Instant Network Schools

Every child has the right to a quality education

Education is a fundamental human right. Yet of the 14.8 million school-aged refugee children, 49% are missing out on an education. That’s around 7 million children.

That’s why Vodafone Foundation and UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, began the Instant Network Schools programme in 2013 to connect young refugees, host communities and their teachers with digital learning content and the internet, improving the quality of digital education in some of the most marginalised communities in Africa.

INS is in the following countries

There are 159 Instant Network Schools currently operating across six countries.

Egypt

Kenya

Mozambique

South Sudan

Tanzania

The Democratic Republic of Congo

A holistic approach

Our Instant Classroom solution is a school in a box, with connectivity for the classroom, tablets for the students, and a laptop projector and speaker for the teacher. All the curriculum is pre-loaded on the tablets, and the kit is powered through solar systems. This means that any room, anywhere in the world, could be transformed into a digital classroom.

A school in a box

One case contains tables for the students, and a laptop, projector and speaker for the teacher. All the kit can be charged in the box, and it has been designed to be portable and small enough to safely store.

Locally tailored curriculum

Curriculum is pre-loaded onto the tablets in local languages. It has also been tailored to be culturally appropriate and relevant for local contexts.

Connected classrooms

All classrooms come with internet connectivity, allowing students to research topics, apply for university and connect with the wider world.

Solar powered

Kit is powered via solar panels to be sustainable, even when main power or generators fail.

Community driven

Every school has a dedicated coach, who maintains the kit and can support teachers and students if needed. Vodafone Volunteers run missions to support large updates, test new curriculum and set-up new schools.

Our impact

Instant Network Schools have connected thousands of teachers and hundreds of thousands of students to a quality digital education. We are working in partnership with UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, to support half a million students to access quality and relevant learning opportunities by the end of 2026.