Lesego Rampolokeng

South African tech innovator bridging digital divides through free internet access

Lesego Rampolokeng is a South African entrepreneur and social innovator whose work has transformed access to technology in underserved communities. Born in 1985 in Soweto, he co-founded SoulBounce in 2003, a nonprofit that provides free Wi-Fi and digital literacy training to low-income areas. His initiatives have connected over 5 million people across 17 African countries to the internet.

Rampolokeng's breakthrough came with the development of the SoulWiFi network in 2010, a decentralized mesh network system that operates without central infrastructure. This technology allows communities to share internet access through interconnected devices, making it ideal for regions with poor connectivity. The system now operates in 89 cities and has enabled thousands of small businesses to access e-commerce platforms.

In 2015, he launched the Code for Africa initiative, training over 150,000 young people in coding and digital skills. His work was recognized by the UN in 2018 with the 'Digital Inclusion Award', and his innovations inspired similar projects in India and Brazil. Rampolokeng's most recent project, EduNet, provides free online education platforms in local languages, currently serving 1.2 million students.

Despite challenges like government censorship attempts and infrastructure limitations, Rampolokeng's vision of universal digital access has become a model for global digital equity initiatives. His TED Talk 'The Internet for Everyone' has over 2 million views and influenced policy changes in 7 African nations.