In 2024, Vodacom marks its 30th anniversary, a milestone that coincides with South Africa’s 30 years of democracy. This milestone reflects a shared journey of resilience and hope, where Vodacom has evolved into a leading provider of information and communication technology (ICT) solutions, connecting over 203 million customers across emerging markets. Throughout its 30-year journey, Vodacom has navigated the diverse phases of South Africa’s growth, becoming a trusted partner to the people of South Africa during times of crisis and triumph. Vodacom’s technology and resources have been instrumental in addressing pressing community challenges, uplifting lives and creating opportunities countrywide.
The Vodacom Foundation, established in 1999, is the CSI arm of Vodacom South Africa. The Foundation utilises a portion of Vodacom South Africa’s profit to empower society, leveraging its core capabilities in technological innovations. It aligns its initiatives with South Africa’s national development goals, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Since its establishment, the Vodacom Foundation has contributed more than R1 billion in social investments.
Evolution of Vodacom’s CSI approach
In the three decades since its inception, Vodacom’s approach to CSI has evolved in line with broader trends, transitioning from traditional charitable giving to a more strategic and leveraged approach that seeks to achieve lasting societal impact. In the early years, Vodacom’s CSI focused on donations and supporting immediate community needs, such as funding local projects or responding to crises. This charitable approach was an important part of the company’s contribution to society.
Over time, Vodacom shifted towards a more strategic CSI model, where investments were aligned with both the company’s core business objectives and the challenges faced by the communities in which Vodacom operates. This meant targeting initiatives that not only addressed social issues but also leveraged Vodacom’s strengths, such as connectivity, digital education and access to technology. An example is Vodacom’s focus on education through technology, where the company implemented initiatives like the Vodacom e-School platform, providing free online educational content to learners in under-resourced areas.
Vodacom’s approach has since evolved to leveraged CSI, where the focus is on driving systemic change. This approach recognises that complex societal challenges, such as poverty, education gaps and unemployment cannot be tackled by one entity alone. Vodacom collaborates with the government, NGOs and other corporates to pool resources, share knowledge and create large-scale impact. For instance, Vodacom’s collaboration with the Department of Basic Education (DBE) to roll out ICT infrastructure in schools across South Africa exemplifies how multisectoral partnerships can enhance the reach and effectiveness of CSI efforts.
Despite this shift towards long-term, strategic interventions, Vodacom has not moved away from traditional charitable giving entirely. The business understands the continued importance of responding to urgent community needs, disaster relief efforts and employee-driven initiatives. Its strategy balances charitable donations with strategic and leveraged CSI, ensuring that while it contributes to immediate needs, it also remains committed to achieving systemic change.
As approaches to CSI continue to evolve, Vodacom’s experience demonstrates the importance of adapting to changing societal needs while maintaining a clear focus on collaboration and long-term impact. A key lesson learned is that charitable, strategic and leveraged CSI are interdependent approaches, each playing an important role in sustainable development. The intentional integration of these strategies into overarching plans is essential. Allocating resources across charitable initiatives addresses immediate needs while strategic CSI leads to more meaningful outcomes. Additionally, focusing on leveraged projects for long-term systemic development can drive sustainable impact, allowing corporates like Vodacom to address the complex challenges faced by society.
Programmatic focus: education initiatives
Education is at the heart of Vodacom’s socioeconomic impact. In 2018, the company unveiled a comprehensive education ecosystem initiative encompassing early childhood development (ECD) centres, Schools of Excellence and community ICT centres, including youth academies. This ecosystem is designed to improve the quality of education in underserved communities by creating a seamless interface between the different educational pillars, underpinned by partnerships with the DBE and Department of Social Development.
The Vodacom Foundation Schools of Excellence programme, which began with 13 schools in 2018, now supports 25 schools across the country. Each school is equipped with a fully functional computer centre, modern teaching devices and upgraded infrastructure, including security enhancements and the replacement of pit latrines with proper ablution facilities where needed. These interventions aim to improve both the safety and learning environment of the schools, particularly in the rural areas of Limpopo, the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.
