Artificial intelligence courses for refugees: The Humans in the Loop organization, based in Bulgaria, provides technological training for migrants from conflict zones (Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, etc.).
Over the past five years, the influx of refugees has brought many challenges to the countries of the European Union, especially in its eastern part where the economy of many is not as developed as in the West.
But in Bulgaria, one of the poorest members of the EU, a company has managed to find a way to help refugees while boosting the local economy.
Humans in the Loop was founded in 2017 to help migrants from countries like Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan settle in the country and acquire tech skills so they can work in the fields of artificial intelligence and machine learning.
So far this project has helped over 2,000 refugees find jobs and adapt to the Bulgarian community.
According to CEO, Iva Gumnishka, they can provide learning at every level, from machine learning to development.
"The work ranges from collecting and classifying data, to verifying predictions and dealing with extreme situations. We also do a lot of work in the area of image and video, which is in the greatest demand."
The organization works primarily with internally displaced refugees and people who have lived in war zones. In addition to its 100 employees in Bulgaria, it works with 150 people in Turkey, Syria and Iraq.
"We distribute the projects in order of priority, determined by the legal framework, the number of dependents, employment status and other factors." Many consider it a suitable opportunity for women who prefer to work from home and want to combine their work with household chores and childcare.
Humans in the Loop has worked with many startups in Europe and America in recent years, developing products in the field of artificial intelligence and computer vision. They have also worked on agricultural projects such as drone crop segmentation, car damage detection, facial recognition and CCTV.
The organization is currently looking for partners in the Middle East, specifically Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan, and Yemen. They aim to employ up to 500 people from the war-torn countries and create many new partnerships with AI companies.
