In today’s connected world, access to the internet should be an essential service, like water or electricity. And just like water and electricity, it should be available to everyone, regardless of circumstance.
The World Bank estimates that for every 10% penetration of internet access, a country’s GDP grows by 1,28%.
Project Isizwe works with local, provincial and national government to provide WiFi in low-income communities for the purpose of education, economic development and social inclusion, enabling access to the internet as a catalyst for change.
Having officially deployed over 1076 Free Internet Zones (FIZs) in Tshwane, Project Isizwe has connected over 3 500 000 unique users in the Capital City since November 2013, logging over 276 Million sessions.
Project Isizwe has deployed Free WiFi in the Western Cape, rolling out capacity for 40 000 users around schools in Atlantis and Robertson.
Besides allowing users 500MB per day on Tshwane Free WiFi, Project Isizwe has developed a content portal. Tobetsa is designed to give users access to uncapped curated content. This content is focused on education, skills development and employment, and gives local communities the power to access information, education and jobs online, empowering them to participate in the mainstream economy like never before.
The deployment of Free Internet Zones (FIZs) is a big step towards bridging the digital divide and helps us build a better future for South Africa.