Education Outreach Foundation

Changemaker: Savannah Cozzi 

Country of implementation: South Africa

South Africa has the highest Gini coefficient in the world, a devastating unemployment rate, and a public education system that fails to adequately serve learners from underprivileged backgrounds. Savannah Cozzi and Paul Pretorius, both public interest lawyers, believe that education holds the power to change this narrative. This belief led them to found the Education Outreach Foundation, driven by the vision that education can unlock opportunities and transform lives.

The Foundation's current focus is on increasing access to digital literacy and educational opportunities in underserved communities. This focus birthed the Future Forward Skills Workshop. The workshops will be held in under-resourced schools across Johannesburg, aiming to provide career guidance, open doors to opportunities, and equip high school learners with the tools they need to succeed after graduation.

Many of the communities and schools the Foundation partners with lack access to computers, have limited internet connectivity, and do not have career guidance resources for their learners. Through the first half of 2025, we will implement these workshops in a selection of underserved high schools, reaching 200-300 learners. The sessions will begin with larger group discussions on career options and be followed by smaller, more personalized sessions facilitated by our volunteers, each of whom will bring a laptop to provide hands-on support.

We believe these workshops will offer learners the confidence, hope, and resources they need to thrive as they transition from high school to the working world.