Additionally, nine of the Schools of Excellence have been provided with virtual classroom solutions, allowing learners to receive live lessons and access prerecorded content via smart devices and internet connectivity. This digital innovation offers new learning possibilities, particularly in areas where access to qualified educators may be limited.
Vodacom has also introduced coding and robotics equipment and training in three schools as part of an extracurricular programme, to prepare learners for future careers in the digital world. To ensure the effective use of these technological resources, each school has ICT coordinators who support teachers and students, helping to integrate the technology into daily learning activities.
Psychosocial support is another critical element of Vodacom’s education ecosystem. The company has placed 36 skilled psychosocial professionals in Schools of Excellence, reaching more than 26 000 learners. These professionals address issues such as gender-based violence (GBV) and bullying, helping to create safe and inclusive school environments. Evidence suggests that their presence has led to reduced bullying, improved academic performance and stronger relationships between learners, teachers and the broader community.
In line with its commitment to laying strong educational foundations, Vodacom has also upgraded and renovated 27 ECD centres near its Schools of Excellence, impacting over 1 800 young children. These centres have been equipped with ICT tools, mobile libraries, clean water supplies and improved sanitation, helping to close the education gap in early learning.
Educators play an important role in Vodacom’s education initiatives. The company has worked closely with the DBE to train teachers in integrating ICT into their classrooms. To date, 86 teacher training centres have been refurbished and connected to Vodacom’s network, equipping educators with the tools they need to navigate the digital transformation of education.
Vodacom plans to expand its Schools of Excellence each year, ensuring that more learners benefit from these interventions. This multifaceted ecosystem represents Vodacom’s larger purpose to drive inclusion for all, ensuring no one is left behind by providing access to connectivity, digital skills and quality education.
Vodacom’s commitment to tackling GBV
Vodacom is committed to tackling the widespread issue of GBV in South Africa, where the prevalence is alarmingly high. According to Statistics South Africa (Stats SA), the rate of violence experienced by women in the country is five times higher than the global average. This reality drives Vodacom’s focused efforts to address GBV through a comprehensive programme centred on prevention, response and victim empowerment. These initiatives align closely with the company’s purpose-led inclusion strategy, which seeks to foster positive societal change.
In terms of prevention, Vodacom launched the Bright Sky mobile app in 2020. This zero-rated app provides users with essential information about GBV, helping them understand the issue and offering access to support services. The app ensures that people can seek help and resources without data costs becoming a barrier, an important factor in a country where many individuals face financial constraints.
On the response front, Vodacom has expanded its efforts in schools. Thirty-six psychosocial professionals work in schools across all provinces, providing assistance to educators and learners. These professionals have helped over 26 000 learners across 42 schools navigate the effects of violence, bullying and GBV. In 2024, an average of 30 000 people downloaded the Bright Sky app per month. Following the 16 Days of Activism against GBV campaign, Vodacom registered more than 76 000 clicks on the app. Vodacom has partnered with the National Prosecuting Authority to build Thuthuzela Care Centres, offering GBV survivors a safe space to report crimes.
Empowerment is another cornerstone of Vodacom’s approach. Through the Vodacom Foundation, the company provides ICT training to survivors of GBV in shelters across the country. To date, more than 1 500 women have received training, equipping them with digital skills to enhance their opportunities and rebuild their lives. This empowerment initiative is vital in helping survivors regain independence and economic stability, and demonstrates Vodacom’s commitment to creating a lasting impact.
Looking ahead: Vodacom’s vision for the next 30 years
As Vodacom approaches the next 30 years, the company remains dedicated to building a prosperous South Africa. Grounded in the principles of service, innovation and partnership, Vodacom will continue to uphold these values as it works towards a brighter and more equitable future. The vision for South Africa is one where every individual has access to quality education, lives free from GBV and can realise their full potential. Vodacom invites all stakeholders to join this mission and collaborate for lasting change.
