Project Isizwe
Project Isizwe is a South African non-profit that deploys WiFi connectivity to underserved schools, low-income communities and malls, funded primarily by corporate CSI donations that qualify for Section 18A tax certificates and B-BBEE points.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersJohannesburg, South Africa
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Project Isizwe does
Project Isizwe is a South African Non-Profit Organisation (Registration No. 2013/146023/08), founded in 2013 and headquartered at 42 Bath Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg. It deploys WiFi infrastructure to underserved schools and low-income communities, with active operations in three provinces: Gauteng (HQ), Western Cape (Kayamandi, Stellenbosch) and KwaZulu-Natal (KwaMashu, Durban). The organisation runs a small core team of 1–10 people including a CEO, fractional CTO, financial manager, network and tech support leads, and a board chaired by figures such as Prof. Jonathan Jansen.
The product portfolio is built around three connectivity services — Connected Classrooms (WiFi for schools connecting a minimum of four learning spaces each, with daily monitoring), Connected Communities (R5 uncapped public WiFi at clinics, libraries and community halls), and Connected Malls (partner-funded free WiFi at shopping centres) — supplemented by adjacent programmes including the NABU Digital Reading Program (mother-tongue isiXhosa/isiZulu content on refurbished devices) and a digital skills training curriculum delivered with Social Coding. The underlying technology stack is WiFi infrastructure deployment relying on partner-provided backhaul and devices rather than proprietary platforms.
The operating model is partner-driven and donation-funded. Corporates, multinationals and SMMEs contribute through Corporate Social Investment (CSI) and grants in exchange for Section 18A tax certificates and B-BBEE points, which anchor the funding mechanism. Revenue diversification is limited: only token usage income is generated directly from end-users via the R5 community WiFi sessions. Connectivity is enabled at no direct cost to schools and communities through relationships with ISPs and infrastructure suppliers such as IHS South Africa.
Project Isizwe firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Project Isizwe
- Legal name
- Project Isizwe
- Website
- https://projectisizwe.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Project Isizwe is a South African non-profit that deploys WiFi connectivity to underserved schools, low-income communities and malls, funded primarily by corporate CSI donations that qualify for Section 18A tax certificates and B-BBEE points.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Project Isizwe industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Digital Inclusion / Public WiFi Connectivity
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (61171), Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Digital Learning, EdTech Enablement & Connectivity for Education (BPADAKAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Education Access & Quality (International Development) (BPAGABAE), Education Access & EdTech for Equity (Low-cost Learning, Skills Platforms) (BPAGALAH), NGO/Nonprofit Education Programs & Service Delivery (EDADALAC)
Keywords
Where Project Isizwe is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Johannesburg
- HQ country
- South Africa
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices1 record
Markets served
Project Isizwe business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Donations and Corporate Social Investment: Registered non-profit organization accepting Corporate Social Investment (CSI) funds and grant donations. Corporates receive Section 18A certificates and B-BBEE points for contributions.
- Affordable Community WiFi: R5 affordable WiFi sessions for community members providing sustainable, affordable and impactful internet access
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | R5 WiFi Communities - Affordable community internet access |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Corporate partnerships and sponsorships |
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Project Isizwe product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Project Isizwe is a non-profit organization that deploys and operates WiFi connectivity infrastructure to deliver meaningful and sustainable internet access to underserved South African schools and communities. Its core offerings include Connected Classrooms (WiFi for school learning spaces), Connected Communities (R5 affordable uncapped WiFi hotspots in public areas), and Connected Malls (partner-funded free WiFi at shopping centers), complemented by digital skills training and educational content programs.
Product overview
Project Isizwe offers a unified digital inclusion product portfolio consisting of three core connectivity services: Connected Classrooms (WiFi for schools), Connected Communities (affordable R5 WiFi hotspots for residential areas), and Connected Malls (free WiFi at shopping centers). These services are supported by complementary educational programs including digital skills training and robotics showcases. The organization operates as a non-profit, partnering with schools ready for WiFi connectivity and enabling digital access through strategically aligned funders.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Connected Classrooms WiFi connectivity solution that connects classrooms, libraries, labs, and administrative areas in underserved schools to meaningful internet, enabling teachers, learners, and school administrators to access the internet for teaching and learning. Connects a minimum of 4 learning spaces per school with daily monitoring and ongoing support.
- Connected Communities
Quantifiable outcome
- 150,000 children to be reached with mother-tongue digital reading content
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Project Isizwe
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Project Isizwe technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Project Isizwe partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- NABUcorePartnership to bring digital reading to South Africa through the NABU Digital Reading Program at Ikaya Primary School in Kayamandi. NABU provides beautifully illustrated content in isiXhosa and isiZulu for learners to enjoy stories in their home languages.
- GSM SystemscoreProvides refurbished devices for the NABU Digital Reading Program, giving learners access to digital content on devices that enable daily reading initiatives.
- IHS South AfricacorePartnership to launch free, uncapped public Wi-Fi initiative in KwaMashu, Durban. IHS South Africa supports the initiative as part of their commitment to connectivity as a lifeline for education, economic growth and digital inclusion.
