reviews and news about the platform.
• Read the terms: Understand rules on quality, payment and account suspension before starting.

6.1.2.1 Remotask

Remotasks was a crowd-work platform owned by Scale AI, a US artificial intelligence data company, which paid workers to label images, annotate video and text, evaluate AI responses and complete coding tasks used to train AI models. It became very popular with Kenyan youth until it stopped operating in Kenya in March 2024, when workers were blocked from the site with little notice; it also closed in Nigeria and Pakistan around the same time. Remotasks is a lesson in the risks of depending on a single platform.

• Type of work: Image and video annotation, text labelling, AI response evaluation and coding tasks.
• How it worked: Workers completed free training courses for each task type, passed qualification tests, then were paid per task or per hour.
• Status in Kenya: Discontinued in March 2024; Kenyan accounts can no longer access the platform.
• Lesson for workers: Platforms can exit a country suddenly, so workers should diversify across several platforms and skills.
• Lesson on payments: Workers should withdraw earnings regularly rather than leaving large balances on any platform.

6.1.2.2 Data annotation tech

DataAnnotation.tech is a platform that pays contractors to train AI models by writing, evaluating and correcting chatbot responses, solving reasoning problems and reviewing code. Applicants take a starter assessment and, depending on their background, further qualification tests in areas such as general writing or coding. It is known for relatively high pay, but it accepts workers only from a few countries (the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand), so residents of Kenya are not eligible.

• Type of work: Evaluating and rewriting AI responses, creative writing, fact-checking and coding tasks.
• Entry requirements: Strong written English, reasoning skills and passing the assessments; specialist tracks need domain expertise.
• Eligibility: Restricted to the listed countries; accounts opened from elsewhere or through VPNs are closed.
• Work arrangement: Workers choose projects on their dashboard and set their own hours.
• Relevance for Kenyan learners: It shows the skills that well-paid AI training work demands, such as precise writing, reasoning and coding, which learners can build for other platforms.

6.1.2.3 Cloud worker

A cloud worker is a person who completes digital work remotely through the internet, often as part of a managed online team. In Kenya, the term is closely associated with CloudFactory, a company that employs teams of cloud workers in Nairobi and Kisumu, as well as in Nepal, to label data, check quality and evaluate AI models for international customers. Unlike open crowd platforms, CloudFactory recruits workers through an application process, tests them and organises them into supervised teams with training and progression.

• Type of work: Data annotation, data labelling, quality checking, document processing and AI model evaluation.
• Recruitment: Applicants apply through the company's careers page and take aptitude, computer-literacy and task-specific tests, followed by interviews.
• Work arrangement: Workers are organised in teams with team leaders and structured onboarding.
• Advantages: More stable work, training and career progression than open crowd platforms.
• Limitations: Places are limited and depend on the company's hiring cycles and client demand.

6.1.2.4 Upwork

Upwork is one of the world's largest freelance marketplaces, where clients post jobs and freelancers submit proposals to win them, in categories such as writing, design, programming, virtual assistance, accounting and marketing. Freelancers create a profile, buy or receive "Connects" (credits used to submit proposals) and agree fixed-price or hourly contracts with clients. Since May 2025, Upwork has charged freelancers a variable service fee of 0% to 15% on each contract, shown before the proposal is submitted. Example: a freelance graphic designer from Mombasa wins a contract on Upwork to design packaging for a coffee brand in Canada.

• Type of work: Professional freelance projects across many fields.
• How work is obtained: Freelancers submit proposals to job posts or are invited by clients.
• Contract types: Fixed-price contracts paid by milestones, and hourly contracts tracked by the platform.
• Protection: Payments for work done within the platform's rules are protected, which is why freelancers should not move contracts off the platform.
• Competition: Many freelancers compete for each job, so a strong profile and well-written proposals are essential.

Worked example: a freelancer completes a US $200 fixed-price contract on which the service fee is 10%. Find the amount earned in Ksh at an assumed exchange rate of Ksh 130 per US dollar, ignoring withdrawal charges.

Service fee = 10% × 200 = US $20

Amount earned = 200 − 20 = US $180

Amount in Ksh = 180 × 130

Answer: Ksh 23,400

6.1.2.5 Oneforma

OneForma is a global crowdsourcing platform owned by Centific (formerly Pactera EDGE), a technology company based in the United States. It offers project-based work for AI training and language data, such as transcription, translation, data collection, annotation, and search and content evaluation, in many languages. Contributors create a profile, apply for individual projects that match their languages and skills, and pass project-specific tests before being accepted.

• Type of work: Transcription, translation, speech and image data collection, annotation and search relevance rating.
• Language advantage: Projects in Kiswahili and other local languages may be available alongside English.
• How it works: Contributors apply to specific projects, complete qualifications and are paid only for approved tasks.
• Payment setup: A verified payment method must be added before any work can start.
• Limitations: Approval for projects can take a long time, and work depends on project availability.

6.1.2.6 Appen

Appen is an Australian AI data company founded in 1996 that provides training data for AI systems through a global crowd of contributors. Since 2024, contributors join and work through its platform called CrowdGen, which replaced the older Appen Connect platform. Work includes search and social media evaluation, data annotation, transcription, speech recording and AI response rating, and the platform operates in many countries and languages. Example: a teacher in Nyeri completes part-time search evaluation tasks on CrowdGen after school hours.

• Type of work: Search relevance rating, social media evaluation, annotation, transcription and speech data collection.
• How to join: Register on CrowdGen, build a profile, then apply and qualify for individual projects.
• Reach: Projects are offered in many countries and languages.
• Advantages: Long-established company with a wide range of projects.
• Limitations: Work availability depends on Appen's clients and can fall when large contracts end.

Comparison of online job platforms

6.1.3 Benefits and challenges of online working