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Souktel: Mobile Technologythat Helps Youth Find Jobs and Training
Overview - Dec. 2009
The Challenge: Emerging Market Characteristics
• Poor physical infrastructure; poor transport networks • Unregulated, disorganized labor market; large informal
sector • Inefficient communication between schools/vocational
institutes and private sector employers• Poor labor market information mechanisms; lack of job
counselling resources; weak public sector support• Employers: High expectations; hiring biases • Job-seekers: lack of experience/references; low Internet
access (but growing cell phone access)
The Enabler: Mobile Phones
• In almost all developing countries, more youth use cell phones than the web:
Nigeria: 32 million cell phone users; only 8 million web users
Bangladesh: 30 cell phone users for each web user
• Cell phones are the fastest-growing communications medium in the developing world:
Kenya: Cell phone ownership jumps 160% between 2004 and 2006, twice the growth rate of web access.
India: Cell phone ownership grows 240% between 2004 and 2006, 3 times as fast as web access rates.
(source: US State Dept., 2008)
Palestine Communication Costs – One Month:
Percentage of Palestinian Youth Using:
What is SMS? Why Use It?
• Available on all mobile phones
• Leading communications tool among youth in developing countries
• Send/receive information instantly
• Reach youth anytime, anywhere – even in areas with no Internet
• Cheaper, more accessible than Internet and landline phone
JobMatch: Key Advantages
• “Anytime, anywhere” ability to access key, custom information.• Versatility: Easily combined with other social media apps and
other SMS services (alerts/surveys).• Community/social networking: Ability to find users with similar
profiles.• Community empowerment: Post dynamic content to a publicly-
accessible “bulletin board”.• Richer data collection: detailed profiles of local beneficiaries.
• Souktel JobMatch in Action:
SMS Job Match Service – Palestine (DAI, World Bank)
SMS Job/Training Info Service – East Africa (EDC Inc., USAID)
User Data at a Glance• West Bank/Gaza: 8,000 student users (Birzeit, AAUJ, Al-Quds, Najah);
150 employers per month• Somaliland: 1,200 student users (University of Hargeisa) , 4 large-scale
employer partners
• Key Partners – Institutions:
World Bank Group – Quality Improvement Fund
DAI Inc. – Employment Generation Program
TVET League of Palestine
Telesom – Somalia; Jawwal – Palestine
• Key Partners – Employers:
Deloitte – Palestine; Ernst & Young - Palestine; Dahabshiil - Somaliland
Yellow Pages – Palestine; Jumhuriyya Media Group - Somaliland
CARE International ; Palestinian Ministry of Finance
Impact Measurement and Results
• Measuring Impact: Weekly database tracking of service use: searches, match requests, job
alerts
Monthly phone surveys of “matched” job-seekers and employers
Bi-annual “match retention” phone surveys; institutional partner surveys
• Results To Date: Avg. 40 youth matched with jobs/internships each month (approx. 500
youth matched per year).
Leading sectors: Sales/marketing; office support; IT; construction.
75% match retention past 3-month mark.
Youth: 75% reduction in job search length (unemployment proxy).
Employers: 50% reduction in hiring time and costs.
