Africa’s leading remittances-focused company and next-generation financial services platform, Mukuru, continues to drive education-focused initiatives aimed at reducing inequalities and supporting learners and students across the continent in accessing quality education.
One of the fintech’s notable endeavours is the establishment of the Mukuru Education Fund, which provides access to and funding for tertiary education.
“We recognise that many learners lack the necessary resources to pursue higher studies, and the fund aims to bridge this gap by offering bursaries to both Foreign National and South African students.
Since the inception of the Mukuru Education Fund, we have funded two students in 2021, eight students in 2022, and twelve students in 2023. Additionally, in 2022, we hosted our first internship with bursary recipients, providing them valuable professional experience,” says Deidré Vrede, CSI Manager.
Mukuru’s commitment to education extends beyond the tertiary level. For the past two years, in January, the company has run a campaign where one lucky customer per day is rewarded with a year’s school fees for their children. By extending access to quality education for all ages, Mukuru aims to create opportunities for learners of diverse backgrounds to benefit from the Mukuru Education Fund.
Since 2022, Mukuru demonstrated its support for its employees and their families with its Back-To-School initiative. Recognising the financial burden that quality education can offer, the initiative provides financial assistance for tuition fees to the dependents of Mukuru employees. The company values its employees as its greatest asset and strives to alleviate their financial concerns, ensuring their children have access to the education they deserve.
To further amplify their corporate social investment (CSI) efforts, they partnered with forgood to develop the Mukuru Cares Platform. This online platform connects employees who wish to make a difference with causes that require assistance, whether volunteering their time or donating goods and money, both in person and virtually.
The platform provides a structured volunteering program, highlighting CSI projects and events throughout the year, while also allowing employees to engage in unstructured volunteering, including skills-based initiatives. By leveraging the power of its dedicated workforce, Mukuru aims to create a positive social impact in communities across Africa. Mukuru also recognises the importance of fostering women in technology. In 2022, the company partnered with WeThinkCode to host the first-ever SheHacks women-only Hackathon, extending the invitation to recipients of their bursary fund. This event celebrates and champions women in the tech industry, providing them with a platform to expand their skill sets and advance their careers in software engineering and development.
Through their collaboration with WeThinkCode’s WomenThinkCode initiative, Mukuru aims to address
the historical underrepresentation of women in technology and support their journey towards successful tech careers. “As we continue our mission to reduce inequalities and empower individuals through education, our multifaceted initiatives underscore our commitment to creating lasting change in Africa.
By providing funding for tertiary education, supporting employees’ families, fostering employee volunteering, and promoting women in technology, Mukuru aims to continue investing in corporate social responsibility in the region,” concludes Vrede.
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