Frequently Asked Questions

In 2020, when the world paused and classrooms fell silent during the COVID-19 pandemic, a question rose from our communities: how do we keep learning alive? From that moment, United Siyafunda NPC was born. What began as a response to a crisis soon revealed a deeper need, one that extended far beyond lockdowns and temporary disruption. Initially, the initiative was simply about keeping young people engaged during a time of uncertainty. However, it quickly became clear that the real challenge was the lack of access to quality STEAM education. The project that started in Soweto, Johannesburg, grew into a structured response to the widening digital divide affecting learners across South Africa. From those early community roots, United Siyafunda evolved into a movement. What began on the streets of Soweto expanded into multiple communities, regions, and provinces. Today, the movement has crossed borders and is establishing its presence in the Kingdom of Lesotho, building on prior engagements and partnerships within the nation.

South Africa’s education system remains one of the most unequal in the world. While a small minority of learners benefit from well-resourced schools and quality STEM education, the vast majority attend under-resourced schools with limited access to laboratories, technology, trained educators, and future-focused learning opportunities. At United Siyafunda, we believe that by inspiring minds, we can reduce the digital skills gap across Sub-Saharan Africa and help bridge futures. Our work focuses on enabling equitable access to STEAM education and EdTech resources through practical and sustainable interventions. We actively promote coding, robotics, artificial intelligence, e-sports, and technology entrepreneurship in every region where we operate.

United Siyafunda maintains an active presence across six (6) communities within Gauteng, supported by a central operations and training facility based in Johannesburg. This footprint enables effective programme delivery, coordination, and capacity building across all our implementation sites in Soweto, Orange Farm, Poortjie, Alexandra, Brakpan, and Tembisa. United Siyafunda NPC has successfully expanded its STEAM education footprint into Lesotho, strengthening regional access to coding, robotics, and digital learning opportunities. Through strategic partnerships and program implementation, the organisation is extending its impact beyond South Africa, contributing to cross-border youth empowerment and digital skills development.