A Moment That Sparked a Mission
Fresh out of Harvard in 2005, Leila Janah worked as a consultant in Mumbai. She rode past Dharavi—the largest slum in Asia—and realized that millions living in extreme poverty could do digital work if given the right tools and opportunities. That moment planted the seed for her life’s work.
Launching a New Kind of Outsourcing
In 2008, Janah founded Samasource (later renamed Sama), with a mission to provide dignified microwork—small, digital tasks like data annotation or content moderation—to people in underserved communities. Her goal was simple: give people paying jobs, not charity.
Building Infrastructure in the Poorest Regions
Janah set up delivery centers in places like Uttar Pradesh (India), Nairobi, Kampala, and Gulu (Uganda). She trained workers in essential digital skills—literacy, quality control, and financial basics—then connected them to clients including Google, Microsoft, Getty Images, and Facebook. Many earned 40–200% more than before, lifting them above the poverty line and helping families send children to school.
Scaling Beyond Borders
Over time, Sama expanded its impact. In 2011, Janah launched Samaschool in the U.S. to help domestic low-income individuals access gig economy jobs like Instacart and Lyft. She then founded Samahope, a crowdfunding platform for medical needs, and LXMI, a skincare brand harvesting ingredients from marginalized communities. She believed in using capitalism for empowerment.
Advocating for Impact Sourcing
Janah coined the term “impact sourcing”—a hiring practice prioritizing inclusion. Her approach combined nonprofit values with for-profit efficiency. She pushed global brands to consider this model as a solution to ending extreme poverty through employment, not aid.
A Legacy of Opportunity
Sama has provided meaningful work to tens of thousands in Africa and Asia, training even more through Samaschool. Janah’s work showed that with intention and technology, businesses could transform lives and economies. Her 2017 book, Give Work: Reversing Poverty One Job at a Time, outlines her philosophy: the most powerful form of charity is giving someone a paycheck.
Conclusion
Leila Janah didn’t just create a nonprofit—she created a movement. By combining technological access with dignified employment, she transformed lives in remote communities. Her work—built on empathy, intention, and innovation—proves that global poverty can be challenged one job at a time.
