South Africa was Connect Africa’s first home. Beginning in 2006, Connect Africa deployed a “Proof of Concept” trial in Limpopo Province supported by the Southern Africa Trust, which demonstrated the feasibility of our business model, as well as the elements that needed fine tuning.

With a revised model in hand, we launched the Connect Africa Mobile Community Service Pilot Project in Mogalakwena District of Limpopo Province in 2007, with the support of the Development Bank of Southern Africa. The pilot produced results that far exceeded our expectations, and the detailed report can be accessed by clicking here.

Comprehensive market research into the types of services rural people need and expect accompanied the pilot project. We interviewed over 1000 people across seven districts of Mogalakwena and both the raw data  and analysis  of the surveys can be accessed in the library section.

We are now working with the Southern Africa Trust to plan the next phase of our rollout in South Africa.

Connect Africa has also joined the Intel Learning Series Alliance to enhance education in underserved rural communities in South Africa. You can read more about this initiative here.

REPORTS:

Connect Africa Rural Service Network:  Proof of Concept, January 2007

This report marks our debut in the ICT for rural development sector. The Southern Africa Trust provided Connect Africa with a 3-month grant of US$20 000 to develop our model for the sustainable, routine and effective delivery of public and private sector services to marginalized rural communities.