- Social CodingcoreFacilitates five-day digital skills training programmes for unemployed youth, covering emerging technologies like virtual reality, mobile apps, exhibition management, customer service, and technical troubleshooting.
- Connectivity PartnerscoreInternet service providers and telcos who provide free backhaul capacity and internet to schools to ensure continued connectivity impact for educational outcomes.
- Infrastructure Suppliers and Service ProviderssupportingSuppliers and service providers for hardware, software, systems and connectivity that play an important role in delivering WiFi to schools and communities.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Project Isizwe competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Liquid Intelligent Technologies: Liquid (formerly Liquid Telecom) operates one of Africa's largest fiber networks and provides wholesale connectivity, cloud, and digital services across multiple African countries. While a much larger commercial operator, it supplies much of the backhaul infrastructure that Project Isizwe-style school/community WiFi deployments rely on, making it a critical upstream counterpart and structural benchmark for connectivity-driven social impact.
- Microsoft Airband Initiative: Microsoft's Airband Initiative targets digital inclusion by extending broadband to underserved rural communities globally through partnerships with ISPs, governments, and NGOs. Pursues a substantively similar mission to Project Isizwe — connecting schools and rural/low-income populations — but at global scale with corporate balance-sheet backing.
- Meta Connectivity / Free Basics: Meta's connectivity programs (including Free Basics and Express WiFi) have partnered with telcos to deliver free or low-cost internet access in emerging markets, including across Africa. Comparable mission and customer base (unconnected populations in emerging markets) but with vastly greater capital and a commercial rather than non-profit orientation.
Regional players
- BRCK: BRCK is a Kenyan technology company that provides rugged connectivity hardware and WiFi solutions for underserved African schools and communities. Directly comparable to Project Isizwe's model of deploying WiFi infrastructure to schools and low-income areas, with a similar focus on hardware-enabled digital inclusion across East Africa.
- CSquared: CSquared is a Google-backed open-access wholesale fiber operator building metro fiber networks across several African cities to enable ISPs and mobile operators to extend connectivity. Comparable as infrastructure-side enabler for the school/community WiFi ecosystem in which Project Isizwe operates, including in South Africa.
- Mawingu Networks: Mawingu Networks provides affordable wireless broadband to rural and underserved communities in Kenya using TVWS and other wireless technologies. Operates a community WiFi model analogous to Project Isizwe's R5/session community hotspots, targeting low-income populations in East Africa with a sustainable usage-based revenue layer.
Others
- Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI): A4AI is a global coalition advocating for affordable broadband policy in developing countries, hosted by the World Wide Web Foundation. While policy- rather than deployment-focused, A4AI's framing of digital inclusion in South Africa and other emerging markets is closely aligned with Project Isizwe's mission and beneficiary base.
- Internet Society: The Internet Society is a global non-profit promoting an open, globally-connected internet through policy advocacy, community networks, and digital inclusion grants. Operates in the same digital-inclusion space as Project Isizwe, particularly through its community networks program which funds community-owned connectivity in underserved areas.
- UNICEF Giga: Giga is a UNICEF–ITU global initiative to connect every school to the internet by 2030, mapping school connectivity worldwide and financing deployments in low-income countries. Operates in the same school-connectivity space as Project Isizwe's Connected Classrooms but at a global policy/financing scale, often partnering with or funding country-level implementations.
- Education Above All Foundation: Education Above All is a Qatar-based non-profit working to deliver quality education and connectivity to marginalized children and youth globally, including in sub-Saharan Africa. Operates in the same education-access / digital-inclusion space as Project Isizwe and is a potential funder or partner counterpart for school connectivity programs.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Project Isizwe social profiles
Digital presenceProject Isizwe compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Project Isizwe financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Project Isizwe leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
Project Isizwe funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Project Isizwe M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Project Isizwe
What does Project Isizwe do?
Project Isizwe is a non-profit organization that deploys and operates WiFi connectivity infrastructure to deliver meaningful and sustainable internet access to underserved South African schools and communities. Its core offerings include Connected Classrooms (WiFi for school learning spaces), Connected Communities (R5 affordable uncapped WiFi hotspots in public areas), and Connected Malls (partner-funded free WiFi at shopping centers), complemented by digital skills training and educational content programs.
Is Project Isizwe a public or private company?
Project Isizwe is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Project Isizwe founded?
Project Isizwe was founded in 2013. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Project Isizwe based?
Project Isizwe is headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, in the Africa region.
How does Project Isizwe make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Donations and Corporate Social Investment is the primary driver. The others are affordable Community WiFi.
Who are Project Isizwe's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Liquid Intelligent Technologies, Microsoft Airband Initiative and Meta Connectivity / Free Basics. Regional players are BRCK, CSquared and Mawingu Networks. Others are Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI), Internet Society, UNICEF Giga and Education Above All Foundation.
Does Project Isizwe have an API?
No public API is recorded for Project Isizwe.
What industry is Project Isizwe in?
Project Isizwe's product category is Digital Inclusion / Public WiFi Connectivity. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPADAKAH, Digital Learning, EdTech Enablement & Connectivity for Education, with a secondary code of BPAGABAE, Education Access & Quality (International Development). Its NAICS code is 61171 and its SIC code is 8200.