This first blog post on our partnership with Le Relais will explain the birth of this partnership and how the company is working as a Social Company. 

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People for AI is well-known for its data labeling quality, its refined expertise and capacity to tackle complex labeling projects. We manage image and text labeling projects, handling numerous annotation tasks each week to support AI innovation.

But how do we achieve these results? At People for AI, as our labelers have long-term contracts signed, we believe that our workforce is the first building block to our success. Our collaboration with Le Relais Madagascar illustrates our company’s long-term commitment.

In this article, we are going to explore more about our partnership with Le Relais. Let’s better understand who is the team who make a link between social reinsertion, data labeling and AI projects successes.

What is Le Relais?

In France, people mainly know this social company because they are collecting used clothes from all over the country thanks to these big white boxes.

A Le Relais container in the North of France.

But people don’t know that Le Relais is a network of companies that possess many business activities in France, Senegal, Burkina Faso and Madagascar. 

This Social Enterprise, “Le Relais Group”, has been working for 30 years to reintegrate people in situations of social or economic exclusion. To this end, it has developed a number of economic activities, creating over 2,200 sustainable jobs.

When we talk about “Le Relais Madagascar”, it is important to understand it is only a branch of Le Relais Group.

At Le Relais Madagascar’s headquarters in Fianarantsoa, there are +450 employees allocated in these multiple departments and projects. This social enterprise has different activities including : 

• a small automotive manufacturer, 🚗
• a second-hand goods sorting center, 👚
• textile design and creation, 👗
• agricultural development, 🌱
• waste collection and recycling, ♻️
• and other activities. 👩‍💻

One of these other activities is the data labeling department, named the “Ejery” Team, established in Fianarantsoa through our 2020 partnership with Le Relais Madagascar.

This department, co-managed by Le Relais Madagascar and People for AI, represents 25% of our workforce in Madagascar.

“What sets Le Relais apart from conventional companies is that it does not seek economic performance for profit, but to achieve its social objectives. Every penny generated is reinvested to combat social exclusion. It strives to combat the causes of exclusion, basing its action on the conviction that getting people in difficulty back to work is a way of helping them to preserve their dignity, regain their financial independence and their place in society.”

Le Relais Group’s Website

Le Relais locations are mainly situated in France. Other locations are in Madagascar, Burkina Faso and Senegal.

Ok, now that we understand that:

• 25% of our workforce is the Ejery team, located at Fianarantsoa;
• The Ejery team composes the data labeling division at Le Relais Madagascar;
• Le Relais Madagascar is part of Le Relais Group, which seeks social goals.

Let’s see how exactly this partnership started so that the Ejery team could be created.

How it all started with Le Relais Madagascar

Our founder and CEO, Matthieu Warnier, laid the foundation for our partnership during his time at Le Relais in 2010. Matthieu spent two months during his Ph.D. studies investigating the operations of Le Relais. Collaborating closely with Luc Ronssin, the Director of Le Relais Madagascar, he delved into waste management, engaged with local stakeholders, and understood the organization’s raison d’être. This engagement provided invaluable firsthand experience, shaping his understanding of the organization’s potential. 

Matthieu’s family close relations with Madagascar also strongly contributed to the foundation of this partnership. In 2009, Matthieu’s brother, Clément, joined the social and solidarity-based company for a seven-year tenure, contributing to a car manufacturing project. In 2013, his other brother, Bastien, arrived in Madagascar. He worked for some months at Le Relais and today is still at Madagascar as an owner of three restaurants. 

Later on, in 2018, Matthieu took a pivotal step by founding People for AI. Drawing from his accumulated experiences and informed by his connections to Madagascar, he realized the significant potential for creating impactful job opportunities. 

Matthieu noticed the alignment of competitive local salaries, good education standards, and fine internet connectivity – it is an ideal environment for AI outsourcing. 

This final piece fell into place when Matthieu teamed up with a partner in Antananarivo, Madagascar’s capital. This collaborator offered deep insight into local job practices and business intricacies, complementing Matthieu’s AI proficiency. Their skill synergy, along with Matthieu’s prior knowledge and connections, naturally paved the way for a harmonious and productive partnership. Two years later, with Luc Ronssin’s endorsement, the partnership between People for AI and Le Relais was established, creating a win-win scenario that not only elevated AI advancements but also uplifted Madagascar through ethical and impactful job creation.

How Le Relais’s workforce is today

Created in 2020, the Ejery team counts, in Q4 2023, with +20 labelers and +3 local project managers. The project, with an impressive rate of near-to-zero turnover, is now focused on developing the present workforce.

Conclusion

Thanks to Le Relais Madagascar, People for AI is setting a new standard for how businesses can contribute to society, proving that technological progress and social welfare can go hand in hand. 

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In the next blog post on Le Relais, we’ll learn more about the workforce, their working conditions, selection, training and benefits gained from working with us.